michelle d. williams

Talkie Sauce

2012-02-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

Talkie Sauce

Asks who, what, when, where, why, why, why

All day long.

The wheels are turning on the bus and in his mind.

He must know... now, Mommy.

original verse...

2012-01-27T22:40:00.002-07:00

"NutMeg"
NutMeg
Dances to the radio
In the car
When she feels the need.
She wants to intimidate other drivers.

"MANN"
Runs her fingers through her hair
As it flutters in the breeze
Near some flowering daisies
She screams - BEES!

Love

2012-01-17T12:17:00.003-07:00

I need a sewing pattern for this. It looks perfect for summer!

How do you take care of sick people when you are sick?

2012-01-12T17:03:00.003-07:00

This week is my first episode of being sick while working as a PA and it's harder than I thought. The first few days I was pulling it off--stifling a cough by clearing my throat, blowing my nose in the back room, but today I have the full-fledged watery eyes, stuffy-nose-sounding voice, look-like-death thing going. I have been sanitizing my hands about every 10 seconds but no one wants to see a PA that's sick. I need a miracle cure and some Puffs Plus...stat!

Matthew's Birthday Trip

2012-01-10T12:15:00.003-07:00

Every year it is a challenge to figure out what would make a special birthday for Matthew and this year was no exception seeing as we are living in a new place and don't know a lot of peopleMatthew celebrated his 3*th birthday last week. I made a Peach Raspberry Buckle for dessert which turned out pretty tasty (if I do say so myself ;).

This weekend we went to Denver for a mini-vacation. It was Free Day at the Denver Zoo so we enjoyed a winter day at the zoo which is something I've never done before. This picture of Matthew with the giraffes in the background was taken in the same spot where I was sneezed on by a giraffe as a kid. The giraffe was leaning over the rail and there were a bunch of kids standing close to get a look, then all of a sudden the giraffe sneezed cover us in giraffe snot--gross! I cried and cried but my family thought it was hilarious!

It snowed on us at the zoo on Saturday and put a couple of inches over Denver. Sunday we went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

The 3D IMAX movie "Under the Sea" was awesome and the glasses turn anyone into a Cee-Lo look-alike.

visit.

2011-10-02T21:39:00.007-06:00

Hi! I'm Megan, Michelle's awesome older sister. I'm so thrilled to be contributing to "michelle d. williams" today. As you can see from my picture, I'm pretty cool. I love nature. I love the Utes. And I love little flowers! Michelle and Matthew came for a visit last week. It was pretty much great. Here are some pics from our adventures:

Want and Need

2011-09-08T18:25:00.002-06:00

Want:
1) Awesome job that will be fun and interesting
2) To travel to some place with a beautiful beach
3) A 27" iMac

Need:
1) Health insurance, income, retirement, etc.
2) Cheap airfare
3) A computer

Here it is, Kristina! Getting one out of three ain't bad :)

Photos for Auntie 'Chelle

2011-09-02T23:35:00.001-06:00

Chip-munky

Graduation!

2011-09-02T23:21:00.000-06:00

Grandpa Hurst, we love you!

2011-07-09T12:08:00.002-06:00

Grandpa Hurst passed away after a 16 year battle with pancreatic cancer. Thanks to all those who came to his memorial. He was a wonderful man full of laughs and smiles. He left everyone feeling better about themselves. Love you, Grandpa!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T16:16:00.001-06:00

I finally have a picture to post so that means another blog entry. Matthew and I dressed up for our ward Halloween party on Friday night. He wanted to be a mummy so I decided to be Cleopatra. It was fun to get all costumed up.

You may have noticed my disappearance from the blogging world. I think the last 6 months of the didactic year of PA school pretty much sucked the life out of me but now I am doing clinical rotations and life is good. I did my first rotation in Salt Lake City at the VA hospital. I was in an inpatient psychiatry unit and it was...well...pretty crazy :). I really enjoyed psychiatry and learned a lot since most of our patients had very apparent pathologies. Now I am doing pediatrics in Meridian and I love it. I have never considered myself a "kid person" but I love the positive energy the little guys bring to my day. Next week I start dermatology and I am looking forward to it because I think I will enjoy doing more hands-on types of things.

I will graduate in August and I am looking forward to escaping the student life. Happy Halloween!

Easter Sugar Cookies

2010-04-03T13:38:00.004-06:00

I got the bug this week to make some spring-time sugar cookies. I decided to use Martha's recipe for Ideal Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing. The dough was pretty unforgiving but the result turned out very well. The cookies were soft and buttery but nice and thin. I really like the royal icing because it's easy to work and dries to a beautiful, shiny gloss. Overall, I'd say this recipe isn't for the faint of heart but if you are looking for a tasty challenge then give it a try.

The Fountainhead

2010-03-10T17:02:00.004-07:00

Sometimes things come into your life at just the right time and for me this book was one of them. I started reading at the end of last summer and in the midst of school would pick it up occasionally and chip away at it. It's written by Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged, a book I read a few years ago and found very relevant. Too me books like these are must reads because they are a huge part of our culture. They are still frequently referenced today and you may have even quoted it without realizing what you were talking about because they are so ingrained in our vocabulary. Therefore, I think The Fountainhead has value to the average reader even if doesn't affect you in the same way it did me.

The book is a novel written in the 1940s by a Russian expatriot living in the U.S., which I think adds credibility to her political commentary, but that is not what struck me in this book. The premise of the book is that selflessness is the ultimate degradation of the human soul. This sounds pretty crazy but when you think about it -- it is so amazingly poignant.

Here is a brief summary of the characters:

Howard Roark is an architect. He is great and therefore has a difficult time breaking into the business because the professional standards are to borrow from ideas of the past. He is the caricature of selfishness in that he builds buildings for his own pleasure, to make the world a better place for himself by having created something that he knows is great. The book chronicles his struggles in finding success in a world that is full of people who are "selfless."

Roark's counterpart is Peter Keating. They start their careers at the same time and Keating immediately rises to the top of the architecture world by becoming popular, meeting the right people and designing buildings that are nothing spectacular but are good enough. By the end of the book Keating is the picture of "selfessness." He has become unrecognizable even to himself because he has sold his soul in the process of trying to become great.

The masses are the third caricature. These people despise greatness because it shows their own ineptitude. The masses are lead by the opinions of others, namely Elsworth Toohey, an architecture opinion column writer. Toohey praises mediocrity in an attempt to destroy greatness and obtain power for himself. He preaches the doctrine of selflessness in terms that are not unfamiliar to us: pity, benevolence, public spirit, social consciousness.

The book follows the interplay of these characters ultimately showing the reader that the selflessness is the great sin. First of all we have to address the definition of selflessness. If you break down the word into parts you see that it literally means a quality of being without self and when this definition is applied to the word I think Ayn Rand is absolutely right. When we are without self we do no service to ourselves or the world around us. We become a waif, blown about by the whims and opinions of others. The self is what makes us unique. It is what makes us alive.

This was especially pertinent to me because for several years I have been trying to become the picture of selflessness. I felt that in order to be a good Christian, to become more like Christ, I had to abandon my desires. My life became an experiment in seeing how much I could possibly let go of, how I could let myself be shaped and changed. Last fall I reached a point where I felt there was nothing left to me. I literally felt as if my opinions, likes and desires, suppressed for so long, had faded away to nothing. The memory of who I had been before seemed distant and unknowable. I feel that I have reached the depth of selflessness and after having been there I never want to go back.

I am thinking that after having my world shaken by medical problems I felt the control I once had on my life was gone. My coping mechanism was to surrender the rest and become a shadow. I now realize that was a great mistake. I have never been a fan of the "finding yourself" rhetoric but I do feel I am now on a quest to find my self.

Easy Baby Quilt and Applique Burp Cloth

2010-03-05T18:34:00.013-07:00

This is a baby quilt and burp cloth I made as a gift for a friend (Ethney, hope you're not checking my blog the night before your shower!)

The print is a Michael Miller print I found at JoAnn's and the backing is solid brown flannel. It's a simple pattern--sew two rectangles with wrong sides together. Turn it right sides out and iron. In my copious amounts of class time I quilted around the big flowers.

I appliqued some flowers onto the burp cloth using fusible webbing and bordered it with a decorative stitch on my sewing machine.

It was a fun project and it went together quickly!

Canister Project

2010-02-09T19:35:00.006-07:00

Last year I posted about some canisters I found at a thrift store and had plans to refinish the wooden tops. Well, one year later the project is finished and I am quite happy with how they came out. I had to strip the wooden tops (not a fun part of the project). Then I bought some cheap acrylic craft paint at walmart and used a rag to wipe it on in a thin layer, leaving the wood grain visible. Last I sprayed them with some spray shellac (needed since the ceramic jars are shiny). Here is the before:

And the after:

Update

2010-01-26T21:15:00.003-07:00

I hate titling a post "Update" but that's all we got for now.

In December I wrapped up my first semester of PA school. It felt like quite an accomplishment although it only means I am 1/6 of the way through. Now we are onto the module portion of the program which means we spend one week on a type of medicine, learn everything about it (that can be learned in one week), take a test and then move onto the next area. I think I like it because you always feel like you are accomplishing something. We have done two modules so far and only have about 25 more to go--sounds easy enough....

Matthew is in school still plugging away at his pre-dental prerequisites. And this really explains why our lives are so dull. When you have two people in school you don't do much else. He works really hard and I am so proud of him!

Christmas break was our first chance in a while to let loose. My parents came up to Boise and we spent a few days at Matthew's family's cabin. It was so beautiful up there with all of the snow and nice to spend time with Mom and Dad.

We spent Christmas with Matthew's family and things were pretty uneventful. It was kind of a like a big nap that we both totally needed.

A couple of weeks ago I was released as Relief Society President, which I think was timely since the pace of school has really picked up. Last Sunday was my first in a very long time that I haven't had any meetings outside of the regular ones everyone goes to...a nice feeling :)

I feel very blessed to be in school in spite of the crazy pace it gives to my life. It is fun to be learning so much and I'm excited to get out there and start practicing. I have been focusing on really trying to be happy in the moment and not be constantly thinking about the next phase of life and I think I am getting it to some degree. Life is now. It's happening to us every day. I love what President Hinckley said:

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed.

“[The fact is] most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. …

“Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.

“The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride” (“Big Rock Candy Mountains,” Deseret News, 12 June 1973, A4).

I am thankful for the thrilling bursts of speed and the beautiful vistas in my life.

6 More Weeks

2009-11-01T18:51:00.002-07:00

I am delighted by the fact that there are only 3 more weeks of class until Thanksgiving break and three more weeks after that. We are sooooo ready for a break!

I often get asked how PA school is going. "Busy" is usually my answer, although I have learned that there are many who have a much higher study time tolerance than I do. I am finding out that I am not a science person, which usually raises some eyebrows--luckily there's more to being a PA than science. And let's face it, I'm not hoping to become the next Dr. House cracking the worlds most mysterious medical cases. I do really enjoy the hands on things. So far we've learned to do injections, draw blood, suture and do physical examinations. All of this I really enjoy. I also like charting, which ostracizes me from most of my classmates. What can I say? I'm a Comms major at heart.

The most challenging thing about school is being in class for 6-8 hours/day, 5 days/week. I sit on one of those big exercise balls instead of a chair (as do many of my classmates). It seems to help me stay awake (haven't fallen asleep and spilled off onto the floor yet anyway) and you can always bounce for entertainment.

I am pleased to report that my US Army stethoscope that Matthew won from a recruiter for guessing the kind of car he drove (strange...I know) seems to work great. Still, I am dreading when I am actually practicing and I have to explain to my patients that I was never in the US Army. It seems like I should come up with a better story of how I got the stethoscope....

Five Years

2009-07-30T23:55:00.004-06:00

Matthew and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary yesterday and it's made me reflect on some of the things we've done these past five years:

June 3, 2004
I was living in NYC doing an internship with an advertising agency and living the dream, literally. Matthew flew in to visit and we spent the evening visiting the Manhattan Temple Dedication. Afterward we went for a stroll through Central Park and ended up on the tree-lined Poet's Walk cozying up on a bench where a month ago he had whispered, "I love you," into my ear. That evening we became engaged and our story began.

July 29, 2004
Megan called around first thing in the morning because I had forgotten to book an appointment to get my nails done. Luckily we found a place with an opening and rushed off for the matrimonial mani/pedi. Several hours of primping later Matthew and I were married in the Boise Temple for time and eternity. We had an incredible day with our friends and family enjoying the bliss of new love and marriage.

December 18, 2004
Matthew graduated with a B.S. in International Buisness Management and Spanish from Utah Valley State College. Whew!

April 14, 2005
I checked into LDS Hospital for a 5-day stay to have my first tumor removed. I had to arrange with all of my teachers to have my finals early and complete projects ahead of time so I could have the surgury during finals week. Additionally, the weeks prior to surgury required me to take medication to control my blood pressure and to slowly increase it until surgury. I started out taking one pill once a day and ended up taking eight pills twice a day! It the medication slowed me down immensely and, in some ways, that semester was my most difficult yet.

April 21, 2005
It was really important to me to attend my college graduation because I felt that I had worked hard to achieve that little piece of paper so when the surgeon told me I would be going under the knife one week before graduation I was determined that I would make it on the stage. My parents rented a wheel chair so I wouldn't have to walk far and Matthew pushed me around all day. I got a seat of honor on the floor of the Marriott Center with graduate students and Matthew sat close behind me. It was a long ceremony to endure even with the narcotics but I am so happy I was able to be there.

May 9, 2009
Matthew and I started our first college grad jobs. Matthew was managing a Tunex franchise in West Valley City and I was working at BYU doing marketing for the campus auxilliaries. Though my drea m was to return to NYC and start up an advertising career, it was a perfect transition considering my health and the wonderful support I received while working at BYU. My coworkers made it possible for me to have a job at that time.

July 29, 2005
I arrived in SLC airport around 7 p.m. with my parents. We had just come from Bethesda, MD where I spent the week getting a work up of tests to determine the location of my other tumors. Our first wedding anniversary was unconventional at best, but we did get to enjoy a nice dinner at our favorite restaurant.

April 2006
While driving home from General Conference I received inspiration that we needed to fulfill Matthew's life-long dream of taking a huge amount of time to travel. We spent the next nine months preparing and finally quit our jobs in December 2006 so we could have an adventure.

2007
Traveling was hard on me because I really like to have a schedule and be accomplishing things on my list but that year we learned more about eachother than we've probably learned in the other four years combined. We shared so many great experiences that we'll never forget...and created our homemade RV we like to call the "Campry." The world is so beautiful and there are so many places I can't wait to get back to!

January 21, 2008
I guess traveling does change you because I started school on a Tuesday, down the long path to becoming a physician assistant. I loved being back in school but I worked hard. Science is not my forte and it took all I had to earn what I did. Matthew was a huge support to me in this transition. I guess I inspiried him because eight months later he caught my insanity and started taking classes to prepare for dental school.

January 12, 2009
I had just had my wisdom teeth removed four days before and suffered a flu bug in the process of healing up from that so I wasn't sure I was at the top of my game but I headed off to Meridian to interview for a seat in the Idaho State Unversity PA program. The interview seemed to go well and I wasn't disappointed because just two days later we celebrated a seat offer.

May 27, 2009
We took our last chance (for the next few years) for long, international trip and flew to Cancun, Mexico for some summer fun--two months of relaxation and chaos in Centeral America.

July 29, 2009
Five years--I love you more than ever, Matthew!!!

Love for Pandora

2009-03-23T21:40:00.004-06:00

Who doesn't love Pandora? I started using this service when I was working at BYU a couple of years ago and continue to love it. Where else can you hear Colbie Caillat sing "Kiss the Girl" from the Little Mermaid and Jack Johnson all on the same radio station?

If you are so unfortunate as to have missed out on Pandora for the past few years, please--do yourself a favor--check it out now!

These are some of my favorite stations:
That's How You Know It's Love (from Enchanted)
Colbie Caillat
Antonio Vivaldi
Rascal Flatts

My Calling

2009-03-22T19:34:00.003-06:00

In January I was called to be the Relief Society (RS) President in my ward. Matthew and I attend a married student ward so I am relieved to not have the complexities of a family ward but this has been quite a growing experience. I have some incredible women serving as my counselors and secretary which is a HUGE benefit. These are some of the lessons I have learned in my first three months on the job:

1. A calling like this can consume you, so you have to learn to compartmentalize your life.
2. There are people out there with bigger problems than you, trust me :)
3. People think that they are unique in being shy or feeling weird talking to someone they don't know--almost everyone feels that way.
4. Delegate.
5. It is tough to be the manager. I have managed in my previous work but it was nothing like this. It is really hard for me to be the one who is making sure everyone is doing their job without doing it for them.

I know many of you are LDS so if you are wondering, "What can I do to make my RS president's life better?", here are some answers.

1. Do your visiting teaching. There is a reason we harp on this all the time. It's a big burden to bear to be responsible for dozens of women.
2. Do your calling. Be as enthusiastic as you can about your calling and look for ways you can fulfill it.
3. Be friends with the sisters in RS. If you think you are shy see (3.) above.

Some of the blessings that I have received from this calling thus far are as follows:
1. An increased connection with the Spirit.
2. The ability to know the names and faces of the ~65 sisters in the ward.
3. A better understanding of what RS is all about and why we have it.

If any of you have any tips for a budding, young RS president please pass them on!

Everything's Amazing, Nobody's Happy

2009-03-01T08:11:00.002-07:00

I thought this might brighten your day. It lasts about 4 minutes so give it a look when you have time. I'm not able to embed it so click here for a great video.

Confessions of an Identity Theft Victim

2009-02-09T15:16:00.005-07:00

In November I received a surprising phone call from Dell asking me if I had ordered and financed two purple laptops totaling over $4000. Three payday loans and at least two new bank accounts later I think I have everything resolved. I had heard radio ads, etc. about ID theft but I didn't really know how to prevent it or what to do about it so I didn't do anything. After going through this whole time-consuming mess, this is what I wish I had known:

1. If you ever receive a letter from a company letting you know that they have lost (or may have lost) your personal information call a credit reporting agency and put a fraud alert on your account. There are three agencies and if you call one they automatically notify the others. These are the agencies: Transunion, Experian and Equifax. This fraud alert will last for 90 days but you can call again in 90 days and put it on your account again.

2. If you are not actively seeking credit you can also put a security freeze on your account. This means that credit will not be issued in your name. It's done the same way as the fraud alert. If you want the security freeze lifted from your account (when you are seeking credit) it usually just takes a phone call and a few days.

3. Most states mandate that a free credit report be available for each resident each calendar year. These reports do not provide you with your credit score but they do show you the activity on your credit history. This is helpful in identifying shady activity in your name. When I got my reports I had three false addresses, a false SS# and fraudulent requests for my credit history. To get the free report just go to the three reporting agencies listed above and order it.

I won't go into the whole headache of fixing your credit once ID theft has occurred because I am hoping most of you won't have to deal with that, but if you ever do, give me a call and I'll let you know what I did.

Goodreads

2009-02-06T12:59:00.002-07:00

My wonderful friend KaLee just introduced me to the Goodreads website. It's a place where friends can share books they are reading and get recommendations. I think this is great because I am always looking for a good book to read. So if you are interested please create an account and add me to your friends. I don't like mass emailing people info like this so this is my invitation.

Here's my latest review of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling:

Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard L. Bushman

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was intrigued by the title of this book and I have found it to be very appropriate. This book, written by a practicing Mormon, is a great account of the prophet's life. He gives plenty of background information which helps the reader to understand the influences of both the period and his unique family situation that may have played a roll in his decisions.

It is a long book and it's written by a historian so you can get a little bogged down with it. I've been working on it for just over a year now and I'm almost finished. It's a good book to have on the shelf to pick up when you feel like it but I wouldn't attempt to charge straight through it.

View all my reviews.

Undefined

2009-02-02T22:37:00.002-07:00

Does anyone know why it says "undefined undefined" at the top of each of my posts? I can't figure out how it got there or how to make it go away. I think it's positioned where the date should be.

ISU--Boise, here we...are!

2009-01-29T16:29:00.001-07:00

I've been accepted to Idaho State University's PA program and I will be attending at their Boise campus. Matthew and I are very excited because ISU was our first choice. These are the reasons why:

1. We already live in Boise

2. ISU is the least expensive program (i.e. less student loans to pay back later)

3. Matthew can stay in school at Boise State

I didn't even know what ISU's mascot was so a quick google search fixed that. Go Bengals!

2nd Amendment Rights

2009-01-17T00:50:00.000-07:00

You may not know this about me but I feel passionately about our 2nd Amendment rights as U.S. citizens. Many people have been talking about how having a democratic presidency and congress may prove detrimental to the rights we currently have to bear arms. I believe this is an important issue to discuss. Many people think that the government will never take away guns from law abiding citizens but I think that is an underestimation. This video really brings it home. Please watch!

Thrift Store Finds

2008-12-31T21:42:00.001-07:00

My husband's brother's family gave us this collection of antique silverware for Christmas. You probably don't know, but Matthew and I have been collecting silver-plated silverware for a few years and plan on using it when we have our own place again. I love the way these pieces are arranged in the box. This way we can display it until we want to use it! Thanks, J, C, N, L, R & E Williams!

I bought these canisters at a thrift store in Boise because I loved the red leaf printing on the side. They are white ceramic jars with wodden tops. I am going to refinish the tops with either paint or stain, I haven't decided.

These are the exact Christmas cookie cutters my mom has so I was very excited to find them at the same thrift store on a different day. The set was a mere $.53.

Christmas Crafts!!!

2008-12-30T19:20:00.001-07:00

These are crafts that I made for the holidays this year. I have been really excited about doing this post but I had to hold off because many of these crafts were presents for my blog readers.

Slippers

These were made for Solomon, my sisters 8-month-old. They are lined with polar fleece. I found a great pattern with instructions here.

These were going to be for my brother-in-law but Matthew ended up likeing them so well that I gave them to him. They are made from 100% lambswool sweaters from a thrift store that have been felted. After the wool is felted you just cut out your slipper pattern. I used one from MarthaStewart.com, which is an ankle-height slipper but when I made the first slipper I decided that it was too floppy and didn't stay on well. That's when I decided to make them tall.

I made matching green slippers for my sister and her husband.

Pillows

The pillows were made for my parents and Matthew's parents. I embroidered the design on a piece of muslin. Good pillow inserts can be purchased from Pottery Barn for a very reasonable price. These are 18" pillows.

Advent Calendar

This has been my biggest project this fall. I think I logged about 60 hours on this calendar alone so be cautious before taking on a project like this one. I found the stitching designs at various sites on the internet and some are even Microsoft Word clipart. Each of the squares are pockets but I haven't yet made something to move along each day from pocket to pocket. If you would like to see detail shot of the embroidery click here.

Thimble Arts and Crafts

2008-12-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

If you like to craft you have to check out this website: Thimble Arts and Crafts. I came across this blog after feeling inspired about Christmas crafts and I love the author's style. Her crafts seem very doable (which is BIG for me) and she has a very fresh approach to it. She also borrows a lot of ideas from other blogs so you can save time by just surfing her site.

These are Christmas trees made from cuts of old sweaters. I think it's a great idea...now I just have to start collecting old sweaters!

I have made a few Christmas crafts this year but many of them are presents so I'll post on them after the holiday--stay tuned!

I got in!

2008-12-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

Wow, I have left you guys hanging for a long time--sorry! I have great news though. I have been accepted to Midwestern Univeristy's PA program. I was really impressed with the school when I interviewed there and they have a really great pass rate for the certification exam so I am very happy to be accepted to such a great school. Depending on how things shake out with my other applications we may very well be headed to Glendale, AZ in May. So I am really going to be a PA after all--does that scare you? :)

Taking Food Photos

2008-11-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

I am no expert in the food photography department but I did work doing advertising for the food industry long enough to know that good food photography is essential. My personal philosophy with any kind of design project is to imitate the best until you get good enough to create on your own. I have found that that strategy has produced the best results for me and I am okay with not coming up with something that is 100% original all of the time. So, my personal food photography tip is to look at the best and imitate the angles and plating that they use. Now, if you want some tips from some people who really know about food photograph click here. It's a great article with some easy-to-implement tips.

Garden City Community Clinic

2008-10-30T23:14:00.001-06:00

Every Thursday afternoon I head over to Garden City, nestled in the middle of Boise, and spend an hour or two volunteering at the Garden City Community Clinic. This clinic is run by Genesis World Mission which provides charity health care services domestically and abroad. It is a great non-profit organization which has a non-denominational Christian background and it's one of my favorite places to volunteer because the staff and volunteers really seem to have the spirit of what we are doing so everyone is happy.

My job is to meet with the new patients and go over their financial documents to ensure that they are eligible for our free services. It's a pretty simple process and when I have determined that they are eligible, I make a new patient file to keep their medical records in. It's an easy job but I love going and being a part of this great organization. When I am a P.A. I am planning to stick with this organization and continue to volunteer. They also have opportunities to go abroad and serve. Within the last few years they have opened clinics in Kenya and India, which I think is pretty neat! Just thought I would share something I do each week.

Reflection

2008-10-19T22:51:00.000-06:00

With the crisp feeling in the air and the leaves crunching beneath our feet, Matthew and I have been thinking a lot about where we were last fall. The Northeast is such a beautiful place--especially in the fall. Here are a few photos to get you in the mood.

Faith

2008-10-12T00:56:00.001-06:00

I like to listen to the A Prairie Home Companion podcasts when I am riding the bus to campus. On the way home the other day I listened to one and got this little tidbit of philosophy that I think is somewhat profound:

"I used to think that faith was sort of like a building block and you'd put all these blocks together and you'd build a house, sort of like the little pig built that the wolf could not blow down. And now I get older and I feel that faith is a matter of surrender. It's a matter of just giving up and leaving that house, just walking out and experiencing the cold and the rain and doubt and confusion, and trying to keep up your hope and some sense of gratitude. If you just keep up hope and gratitude then maybe that's all you need."

Garrison Keillor, A Prairie Home Companion

Great News!!!

2008-10-03T23:20:00.000-06:00

Just this week I received my first invitation to interview for PA school!!! I am interviewing at Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ on November 13th. I am so relieved to get one interview and it is pretty early to be interviewing so I am thinking it's a good sign.

For those who are unfamiliar with the application process I will explain what this means. When applying to PA school you first complete the central application service's application which you designate to be sent to those schools to which you want to apply. Once that's done then you send in applications for the schools, individually and this may include GRE scores, transcripts and another essay. Once that's received they decide if they want to meet you. If so, they call you for an interview. You go to the campus and meet with them in person for a day during which they decide if they like you even more. Then they let you know (weeks or maybe months down the road) if they will admit you.

I am really stoked about this because two schools have already notified me that they won't be considering me until they receive my fall grades. I figured that the schools would all take this position, but apparently not. I feel very blessed and this is a much needed confidence booster during a long and challenging semester.

School is going fine. I am doing well in my classes and Matthew is too. We just work our cans off almost everyday so we find we are tired and moody from time to time :).

New Recipe File Site

2008-10-01T17:48:00.001-06:00

I have been neglecting this blog because I have been working on a new blog that will host all of my recipes. It includes both recipes that I have tried and liked and those that I think sound good and want to try so if you try one that I haven't tried yet, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I have designed it selfishly to accommodate my use but I have tried to include suggestions or extra info about the recipes that might be helpful. So, check it out!

http://tastylikeitshouldbe.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

Lost Blog List

2008-08-31T18:56:00.001-06:00

When I got this new template I lost all of my blog list so please take a moment and look for your name under family or friends and make a comment if you don't see it. I did my best to track everyone down but I am sure there are people I have missed. Thanks!

Family Reunion and Food

2008-08-27T22:27:00.000-06:00

Last week we had a great time at the Glen Whipple Family Reunion. This year Matthew and I were in charge of planning it so we invited everyone to come up to Matthew's family's cabin for a few days. We visited McCall on a particularly windy day and braved the waves in our canoe and kayak, swam in the river by Smith's Ferry and went for a hike.

After having fun at the cabin we went to Declo, ID for some quality time on the Snake River and with extended family. We had a great time water skiing, wakeboarding and visiting our grandparents.

I planned all of the food for the three days at the cabin and it was the biggest undertaking of that kind that I have every taken on. I enjoyed it and everything must have turned out well because my family members requested the recipes I used so the following is a menu of the food we had. I am linking to all of the recipes that I can to save time on typing (I started school this week so time is at a premium!).

Monday
Sopa de Lima (Yucatan Lime Soup)
Fiesta Rice
Guacamole (we just mixed the fresh tomato salsa with some avocado and lime juice)
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Cherry Pie
Pie Crust
from Williams-Sonoma (no longer on their website)

For a 9-inch double-crust pie:
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp sugar
3/4 c shortening
6-7 Tbsp. cold water

Hand Method: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and toss together. Add the shortening. With a pastry blender, blend the ingredients together, working quickly, until you have a mixture of tiny, irregular flakes and bits about the size of coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle on the water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition. Add just enough water for the dough to form a rough mass.

With floured hands, pat the dough into two smooth disks. The dough is now ready to use. It is not necessary to refrigerate the dough before rolling out, although for convenience it may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to two days.

Tuesday
Continental Breakfast (including oatmeal, eggs, toast, fresh fruit, bagels and yogurt)

Deli Sandwiches and Wraps
Macaroni Salad
Chips
Watermelon
Old Fashioned Potato Salad

Dinner at Lardo's Restaurant
Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas
Melt chocolate chips with butter in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time. Cut bananas in half and remove peel. Put banana on a popsicle stick, dip in chocolate, roll in chopped peanuts and pistachios.
Pineapple Pops
1 14.5oz can pineapple
1/3 c milk
1/4 c sugar
Blend in the blender. Pour into popsicle molds or dixie cups, insert popsicle stick and freeze.j

Wednesday
Breakfast Casserole
Blueberry Raspberry Muffins (I used frozen blueberries and raspberries)

Skipped lunch because we had a late breakfast

Rigatoni with Tomatoes and Mozzerella (I add diced chicken breast sauteed in olive oil with salt and pepper)
Green Salad (nothing special)
Jo's Rosemary Bread (I bake it in the oven rather than the bread machine)
Homemade Ice Cream (ask Melissa for the recipe)
Cookies--These were especially a hit
Torie's Cherry Chocolate-Chunk Cookies
Outrageous Chocolate Cookies
Gingersnaps (from the 1959 Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook--I will post the recipe when I have the book at the computer with me--don't let me forget :)

Thursday
Baked Oatmeal

Chicken Enchiladas

2008-08-01T23:18:00.001-06:00

I made this the other night because we happened to have everything on hand and it was delicious. I substituted a can of Great Value (Wal-Mart generic) Red Sauce in place of the taco sauce and it tasted even better I think. I like all of the fresh toppings in this recipe from Southern Living Magazine.

3 cups shredded cooked chicken (just boil it and shred with two forks)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Vegetable cooking spray
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (8-ounce) bottle green taco sauce (I used 1 10 oz can of red sauce)

Toppings: diced tomato, chopped avocado, chopped green onions, sliced ripe olives, chopped cilantro

Stir together first 5 ingredients. Spoon chicken mixture evenly over each tortilla, and roll up. Arrange in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Coat tortillas with vegetable cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Stir together sour cream and taco sauce. Spoon over hot enchiladas, and sprinkle with toppings.

Chemistry Marathon

2008-08-01T22:56:00.000-06:00

For the past three weeks I have been taking General Chemistry II and it will continue for another two weeks. That's 5 credits in 5 weeks ...and it's chemistry. I'm not normally a whiner about school but this class is exhausting. I am in class (either lecture or lab) for 17 hours each week. Once that's over I am studying for 30-35 hours each week. So, that's pretty much my life. If you have been wondering why I have dropped off the planet, there's your explanation. And if you need to know how to create a buffer solution for your next biochemistry experiment, you know who to call.

Welcome to the World Alice Love Chandler!

2008-07-20T20:14:00.001-06:00

Matthew's sister, Rachael, had her third child on Wednesday--a pretty little girl. She is our thirteenth niece/nephew and we think she is beautiful! Welcome Alice!

Paul Revere

2008-07-07T01:07:00.000-06:00

When Matthew and I visited Boston last year we traced the ride of Paul Revere. I was really impressed by this story and surprised by how little I knew about it. Everyone knows the "one if by land, two if by sea" and "The British are coming! The British are coming!" parts but there is a lot more depth .

I encourage you to read about it on Wikipedia or wherever else you like to search for that type of info. Paul Revere was only one part of the sequence of events that could have changed the course of history. After learning more about "The shot heard round the world" I have a greater respect for those patriots who made a leap of faith--I think you will too. I am thankful to live in United States and for our revolutionary and founding fathers that created this great nation. God bless America!

Mrs. Fields Double Rich Chocolate Cookies

2008-07-02T15:41:00.000-06:00

This is the recipe from the official Mrs. Fields Best Cookie Book Ever and my cousin and I both showed up to the family reunion last summer with these cookies so you know--two of us can't be wrong! They are supposed to be soft so don't over bake them.

2 1/2 c Flour
1/2 tsp Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 c Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c Dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 c Sugar
1 c Butter, softened
3 lg Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
2 c Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300*F.

In a medium bowl combine flour, soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well and set aside.

In large bowl blend sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed. Add butter and beat to form a grainy paste. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add eggs and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies to a cool surface.

Okay, okay...

2008-07-01T23:17:00.000-06:00

I know it has been AGES since my last post so my sincere apologies...if anyone is still even bothering to check this site. My excuse is that I have been spending every spare computer moment working on my PA school applications so please forgive me!

I just did a post on our travel blog about our last trip down to Southern Utah. It has pictures and movies so maybe that will make up for my terrible absence from the web. :)

I have a chocolate cookie recipe to share soon too so stay tuned.

One semester almost down...

2008-05-05T21:39:00.000-06:00

Pictured: The Science and Nursing Building at BSU. This is kind of a strange photo of the building where I spend most of my time on campus. You can tell when you are on the chemistry floor because students in lab goggles are running back and forth from the lab to the bathroom carrying cups of their urine and on the other side of the floor they offer for you to try samples of their homemade coffee--no thanks!

I am one week away from completing my first semester of prereqs for PA school. Here are some of the things I have learned this semester:

--Chemistry is the language of science; you have to understand something about chemistry to really understand how the world works
--The physiology of muscles and nerves -- it is amazing how quickly it happens
--How to do psychoanalysis--the basics anyway, so if you feel like you need a shrink but can't afford it, give me a call first :)
--How to titrate an acid and a base (it's about as exciting as it sounds)
--What quantum theory is about (makes you sound really smart for something that isn't that complex--at least on the beginning chemistry level)
--What exactly occurs when one injures their ACL
--How to condition a burette (not really useful in real life, ever)
--Why you should eat a diet low in salt if you have high blood pressure

Here are some of the study habits I have picked up:

--Reading the textbook (which is about a 100% improvement from my last year of college)
--Studying in groups--I am not a social studier so this doesn't come naturally to me but I have learned that it has some benefits
--Asking questions in class (this was not okay at BYU in a lecture hall of 600 people but here at BSU it seems a little more appropriate)
--Going to office hours to get help (again, not intuitive for me but can be helpful)
--Not procrastinating--I am not professing to be perfect at this one but I have become a lot better at doing things ahead of time

I really have enjoyed this semester, even though it has been challenging. I like the things I am learning about and I really like being in a learning environment. That's good since I have, what, three more years of this?!?

Welcome my newest nephew into the world!

2008-04-16T19:59:00.001-06:00

My sister, Megan, delivered her baby last night and I can't wait to brag. Go to her blog to see more pictures and get the scoop!

Shout Out to Holly

2008-04-15T16:44:00.000-06:00

Today I am featuring my cousin-in-law's blog. If cousin-in-law is confusing, here's how we are related: Jeff Stoker is my cousin on my mom's side, he married Holly, hence, she is my cousin-in-law. She has a great blog for recipes and posts way, way more than I do so you need to check it out. It is nicely categorized by type of food and she takes lots of pictures (way better than me). Anyway, I think it's a great resource. Here's a link to her site or you can always find her in the My Favorite Blogs list on my blog under Holly's Recipes. Thanks, Holly, for your great blogging!

Darla Knoxville

2008-04-11T15:16:00.000-06:00

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Shadow Saturn
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Chocolate Ginga' snap
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)M-Wil
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Red Fox
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Darla Knoxville
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Micwi---not sure how to pronounce that
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) The Orange Milkshake
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Don Earl
9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy) DKNY Dove
10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) Jean Don (I think I would do a French pronunciation of Jean so it would rhyme with Don)
11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) Snoke Sydney
12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) Summer Dahlia
13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) Peach Shirty
14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) Cereal Magnolia
15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) "The Cooking Sunshine Tour"

I took this from Jodie's blog. I think she filled in in a little more creatively than I did. I tag whoever else wants to try it. And, I recognize that I still need to do my bag tag.

Updated...Finally!

2008-04-10T01:07:00.000-06:00

Okay, I just posted four recipes that I have made lately that are yummy! So keep scrolling down and check them out. I hope this makes up for my lack of posts lately. It's the middle of the semester--what can I say?!?

Cool 'n' Easy Strawberry Pie

2008-04-10T00:56:00.000-06:00

Gotta love that name, right? This one was a big hit with my husband's family on Easter. I used a Oreo cookie crust rather than a graham cracker crust like it says. I also doubled the recipe for our large group and made it in a 9x13 Pyrex dish with the crust just on the bottom and it worked well. It sets up nicely so you can cut it into squares. This recipe is from the Jello website. They have lots of yummy looking dessert recipes ending in "pie."

2/3 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
Ice cubes
1 tub (8 oz.) Whipped Topping, thawed (Lite tastes fine)
1 cup chopped, fresh strawberries
1 graham cracker (or Oreo) crumb crust
1 cup sliced, fresh strawberries

STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until slightly thickened. Remove any unmelted ice.

ADD whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in chopped strawberries. Refrigerate 20 to 30 min. or until mixture is very thick and will mound. Spoon into crust.

REFRIGERATE 6 hours or overnight until firm. Top with sliced strawberries. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Photo is from jello.com

Chocolate Pudding Pie

2008-04-10T00:49:00.000-06:00

Chocolate pudding pie is a tradition in my family. We usually do the Jello version but I came across this recipe from Williams- Sonoma's website
before Thanksgiving and I am convinced that it is worth the little bit of extra work. You can use
chocolate chips if you don't have your block of Ghirardelli lying around. I also put it in a regular pie crust (not shown in the picture) because that's how my mom always made it. I am sure it is good with the Oreo cookie crust too though.

For the filling:
2 1/2 cups milk
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped into slivers
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cookie crumb crust, made with chocolate cookies (or pie pastry like I use)

For the topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate curls for decorating

Directions:

To make the filling, in a heavy nonaluminum saucepan over low heat, warm together the milk and chocolate, whisking until the chocolate is melted; the mixture will be speckled.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow. Add the cornstarch and salt, then the vanilla, and whisk until well blended. Slowly pour the warm chocolate mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly until well blended. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until it thickens and begins to bubble slowly, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth, about 1 minute.

Pour the filling into the crumb crust and smooth with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface, and refrigerate until completely cold and firm, 2 to 3 hours.

To make the topping, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed or a whisk, beat together the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream on top of the pie. Decorate with chocolate curls. Refrigerate until ready to serve, but let the pie stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving to take the chill off. Makes one 9-inch pie; serves 8.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

2008-04-10T00:42:00.000-06:00

I got this recipe from Cooking Light magazine and they are pretty yummy. It's a cake-like brownie so don't expect the dense, gooey type. I thinned out the raspberry jam with some water so it would spoon on a little better and they turned out looking just like the picture.

Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white

Brownies:
Cooking spray
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
>2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the filling, beat the first 5 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended, and set aside.

To prepare the brownies, coat the bottom of an 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray (do not coat the sides of the pan). Lightly spoon 3/4 cup flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine 1 cup sugar and the next 6 ingredients (1 cup sugar through the 2 egg whites), stirring well with a whisk. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spread two-thirds of batter in bottom of prepared pan. Pour filling over batter, spreading evenly. Carefully drop the remaining batter and preserves by spoonfuls over filling; swirl together using the tip of a knife to marble. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Photo: From Cooking Light magazine

Saucy Little Meatloaves

2008-04-10T00:25:00.000-06:00

I just made these last night and I would have taken a picture but we already ate all of them! This is a recipe that I got from my Aunt Carolyn. My dad says it's the way his mom has always made meatloaf and it's Matthew's and my favorite. It is super easy and tastes great!

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
3/4 c. Quaker Oats
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. diced onion
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. pepper

For meat loaves, combine all ingredients thoroughly. Shape into 6 individual meat loaves in shallow baking pan.

1/3 c. catsup
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. prepared mustard

Combine all ingredients; spread over top of each loaf. Bake 350 degrees about 35 minutes.

*You can also top them with sharp cheddar cheese. It's kind of like a cheeseburger then, but it still tastes great.

Comments

2008-03-11T16:44:00.000-06:00

I know a lot of you are bloggers so I am passing this along. I have been getting comments left on my blog by users I don't know. They contain links and the links download viruses to your computer if you click on them. To protect against my readers and me from clicking on the bad links I have enabled the function that requires comments to be reviewed by me before they are posted. You might want to do the same on your blog if you are having problems. It just started with my last entry.

:( Some jerks have a lot of time to spread viruses.

Easter Candy!

2008-03-06T17:40:00.001-07:00

Easter is my favorite holiday and has been for a very long time. I know Christmas is great but this is my rationale:
1. Easter is in a fun, springy time of year when things are starting to get warm.
2. You get a pretty new dress to wear to church (at least that's how it used to be).
3. The candy is the best of any time of the year.
4. There is a good religious meaning behind it.

This year Easter is earlier than normal so it may not be a nice and springy as it has been some years but I am still looking forward to it. I was mentioning my excitement about Easter candy to Matthew the other day and he pointed out that I still havn't got through my Christmas and Valentines candy (see previous post about new years resolutions...yeah, I'm going strong!). This is true but I can't pass up the goodness of Easter candy and wait for a whole year for it to come around again. So I'm thinking maybe I should just hit the clearance racks the day after Easter and get some sweet deals. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

I think this great Peeps picture will be on the poster for their new Broadway show (this was shot just before they do the kickline routine :). By the way, I am of the school of thought that Peeps are great. Sugar, air, gelatin...what more do you need?

Back to the life of a student

2008-02-26T17:15:00.000-07:00

I am taking a time out today from studying (I should be memorizing the bones of the body right now) to make a blog entry updating you on yet another one of my life changes. I have quit my job. I was working part time at a physical therapy office and it was going great--I loved the patients, I loved my coworkers, I liked the work. Once I started school I realized that if I was going to sleep and/or see Matthew at all then I needed to lose the job. It was really sad quitting because the people were so great but I do feel a lot of relief having more time for school. So that means I have worked and quit 3 jobs in the last 3 months--not exactly a resume builder....

So I am now officially in the category of student. I get to enjoy my spring break without work, I have a 6 week break this summer between my spring and summer classes, when I hope to work on my tan and take it easy (easy, are you kidding me?!? I'll be trying to teach myself Chem 112 so I don't flunk my 5 week summer course during the second half of the summer!). I think you all remember what I'm talking about.

Can't say I agree with Kipp

2008-02-24T00:08:00.000-07:00

My title is an allusion to Kipp's provocative song "I love technology..." at the end of Napoleon Dynamite. This weekend I undertook the task of reformatting my computer's hard drive. I am proud to say that I am posting right now using the computer that I just reformatted so it didn't go all that badly. Everything worked just fine and after downloading seven years of Windows XP updates (which took most of the day) it has everything it needs...except the internet!

I have a wireless adapter that plugs into the USB port and it will not be recognized by XP now. You know when you plug in your iPod or USB drive and Windows pops something up that says "Hey, I see you plugged something in!"--it's not doing that. It will recognize my iPod but not this little beauty that supplies the internet.

I realize after reading countless geek threads that this problem is not uncommon, however, I don't posses the ability to understand what the geeks are saying to do to fix it. By the way, when I say "geek" you have to understand that I am holding them with much respect at this moment because they could probably solve my problem if they were here with me right now.

My apologies for the self-indulgent post.

Yucatan Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima)

2008-02-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

This soup is served everywhere in the Yucatan but the Mexican version is much simpler: a little chicken broth, some lime juice, 3 or 4 pieces of chicken, a sliced up lime and some tortilla strips. We liked that soup but Emeril Lagasse's recipe is excellent.

This recipe is good for a cold day, although everywhere we ate it in Mexico it was at least 90 degrees outside (and inside; no A/C). I forgo frying my own tortilla strips up and use cheap tortilla chips from the store. The result is equally good.

Don't feel bad about mixing up a batch of "Emeril's Essence" creole seasoning either. We used it on foil dinners last summer and they were some of the best we've ever had.

Yucatan Lime Soup
1 chicken breast half, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed
8 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
3/4 cup finely chopped white onions
1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup seeded, chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced Serrano chiles
4 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into thin slices, for decoration
1 avocado, seeded and diced, for topping

Season the chicken with the cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt and set aside. In a large pot, heat 1/2 cup of the oil over high heat. Fry the tortilla strips in batches until golden brown on both sides, adding more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan. Add the onion, Essence and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken, garlic, tomatoes and chiles and saute for 3 minutes. Add the stock and lime juice and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Place 1 lime slice in each soup bowl and ladle the soup on top. Top each serving with diced avocado and serve the fried tortilla strips on the side.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

If you want printable version of all of this click here.

Recipe from New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Are you stressed?

2008-02-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

In my psychology studies today I came across an interesting thing called the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Basically it operates under the idea that life changes create stress and chronic stress leads to illness. So you take the test to determine your stress level and therefore your proclivity to illness. The scoring works like this: 0-149=No significant problems; 150-199=Mild life crisis (33 percent chance of illness); 200-299=Moderate life crisis (50 percent chance of illness); 300 and above=Major life crisis (80 percent chance of illness). I took the test and scored 404! Overall, I feel like I am in good health considering I am in a "major life crisis." :)

If you want to see what your score is, there is an online version of the test. It only takes about 2 minutes.

I am curious to hear your scores. My guess is almost everyone is in some state of crisis. This might be a good marketing tool for psychotherapists. :)

I'm a Science Geek

2008-01-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

I am back in school now and it has been a hectic start to the semester. I am quickly remembering what I learned my freshman year: it takes a lot more effort to get As then it does to get Bs. However, this time around I have to get As so I am stuck sitting in the library late into the night, bending over my textbook and scribling chemistry calculations on scratch paper. This probably brings back a twitch or sweaty palms to some of you just thinking about it. I like school but I have found that working backward has its difficulties. For example, in an upper division class, instructors want you to learn to think critically and question what you are learning, but in lower division classes you get a lot of "that's the way it is so just memorize it." So I think the whole critical thinking skills you pick up in your later college career may actually be a hinderance in 100-level classes.

Additionally, this is my first non-BYU college experience. I grew up near the University of Wyoming so I knew in the back of my mind that not all college campuses are like BYU but after living and breathing the BYU atmosphere (aka the bubble) for 6 years, some things come as a shock. One of the biggest has been how many people smoke. It's such a gross habit and I was under the impression that most people were finally heeding surgeon general's warnings and kicking the nasty habit, at least young educated people--not so.

I am looking at a pretty hectic semester so this is my appology for not being a great blogger for the next semster and probably the next 3.5 years--I will try to keep this updated in some degree though.

I've Been Tagged

2008-01-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I have been tagged; thanks to Michelle K. for doing that.

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

10 years ago: I was in 9th Grade at Laramie Junior High....ah! that makes me feel young to be able to say that!

5 things on my to-do list today:
1. Take a nap
2. Work out
3. Help Matthew pick out a dental school
4. Go to DK Doughnuts for FHE tonight
5. Enjoy my last week of freedom before school starts

Snacks I enjoy:
1. Chocolate
2. BBQ Lays Potato Chips
3. Gardetto's
4. Cinnamon Sugar Toast with a glass of milk
5. Chocolate Lucky Charms

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Pay for school
2. Buy a house/sweet car (knowing us, that could be one thing)
3. Travel
4. Buy a few Mac computers
5. Oh alright! be charitable in some way...build schools in 3rd world countries

3 of my bad habits:
1. Not leaving early enough so I can arrive on time someplace without rushing
2. Saying too much
3. Not being neat in all I do

5 places I have lived:
1. Laramie, WY
2. Provo, UT
3. New York, NY
4. Orem, UT
5. Boise, ID

5 jobs I have had:
1. Medical Receptionist
2. Accounts and Marketing Manager
3. Kinko's Copy Girl--that's the official title
4. Art Model
5. Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Scooper

5 things people don't know about me:
1. I told my father-in-law that if it rained on Christmas this year that I would never spend another Christmas in Boise again (luckily it was sunny and there was snow on the ground so I won't have to eat my words).
2. I like seeing meadows of woolly sheep in the countryside. I must not be the only one because Rick Steves has an entire podcast devoted to encountering sheep in your travels.
3. Matthew thinks I look like Cindy Lou Who, you know, on The Grinch.
4. I won the Albany County Fair grand champion prize for Heritage Handiwork (aka embroidery) when I was 8 years old.
5. I like to vacuum.

Okay, so now I tag: Eddie, Katherine, Jodee, Holly, & Megan.

Baby Sister for Mason!

2008-01-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

I had to include a few brag pictures of my new niece, Madelyn Melissa. She is a sweetie and Mason, her two-year-old big brother, is so excited that she's here. When I called and talked to him the day after Madelyn was born our conversation went like this, "Hi 'chelle! Hi 'chelle! (repeated six or seven times) Baby sister! I looooooove yooooou! (repeated four or five times)." I loved it! It's fun being an aunt:)

The first picture is Grandma, Mason and Madelyn. The second shows what a dainty thing Madelyn is. She weighed a little over seven pounds (which is small for our family...I was a nine pounder!) Both the baby and mom are healthy and happy.

We are excited for when Megan has her baby in April and Rachael has her baby in July. Three new little ones in one year!

Things that I didn't do last year that I am going to do this year

2008-01-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

I personally don't like New Year's Resolutions because they so often don't last beyond January. So, to avoid that jinx, I am going to call mine Things I Didn't Do Last Year That I'm Going To Do This Year:

1) I am going to go back to school (starting January 22) and do my best to get straight A's so I can get in to the Idaho State PA program.

2) I am going to use my free gym membership (yeah--that's one of the sweet perks that comes with my new job at the physical therapy clinic!) at least four days per week.

3) I am going to eat more Barbecue Lays Potato Chips.

4) I am going to clean the bathroom once a week (not saying I usually have a nasty bathroom, I just haven't had a bathroom to clean for a while...it's not standard equipment in the Toyota Campry :).

5) Make my 4.5 lbs. of French Chocolate Truffles from Costco last through June. Matthew has absolutely no confidence that I can do this.

My Wounded Car

2008-01-07T22:50:00.000-07:00

I am one of the few people I know (among my peers) who still drives the first car they've ever owned. It is a 1998 Saturn SL Maroon with tan interior. It has been a good car to me and continues to run with hardly any problems except those that are inflicted upon it by other drivers. In the 6 years I have owned the car it has been rear-ended twice, keyed and now broadsided by a flying sign. In those six years, I have done nothing to damage the cosmetic appearance of my car. Here's what happened on Friday:

I was driving home from work on the I-84 in unusually high winds. A pickup, about 3 car lengths in front of me and one lane to the left was carrying a real estate sign made of metal and corrugated plastic and measuring about 4'x5'. A strong gust picked the sign up out of the back of the truck and slammed it, broadside, into the front of my car. The sign flipped up, scraped along the top of my car and then carried on down the road battering at least one more car behind me before it hopped the median and rested in the middle of the five lanes heading in the opposite direction.

I was pretty shocked by the event but had the good sense to chase the guy who lost the sign and get his license plate number. We filed a police report and it seems that the guy is decent and will pay for the damages inflicted up on my car. But now, my car has these nice scuff/scratch marks on the hood and top. Sad day!

Holiday Recipes...Please

2007-11-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

This year I have been working on compiling some great holiday recipes including anything for Halloween through New Years. I would love to get some of your favorites. If you have one that you would like to share please post it in the comments section of this blog. I will start posting some of my favorites in the next few weeks too. Here's one now:

Of course chocolate is appropriate at anytime of year so don't feel limited to making these cookies only for the holidays :) This one is from my girl, Martha Stewart.

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt

2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate.Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.

3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen. Do not bake the cookies to a crisp; they are meant to be soft and chewy. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days.

Photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

Back With a Plan

2007-11-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the lack of entries on both of my blogs these past few months. You see, a road trip that was supposed to take one month, ended up taking two. We really enjoyed the past trip though and we'll have pictures and a recap on the travel blog in a few days...finally!

I am glad to be settling back into a more stable lifestyle and I've made a few decisions that I am looking forward to starting on. The first is that I am trying to get a temp job at one of the retail stores here in Boise for the holidays. This is something I haven't ever done but since we will be around here for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year it seems like something kind of fun. Tomorrow I have three interviews so I will keep you posted on how it goes.

Secondly, I have decided to go back to school in January and work towards a Physician's Assistant degree. This is a big, unexpected change but I feel like this career would give me more flexibility later on in life and give me something that you don't always get working in marketing--a feeling that you are helping people. So in January I'll become a BSU Bronco for a year while I do prerequisite classes. If any of you know of any PAs in the Boise area please let me know because as part of this, I would like to shadow some to get to know exactly what I am getting into.

"Channel your Inner Cooking Show Host"

2007-09-11T19:33:00.000-06:00

If you are like me then sometimes you like to get out all of your ingredients, placing them neatly on the counter top or kitchen table and pretend like you are Rachael Ray or Martha Stewart as you prepare dinner or whip up a batch of cookies...so maybe no one else does that.

Either way, if you like to watch cooking videos or you have daydreamed about making one there is a great new forum for that. It's called flavorshare.com, a kind of YouTube for the culinarian. It's got all kinds of cooking videos done by amateurs, like you and me. Whether you want to post a video or not, it's fun to check out what others are doing.

It's a pretty new site so take some time to leave comments and build the content so it can really get rolling.

Rigatoni with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

2007-09-10T18:30:00.000-06:00

This recipe is one of Matthew's favorites and I just made it for my parents at Lake Powell a couple of weeks ago and it was a hit so I thought I would share it. It's from Martha Stewart Everyday Food June 2004.

Ingredients

Coarse salt
3/4 pound rigatoni, or other short tubular pasta
2 pounds plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced

Directions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.
In a small skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, until tender and just beginning to take on color, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in red-pepper flakes.
Stir garlic mixture into reserved tomato mixture. Add parsley, oregano, mozzarella, and pasta; toss.

My interpretation:
Grape or cherry tomatoes are usually more flavorful than plum tomatoes so use those if you can. I don't bother using fresh garlic since it is so easy to substitute garlic powder--then you don't have to worry about dirtying another pan. You can eat it hot or cold but I think it's yummy to mix everything in with the warm pasta and serve immediately.

The Point of this Blog

2007-09-10T18:28:00.000-06:00

I have tried to keep our travel blog very focused on just traveling so it would be interesting not just to friends and family who are interested in our well being but other people out there who might be considering visiting some of the places that we've been. But, after looking at several of my friend's blogs I have decided that I need to create a new blog for myself because I enjoy reading so much about what you are doing and I thought that maybe you would enjoy doing the same beyond just what's happening in our traveling life (though that's probably the most interesting). I am hoping to use this blog to share general news from the William's household (currently a Toyota Camery :) and recipes, helpful tips, and anything else I can come up with. By the way, does anyone know what the number 565 on my template represents?