cabbage

We've had a head of cabbage sitting around since earlier this week and finally figured out how to use part of it today.  I found this recipe online for Kielbasa Cabbage Skillet and used it pretty closely with a few changes based on what I had.  It was really good, so if you're looking for something to do with cabbage, I'd recommend trying this.  And, I think it's not super unhealthy for you, which is a bonus.

Here are my notes this:

• I didn't have a green pepper, so I used half of a red pepper and chopped up one medium carrot, too
• We had "hot" kielbasa, which we've had a few times now.  If you like a little spice, it's great, and it added a lot of flavor to the cabbage in the end, too. 
• Some of the reviews say to use chicken broth instead of water.  I didn't have chicken broth, but had water and chicken bullion, so used that - same idea, right?

It was great and I have about half of a head of cabbage left to do something with, yet.  One of these days, I need to make the colcannon recipe that Dianne sent me... I still have it on deck for when I have the right things. :) 

homesick

It's been a while since my last post and I'm probably a slacker because of it. Sorry! I was in Miami last week for work and this week has been busy getting "caught up" on things. By "caught up" I mean "less behind" because I'm pretty sure that it's impossible to be completely up to date at work. (excuses, excuses)

Anyway, things in Miami went really well last week and I got to see a bunch of my awesome work peeps that I don't get to see often enough who are spread throughout the country (and a couple internationally). It makes me realize that they are what drives me because I feel better when I'm around them and our students.  Almost six years ago I wouldn't have imagined I'd be where I am today work-wise and had no intention of working for a university.  But here I am. And I plan to stay... for the foreseeable future, at least.  :) 

As awesome as things went last week, it was exhausting both physically and emotionally.  I'll be making a transition soon (within the institution) so this Miami trip was special - it was a milestone / end of an era trip because it means that my first 5-10 year plan of my career is closing and that was the last time I was involved in the events side of our "big show."  With that comes opportunity.  And it's weird. And awesome. And scary.  This is where homesick comes in - at the end of my trip, all I wanted was to come home. A colleague told me that she's never seen me homesick before on a work trip and she's right because it doesn't happen often. Home may be cold, snowy, occasionally icy, and cold (did I say that already?) but it's home.  I'm sure that a good part of it was looking forward to something familiar amongst the change. When I got home, it felt good. 

Since I got home I've wanted other familiar things.  I made Grandma D's Mock Chow Mein hot dish from the church cookbook earlier this week - something Mom made a lot when we were growing up and it was one of my favorite hot dishes.  And all week I've been wanting cherry coffee cake (Mom's recipe in the church cookbook).  I may make that Saturday in between tending to my needy car (put gas in me; change my oil; fix my windshield; blah blah blah), doing some work, and doing laundry.  Other familiar things. :)  I'll leave you with this:

Grandma D.'s Mock Chow Mein Hot Dish

1 lb.lean pork steak, cut in 1/2 inch chunks

1/2 med. onion, chopped
3/4 c. uncooked rice
3 c. hot water
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 c. frozen peas

Dip meat in flour and fry meat and onion in 1 tbsp. vegetable oil to brown. Put rice in a large enough casserole for expansion. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, and cover.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until rice is tender.  Add more water if it gets too dry.  Stir occasionally in the oven. 

My only notes:

• I added some salt and pepper to the flour that I dipped the meat in.
• The original recipe doesn't say to cover it when it's in the oven, but you need to - lesson learned. :) 
• We drizzle just a little soy sauce on it just before eating - we like the extra flavor and then you don't have to put any salt in because the soy sauce has plenty.  We use the low sodium kind.

Enjoy!

shopping

It's that time of year... the time of year when I am swamped with work and will be travelling for our "Winter Session" events like I have every January or early February for almost 6 years now.  And every time I go, I need to go shopping because I need something that I can wear in front of hundreds/thousands of people and feel comfortable in.  Plus this time it's in Miami, and if I wear my current wardrobe there I'll probably melt faster than a snowman in July.

Fortunately, I don't find shopping to be a huge pain in the bum, but it also doesn't particularly excite me either.  It's a necessity.  So, I've shared with you the type of road rager I am and what type of angry airport girl I can be, so I thought I'd share with you what type of shopper I am.

I'm pretty no nonsense.  I'm in. I find or don't find stuff. I'm out.  I'm not one to linger or visit every store in the mall.  I go with a plan - today was: go to Maurice's and go to Target.  I go in, I breeze through the sections I'm looking for (I didn't even bother with the casual area at Maurice's because it's not what I need), grab things that look interesting and then proceed to the fitting room.  At this point, some people have the great debate.  The does this make my butt look big?  Is this too tight?  Is this worth it to me?  Will I wear this often enough?  How much is it?  blah blah blah.  Fortunately I don't often have the great debate.  I try something on, look in the mirror, and it typically gets a quick "yes" or "no" - very seldom do I have a "maybe."  In my opinion, if it's a maybe, then it's a no.  I either like it or I don't.  If I'm not sure I like it, then it's not worth it.

That's when I shop alone.  A few of my friends like going shopping with me - although they tell me they spend too much when they do.  And then they laugh.  And then they go shopping with me, again.  The reason they like shopping with me is because of the straight forward attitude, I think.  I also think it's because I used to work in retail so I can pick out clothes for other people (better than I can for myself, most times) and a lot of times it's stuff they wouldn't have normally tried but like in the end.  The other part of this process, which is key, is honesty.  The friends I choose to shop with are on board with that, too.  It's OK if they try something on and I say is "No." or "Too snug."  In turn, I'm OK when they tell me the same because part of the fun of shopping with friends is showing off what you're trying on. It's funny, though, because usually when I shop with friends it's because they need to go and asked me - a lot of times I won't even buy anything.  I think I'm sort of there as their personal shopper/honest opinion person. 

When I think about it, I really think that the time I spent working in retail made me this way - and I'm glad for it.  Even then, our customers always appreciated honesty, like friends do now.  I was in Maurice's today for about 20 minutes and considered it a successful trip.  I'm in, I'm out. :) 

Maybe I'll post a pictures of me wearing it after I get back from Miami next week, if there are any.

I'm interested - what type of shopper are you?  Do you love it? Do you ate it?