Thursday, May 12, 2005

Artichoke Spinach dip

1 10 oz box of frozen chopped spinach: defrost and squeeze out any water
1 large can of quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped coarsely
1 bag of parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups). NOT from the green shakey can.
1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise (NOT miracle whip)

mix all ingredients together.
in a glass baking dish (loaf pans work great), bake at 350 F for 30-40 minutes.

serve with melba toast, crackers, pretzels, crudite or tortilla chips.

xxx things about me

not sure I can do 100, but I'll try.

1) I'm a second generation Chinese-Taiwanese American (my parents are immigrants).
2) I was born, raised, and schooled almost entirely in Michigan. (Go Blue!!)
3) I went off to boarding school when I was just 11 yrs old.
4) I loved it!
5) My brother HATED it. (does this count as something about me?)
6) I've had 2 dogs (taffy and toby), and now have 2 cats (Danger and Cosmo).
7) Though I've had the kitties way longer than the dogs, I still consider myself a dog person. Mostly, I'm just an animal lover.

8) I cry at the Pedigree commercial with Casey, the Irish Setter.
9) I hate admitting that I cry.
10)I was, at one point, trilingual. I'm now only bi-lingual.
11) I used to hate when my parents forced me to speak in Mandarin.
12) I'm so grateful they did.
13) I wish I could get the hang of a romance language (French, Italian, or Spanish)
14) I've visited seven foreign countries. Three of them last year.
15) China, Taiwan, Japan, Canada, Italy, Austria, and Slovenia.
16) I don't think of China, Taiwan, or Canada as international travel.
17) I like to watch too many sports on TV.
18) It started with tennis. Then basketball (NBA), football (Big 10), hockey (NHL)...
19) The entire maternal side of my family lives in the Midwest.
20) The entire paternal side, except my father, lives in Taiwan.
21) I lied about #19. My mom has half siblings in China somewhere. And I have cousins in California.
22) Fall is my favorite season. (skip to 24 for continuity)
23) I've been in love (ok, lust, with Michael Jordan) since I was 13.
24) It has most of my favorite smells. Bread baking, leaves falling, and wood fires.
25) And it has college football.
26) I moved out to CO 10/1999.
27) I've moved 24 times in my life.
28) No, we were not a military family.
29) 12 of those times were for boarding school (moving into and out of the boarding house).
30) 3 times in college. Only 3.
31) 5 times here in CO.
32) One move required no packing. Our house had burned down when I was 10ish.
33) I wish we could've saved pictures and my dog Taffy.
34) My favorite food is chinese food. Specifically, dumplings.
35) I was a band geek. Clarinet.
36) My mother was right (dammit). I regret not continuing piano playing.
37) I'm in grad school. I'm a professional student. After i get my Master's, I plan on applying for a PhD program.

38) I cleared my savings account to go to the Rose Bowl in 1998.
39) It was worth every penny.
40) I had dreams of being a mad scientist (geneticist).
41) I worked in a genetics lab for 5 yrs. I loved every minute.
42) And I was good at it too. I presented my research at the national conference for genetics geeks (American Society for Human Genetics)

43) I quit b/c I wouldn't do animal testing.
44) I still miss being in the lab.
45) I listen to most types of music. Classical, heavy metal, glam rock, rock, easy listening, etc etc.
46) I usually say I don't listen to gangsta rap or country. But I do enjoy Snoop, 50 Cent... and Bonnie Raitt.
47) I can rock out to Beethoven. and the Sound of Music soundtrack.
48) I went to a Metallica concert and the Lillith Fair in a 24 hour period of time.
49) I used to 'do the Dew.' I did it too much.
50) I'm a recovering Dewaholic. Damn the Mtn. Dew for tasting so good.
51) I went on a 5 day canoe trip once. With 16 adolescent girls.
52) All of them had mental health issues.
53) I had a great time! (and lost 5 lbs, gained a fab tan)
54) No, I don't think I'd go again. Not with that many people.
55) I sincerely regret learning what a groover is... and having seen one in person.
56) I'm geographically challenged. I blame the US school system.
57) I have just the one brother. He's 2.5 yrs older.
58) I tried to give him away when we were younger.
59) Now, I wouldn't trade him for anything.
60) I worked as a YTC (youth treatment counselor) for 4 yrs.
61) I got used to being called "bitch." It's not too far off the mark sometimes.
62) I'd rather be called "yo bitch" than Cindy.
63) No one that's living calls me Cindy. No one.
64) I don't have pierced ears.
65) I've had grey hair since I was 10 yrs old.
66) I probably have too many books, shoes, and handbags.
67) I'd like to have too much yarn.
68) I qualify for MENSA. I told you I was a geek.
69) I'm surprised I've gotten this far w/o running out of stuff to say.
70) I'm a huge procrastinator. I've perfected the art of procrastination.
71) At one point, I bought a book titled "Living with Procrastination"
72) I haven't gotten around to reading it quite yet.
73) I now call it time pressured motivation.
74) I was involved in musical and acting productions in high school.
75) BEHIND the audience though. I'm talking lights, sounds, technical crap.
76) The musicals were my favorite. I liked to sing along.
77) My brother was actually IN one production. As a singer.
78) He'd kill me if he knew I shared that with all of you.
79) I went on the official Sound of Music tour bus in Salzburg.
80) Though I'm not religious, I was dumbstruck by all the churches in Italy.
81) I don't like pizza in the USA. I loved the pizza in Italy.
82) Clubbing in Italy was surreal. They don't have a 'last call.'
83) I don't feel like I spent enough time there. I certainly didn't shop enough.
84) I actually enjoy watching ST:TNG.
85) I won't admit that to my brother.
86) I learned to crochet before I re-learned how to knit.
87) This is how old both of my grandmothers are. They have the exact same birthday.
88) My brother knows how to crochet. And play all sorts of pattycake. And all the words to the Sound of Music.
89) No, he's not gay. His inner diva has been guided by his little sister and his best friend (who is gay).
90) How old my maternal grandfather was when he died. In 1988. We're a healthy bunch, aren't we?
91) Never met my paternal grandfather. He died the year my brother was born.
92) I am my grandmother's (maternal) favorite.
93) My brother is my grandmother's (paternal) favorite. He's the only son of a son.
94) I actually enjoyed high school. My band and AP math geekiness was offset by being an editor for yearbook, and being on the varsity lacrosse team.
95) I'm an INTJ. check your type here
96) last time I took the MBTI, I ended up being an ISTJ. hmmm.
97) I hate needles.
98) but I have a tattoo.
99) my parents don't know.
100) my favorite color is the color of the sky right before dusk.

Thursday, May 05, 2005

Cornish Game Hens with Rosemary and Lemon

Grocery list:
2 cornish game hens, defrosted
1 lemon
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
a lot of garlic cloves, peeled
1 can chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

1) preheat oven to 450 deg F
2) wash hens and pat dry. place on roasting pan.
3) slice lemons (1/8 to 1/4 inch thick round slices) and put a couple into the cavity of each hen. add a sprig of rosemary to each cavity as well. (and some garlic)
4) rub 1 tbsp of the olive oil into the skin of each hen, add salt and pepper
5) roast at 450 for 30 minutes (don't forget to turn on the vent!)
6) turn heat down to 350 deg
7) add the can of broth to the bottom of the roasting pan. sprinkle the garlic cloves around each hen.
8) roast for another 30-40 minutes, basting every 5-10 minutes.
9) remove hens from oven (duh) and remove lemon slices and rosemary from cavity.
10) serve each hen with the roasted garlic from the bottom of the pan.

(each hen is 1 serving. around 278 calories a piece)

Salad grocery list:
field greens
quality shredded parmesan
1 small green apple
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts
2 tbsp sugar
balsamic vinegar (or a fruit vinegar if you have it)
oil

1) toast the chopped pecans/walnuts in a small skillet. add some sugar to slightly candy them.
2) place field greens into each serving bowl, sprinkle chopped/diced green apple, parm, and toasted and candied nuts to each bowl
3) mix the vinegar and oil (3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar) and pour over
each bowl.

I used a fig vinegar that I found in a specialty deli in Michigan. Zingerman's deli makes the best bread, sandwiches, brownies, desserts, etc that I've ever had. Their small specialty grocery items are NOT cheap, but promise to be tasty.