other stuff about me

Artichoke Spinach dip

2005-05-12T23:26:00.000-07:00

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

2005-05-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

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.

Cornish Game Hens with Rosemary and Lemon

2005-05-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

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.

the movie list

2005-04-03T23:23:00.000-07:00

I got this one from a fellow RAOK blogger, Lisa's blog.

Bold the ones you’ve seen , italic the ones you’ve seen parts of, underline the ones you own… and add three.

stupid blogger. no underline function. SO. I'll bold the ones I'v seen, and italicize the ones I own.

01. Trainspotting
02. Shrek
03. M
04. Dogma
05. Strictly Ballroom
06. The Princess Bride
07. Love Actually
08. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
09. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
11. Reservoir Dogs
12. Desperado
13. Swordfish
14. Kill Bill Vol. 1
15. Donnie Darko
16. Spirited Away
17. Better Than Sex
18. Sleepy Hollow
19. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
20. The Eye
21. Requiem for a Dream
22. Dawn of the Dead
23. The Pillow Book
24. The Italian Job
25. The Goonies
26. Baseketball
27. The Spice Girls Movie
28. Army of Darkness
29. The Color Purple
30. The Safety of Objects
30. Can’t Hardly Wait
32. Mystic Pizza
33. Finding Nemo
34. Monsters Inc.
35. Circle of Friends
36. Mary Poppins
37. The Bourne Identity
38. Forrest Gump
39. A Clockwork Orange
40. Kindergarten Cop
41. On The Line
42. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
43. Final Destination
44. Sorority Boys
45. Urban Legend
46. Cheaper by the Dozen
47. Fierce Creatures
48. Dude, Where’s My Car
49. Ladyhawke
50. Ghostbusters
51. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
52. Back to the Future
53. An Affair To Remember
54. Somewhere In Time
55. North By Northwest
56. Moulin Rouge
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
58. The Wizard of Oz
59. Zoolander
60. A Walk to Remember
61. Chicago
62. Vanilla Sky
63. The Sweetest Thing
64. Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead
65. The Nightmare Before Christmas
66. Chasing Amy
67. Edward Scissorhands
68. Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
69. Muriel’s Wedding
70. Croupier
71. Blade Runner
72. Cruel Intentions
73. Ocean’s Eleven
74. Magnolia
75. Fight Club
76. Beauty and The Beast
77. Much Ado About Nothing
78. Dirty Dancing
79. Gladiator
80. Ever After
81. Braveheart
82. What Lies Beneath
83. Regarding Henry
84. The Dark Crystal
85. Star Wars
86. The Birds
87. Beaches
88. Cujo
89. Maid In Manhattan
90. Labrynth
91. Thoroughly Modern Millie
92. His Girl Friday
93. Being John Malkovich
94. Run Lola Run
95. The Color of Paradise
96. Ghost in the Shell
97. Tron
98. Tomb Raider
99. Almost Famous
100. Alice in Wonderland
101. Dr. Strangelove
102. Kairo
103. Stir of Echoes
104. Lilo & Stitch
105. Brazil
106. Heathers
107. Talk to Her
108. Memento
109. Young Frankenstein
110. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
111. Mulholland drive
112. Dogville
113. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
114. Lost in Translation
115. Some Like it Hot
16. Punch-Drunk Love
117. Gohatto
118. Full Metal Jacket
119. Death on the Nile
117. Practical Magic
118. Amelie119. Butterfly Effect
120. Cast Away
121. Tangled
122. Frequency
123. The Others
124. American Beauty
125. The Last Samurai
126. Ghost World
127. Taxi Driver
128. The Royal Tenenbaums
129. Cube
130. Nosferatu
131. Nuovo cinema Paradiso
132. Koroshiya Ichi
133. The Thing (John Carpenter)
134. J?bei Ninp?ch? (a.k.a. Ninja Scroll)
135. The Kingdom (all parts)
136. Wir Kinder Vom Bahnhof Zoo
137. Secretary
138. Hellraiser
139. Avalon
140. Heat
141. Out of Africa
142. True Romance
143. Goodbye Lenin
144. Vengo
145. Pulp Fiction
146. Crazy/Beautiful
147. Grease
148. Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels
149. Four Rooms
150. Festen
151. Tillsammans/Together
152. Central Do Brasil
153. Closer
154. Rounders
155. Sliding Doors
156. Stand by Me
157. The Shawshank Redemption
158. The Green Mile
159. Velvet Goldmine
160. Dracula 2000
161. King Arthur
162. Hedwig and the Angry Inch
163. Top Secret!
164. The Virgin Suicides
165. Camelot
166. The Emperor’s Wife
167. Gormenghast
168. Singin’ in the Rain
169. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
170. Team America: World Police
171. 42nd Street
172. Crossing Delancy
173. 50 First Dates
174. Iris
175. Ella Enchanted
176. Garden State
177. Titanic
178. The Bumblebee Flies Anyway
179. Billy Elliot
180. Meet the Feebles
181. Passion of the Christ
182. Brassed Off!
183. When Harry met Sally
184. Before Sunrise
185. Dead Poets Society
186. The Black Stallion
187. Lord of the Flies
188. Sense & Sensibility
189. Robin Hood Prince of Thieves
190. The Talented Mr. Ripley
191. The Indian Runner
192. The Faculty
193. Interview With The Vampire
194. Formula 17
195. Frida
196. Grave of the Firefiles
197. Big Fish
198. The American President
199. What About Bob?
200. Crimson Tide
201. Pieces of April
202. Resident Evil
203. Walking and Talking
204. The Notebook
205. Amadeus
206. Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion
207. Batteries Not Included
208. The Emperor’s New Groove
209. Adventure’s In Babysitting
210. Better Off Dead
211. Legally Blonde
212. Shrek 2
213. Seven
214. Bound
215. Blue
216. White
217. The Red Violin
218. Cat Balou
219. Breakfast at Tiffany's
220. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (the original)
221. Neverending Story
222. The Terminal
223. The Last Unicorn
224. The Color of Fear (documentary)
225. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory