Taking it slow....life and marinating chicken

I started writing this earlier today, but here it is nearly 5pm and still not posted...

I did finally get that shower, and no, no epiphany!  Maybe this is my problem, or should I say opportunity...I have been doing things the same old way all these years, with the same outcome (we won't go into this right now, I have enough on my mind)....so, maybe it is time I do things differently and see what kind of result I get.  Isn't there some kind of test for insanity based on this principle?  Well, we all know I didn't Need a test....

So this being said, you are probably very confused by now and wondering what in the hell I am babbling about...Okay, I will dive into those waters just a bit.  I am passionate, imaginative, and impatient.  Mix these three things together and you get a girl with her heart on her sleeve, wearing blinders and roller skates.

To put it simply, I jump into relationships way too fast.  My heart skips a beat, and the next thing I am doing is firing on ahead, not noticing the warning sign "bumpy road ahead", until I land on my ass in  front of a loaded semi truck full of heartbreak.  I won't go into how many times this has happend, as you would maybe think I am stupid or something (besides insane).....

So this time I have promised myself to take it real  s- l- o- w.....

"So, how is that working"? you might ask...

Uhhhh....splendidly! I would reply....

Awww...in truth yes, and no.  It is splendid, I am taking time to learn about my love interest, he is easy to talk to, and he takes pleasure in spending time getting to know me too...but taking it slow means that I have to learn how to be patient...this is a whole lot of learning going on here.  My mind keeps jumping to "what ifs" I mean I am 46....and there are a lot of  "what ifs", but I can't let myself get all wound up.  Sigh...I just need to enjoy this beginning, to take time to really see him for who he is, and not project my wants, and hopes...but to let this relationship just evolve...and I am glad he feels the same way.  sigh..(a happy one)...

So what else is on my mind?  School.  With the economy being what it is, I can't imagine that any time too soon I will be back working as busily in the design field as I was a few years ago...so, I need to be proactive (really proactive, would have been two years ago), and work on gaining the knowledge to go into another field.  I have thought it over, and I keep coming back to Massage Therapy.  It is right up there with my on going fascination with Holistic medicine...something I could tie together at some point maybe in the future.  There are plenty of schools locally and certification takes anywhere from 250-500 hours depending on where you want to practice...

So, what is stopping me?  Finances....logistics....just figuring out whether I am putting the cart before the horse..... committing to school means I have to stay here for the duration of my classes....and unfortunately I don't know that I will be here.  I can't say with confidence that in a year I will still be living in Modesto....I may choose to live where my heart guides me, and yet it is too early for me to make that prediction either....

Ahhhhh....

I think I will take a break from all of this thinking, and go marinate some chicken for Thai chicken Satays with Peanut dipping sauce....it needs to marinate overnight, and well it's getting late--see, how impatient I am? 

Here is the recipe-- (you didn't think I would forget, did you?)


Chicken Satay-In the style of Thai

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless Chicken Thighs or chicken breast halves - cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or red pepper
• juice of 1/2 lemon
  
• 24 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 15 minutes

Mix all ingredients together and marinate chicken for at least 6 hours...over night is best.  Now you don't have to grill the chicken on the skewers....it depends on if you are serving them with rice or noodles, or if these are going to be more of an appetizer.  I find not skewering them makes it easier to eat if you are serving them with rice or noodles, so you don't have to spend time removing them from the skewers...Once you decide get your grill prepped by placing a length of tinfoil sufficient enough to cover the amount of chicken being cooked.  Poke some air vents in it, and lightly spray with vegetable oil.  Center the chicken over the heat source, and cook about 4 minutes each side.

Serve with peanut sauce for dipping, or to accompany rice/noodles

Peanut sauce

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons peanut butter- crunchy or smooth
  
• 8 tablespoons hot water
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce or fish sauce
  
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 pod of garlic chopped fine
• 1 tsp ground ginger

Mix all ingredients together in a small pan, warm thoroughly  stirring constantly over med heat.  Serve with Chicken Satays....enjoy!!!

If only life were like scrambled eggs...

It's been awhile since I've written anything here....I guess there has been a lot going on....

Gio has been sick for a bit over a week, and with the H1N1 scare, you can't be too careful....so, out comes all the supplements, and he is getting better-- so much so that he goes back to school tomorrow after missing a week...

I am lazy today...and I have a lot on my mind.

I imagined that I would do some shopping, but as the day treads on, and I think about the weekend traffic, and the over populated markets...it makes me  think I will hold off until after kickboxing tomorrow morning, that way I can shop in peace....Gio is catching up on his homework, and the puppies are sleeping, and although I am feigning laziness I am actually eager to do something...anything to not feel so damn pent up...caged even....

I do my best thinking in two places....either in the shower...or driving somewhere....

I have done neither today...yeah, I am lounging in a sundress I pulled over my head as I rushed to the kitchen to make coffee this morning, and that has been as far as I have gone with "getting dressed"....I am not usually like this, and I wonder what is up with me?  Maybe I should go take that shower and think about it....

I know what is on my mind, I just don't know how to make sense of it all...I have too many things to think about I guess...I am contemplating going back to school....and then there is looking for work-- something that will sustain me until I finish school....and then last but not least, there is my social life/love life....

I just want to leap into something, and --go for it, but that has gotten me into trouble in the past, and I care too much to mess this up...so I am being cautious.....maybe I am just suffering from growing pains...and at 46 I better start growing up a little bit....

Usually, I tie in one of my latest recipes to my blog, and well today is no different, even if I am a bit side tracked....so here goes.... Yesterday, I made scrambled eggs using the fried potatoes from the morning before...they were really yummy, and something I have not done before.  So, here is the recipe for my down home style potatoes, and then I will tell you how I made the eggs....

Down home style potatoes....

Ingredients:
two yellow onions- thinly sliced
1 tablespoon of Cavendar's greek seasoning
1/8 tsp of hot red pepper
3 tbl of dried parsley flakes
2 tbl of olive oil or bacon grease
about 12 red skinned potatoes about 2" across (med sized) par boiled until fork tender-leave the skins on!!

I like to use my cast iron skillet, but any good fry pan that heats evenly will do.

Okay, get your pan heated to med. high temp. and coat pan with olive oil...once thoroughly warmed-- dump in the onions, parsley flakes, greek seasoning and red pepper (now if you are not a spicy person, you can leave out the hot pepper).  Saute the onions until they begin to brown and the the sugar in the onions begins to caramelize, making the greek seasoning and parsley brown and stick to it...once the onions are pretty brown add the potatoes, and fork split them into bite sized pieces....this should cover your pan in an even layer..you want it all to be exposed to the flame and searing heat of the pan...now, here is the most important part...don't stir too much...what you want is for it all to start browning, but not burn...it will stick to your pan a bit...don't panic, just scrape it all up and turn it over...and wait again for it all to start browning...
You will do this maybe 8 times, don't expect the potatoes to fry...these are red potatoes, and they hold moisture, and get more creamy, but they should take on some browning....you will know when this is all done, because your nose will tell you...you want to stop cooking once you think your onions are going to burn...and they will a bit, but this is okay...they taste glorious mixed in with the potatoes....

Now, go ahead and eat some potatoes, even put catsup on them, I won't tell!....They are too yummy to pass up, but save about a cup for the next recipe....

Ingredients:
1 cup of the fried potatoes
8 eggs
3/4 cup of grated cheese (I like sharp cheddar)
2 tbl butter

In a skillet, warm up the potatoes in the 2 tbl of butter, but don't cook them too much further or your eggs will taste burned....break the eggs over the potatoes, but wait, let the eggs begin to solidify....now gently turn the eggs letting them break as you do...cook a little more, and turn...do this repeatedly until the eggs are curdled-- large curds of eggs, not severely beaten or totally mixed in with the potatoes...think of this as gently folding the eggs into the potatoes, so that they still resemble potatoes and scrambled eggs....once the eggs are done to your particular style...( I like mine a bit wet), sprinkle in the cheese, turning once, and then remove from the burner, to let the cheese slowly melt into the eggs, and then turn once again before serving....what this should look like is scrambled eggs, much like a souffle, really fluffy, and potatoes mixed together.  If your eggs look grayish, and chopped up, you stirred the eggs too much....this is okay, it will still taste good, but the texture is not as wonderful as it is if you don't whip the eggs like a berzerker....

Now, I must say I make the best scrambled eggs, and that whole thing about whipping them before cooking, or even worse adding milk to them...arghhhhh...please, what you end up with is eggs that are dry, hard, and flavorless....you want to taste the yellow yolk and the whites a bit separately...they should be large curds of creaminess...you won't get this if you cook them to death, and beat them into a pale yellow watery mess before cooking them.  Then too you must use butter-- a generous amount, and some sea salt...under cook them if you will, and then let them sit a bit to firm up...if you wait until you know they are done, they will be over done by the time you serve them.....

So this is my schpeil on eggs....now-- if only life were that easy!