Eggs-ellent

You may read this post and think to yourself  (or out loud), "Wow -- KT is totally and completely naive when it comes to cooking." I guess it's true. I'm what one might call a "late bloomer" when it comes to cooking. Eh, better late than never!

In addition to Weight Watchers being a great program for me in terms of weight loss, it's a great program for me in terms of picking up helpful hints from other meeting goers. I had said that breakfast was a challenge for me, as I generally get up late and have to bring breakfast with me to work. I had said I was getting tired of cereal and frozen Smart Ones breakfasts.

Someone said, "What about eggs?"

I said, "I don't have time to deal with a frying pan, etc..."

That same someone said, "You can microwave eggs."

SAY WHAT???

Yeah, that's right.

Cue the music, "A whole new world..."

I know have tres yummy breakfast sandwiches that are homemade!

So, in case you're as clueless, I mean naive as I am when it comes microwaving eggs, here's a primer:

You can use any type of bowl, but I like to use these little ceramic ramekins because they're exactly the same size as an english muffin. So, if you have a ramekin, grab one. If not, any other bowl will do.

Said ramekin:

Next, spray/mist your ramekin/bowl with cooking spray.

Crack your egg into the ramekin/bowl (and try to avoid shell fragments).

Cover ramekin/bowl with paper towel and put into microwave. (Oh, did I mention you need a microwave for this?)

Set microwave for 40-45 seconds on HIGH. (You'll hear some popping noises, but don't be alarmed.)

Eh, voila!!!!

It's really rather handy.

Latest & [Not So] Greatest (?)

1.  Today was trash day. We put a barrel out that one of the wheels was broken off of. We put a sign on it saying, "PLEASE TAKE BARREL -- BROKEN." The trash collectors took the barrel. They left the lid. WTF?


2. I made these Chewy Butterscotch Brownies the other night and they didn't come out nearly as good I'd hoped. I either did something wrong or chewy is a misnomer. It's a bummer, but even though they're not stellar, we're still eating them. Of course. One can't throw away perfectly "acceptable" baked goods, can one?

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3. It's supposed to be a rainy weekend here in New England. At first I was bummed to hear that, but *perhaps* it will be the kick in the pants I need to clean this place up. (I said *perhaps.*)

4. I need to do an update on my 40 Before 41 endeavor. There are actually a few more things that I can cross off my list (or at least partially cross off.)

5. I need to do my next "50 States? 50 Blogs!" entry. I've recently joined BlogHer and found a few good ones for Colorado -- now it's just a matter of choosing.

6. Speaking of Colorado, words can't describe how horrific the shootings at the Aurora movie theater were. I just can't even imagine what it must have been like to be in that theater. Those who survived are lucky, but won't be without some serious scars.

7. In my addicted to Essie post, I mentioned I'd bought Lilacism but hadn't yet tried it. I did and I think it's my favorite of the four colors I own! This picture doesn't really do it justice, but it's a very soft (yet not pale) lilac. (Oh, and there'll be a separate post coming about these misfit shoes.)

8. I haven't really updated on Weight Watchers, so I'll take the time to do it now. My first "official" weigh-in was on June 4th. Since then, I've officially lost 15.2 lbs, with only one week not having a loss (at the last weigh-in, I'd gained 1 lb.). (I say "officially" because not only am I weighing in at my weekly at work meeting, I weigh at home, too. Hey - clothes make a difference!) I'm pretty proud of my progress, although I'm in a slight rut already. I've become slightly lax about tracking my points and I've been OK with go over each day and getting a cookie at lunch time. But, if I've learned anything, it's just that I need to keep going.

9. Speaking of ruts, the Red Sox are in a big one. I say I won't watch, but I always do. If you were born in New England, it's a cross you have to bare. ::sigh::

10. I've leave you with this (words to live by):

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Chipotle Bean Burritos

While cleaning out our basement, I've been compiling all of my old Cooking Light magazines and in true OCD/Librarian-fashion, I'm working my way through them from oldest to newest and making all fo the recipes that I never felt comfortable cooking before. (Over the past year or so, I've become much more comfortable in the kitchen and cooking, while previously I dreaded it.)

Last night I made Chipotle Bean Burritos.

They were good!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (I couldn't find a spice specifically named "chipotle chile powder" in the spice aisle, so I ended up buying McCormick's Southwest Seasoning, which does in fact contain chipotle chili pepper, amongst other things.)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup water

1 (15-ounce) can organic black beans, drained (I was a rebel and bought store brand.)

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1 (15-ounce) can organic kidney beans, drained (I was a rebel and bought store brand.)

3 tablespoons refrigerated fresh salsa

6 (10-inch) reduced-fat flour tortillas (such as Mission) (I couldn't find any "reduced-fat" tortillas and ended up buying store brand)

1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese

1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 3)

1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

6 tablespoons light sour cream

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in chile powder and salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/3 cup water and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salsa. Partially mash bean mixture with a fork.
2. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup bean mixture into center of each tortilla. Top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons cheese, 1/4 cup tomato, 1/4 cup lettuce, 1 tablespoon onions, and 1 tablespoon sour cream; roll up.

I served with Birds Eye frozen Southwestern Corn and Near East Spanish Rice. I really liked it, G. liked it (although she likes most everything), and John though it was OK (he's not a big fan of beans.)

A very healthy yummy Mexican meal!

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Happy 4th of July -- 19 Days Late

Did everyone have a great 4th of July? At this point, can you even remember what you did for the 4th?

I'm several days late and several dollars short, but thought I'd post some photos I took on the 4th. (Hey look...there's my reflection in the photo above.)
It was just John & I, so we kept it fairly low key.

John had watched a Bobby Flay episode on Food Network where he had made Cornell Chicken and wanted to try it. Despite the fact that we made several trips to the grocery store the day before and the day of the 4th, we continually forgot to buy the chicken. One final trip and we did get it. Here it is pre-grill (the remainder of the spice rub is in the front bowl and the basting/dipping sauce is in the back bowl):

It was very tasty! If you like rosemary, you'll LOVE this.

For a side we, let me rephrase that, I had Summer Macaroni Salad with Tomatoes & Zucchini. It was delish! It's from Skinnytaste, which my friend V. recommended. There are so many great recipes on the site AND if you're doing Weight Watchers, it's even better, because she gives PointsPlus information for each one! I wasn't sure how I'd like this, as it uses Greek yogurt rather than a lot of mayo (you still do use mayo), but I couldn't tell the difference! NOTE TO SELF: Half the recipe next time...otherwise you'll be able to feed an army.

We also had popovers! John loves popovers and at a Weight Watchers meeting, my leader had mentioned that popovers have fewer points, as they're airier (is that a word?) So, I bought a box of King Arthur popover mix and gave it a whirl. They weren't bad!

All in all, a successful eating day on the 4th!

Eau de Horse Dung

Have you ever sat around thinking up new scents for perfumes and thought that one that smelled like horse dung might be just the ticket to you being a millionaire? If so, I have bad news for you.

Someone else has already beat you to the punch.

Before I get to that, however, let me back up.

My husband's and my house abuts a state forest. Therefore, we see lots of wildlife, i.e., rabbits, beavers, deer. We see lots and then there are even more that we don't see...that come out under cover of night.

And do some serious damage.

Look what Bambi and her friends have done to our Hostas:

Yeah, go ahead and laugh (my Mom did).

They're completely stripped of their leaves (minus a few in the forefront of the photo that apparently Bambi missed.)

We have an entire row of these that look this way. Nice.

Not only have they been feasting on the Hostas, but they apparently like Choleus, as well.

It's depressing, to say the least.

Our neighbor that lives across the street popped over yesterday and we brought up the plundering and she mentioned that she has something that she sprays on her plants so that deer, voles (WTF are voles?), groundhogs, and other vermin won't eat the leaves as appetizers.

She said she'd let us borrow it, but noted that it smelled "bad."

Excuse me, but did you say, "Bad?"

While spraying it I had to put my t-shirt over my face and I still felt as though I was going to gag. It was as if I'd jumped headfirst into a pile of horse sh*t. Yup, that's right.

John was downwind and he took one look at me and said, "I'd rather have the deer eat our plants than smell that crap."

Here's the perfume:

The description of this product on Arbico Organics is "All natural ingredients but repulsive to vermin and other undesirables."

Um, are humans undesirables or vermin???

I just looked at the active ingredients and I'm wondering if this should be renamed, "Witches' Brew."

• Dried blood
• Putrescent whole egg solids
• Garlic oil

Damn, this stuff could be used to ward off Satan himself.

So, if looking for a unique scent that will repel humans, vermin, undesirables, pariahs, demons, etc..., you've found it.

Just don't spray it on your wrists until I'm approximately 50 miles away.

Movie Review: Moonrise Kingdom

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I really really really loved this movie.

I really really really wanted to write a review so that I could share my opinion with as many people as possible (which isn't that many, considering the readership of this blog is rather small).

I really really really realized that I had no clue how to write a review other than to say I loved the movie.

So, as any good researcher would do, I did some Googling to find some a reputable site with some guidance/instructions.

I found this site. It's a bit dated, but I'm guessing the format of a movie review hasn't changed much over time.

So, here goes.



My homemade trailer:

Picture this -- you're a law enforcement officer who has to work up the courage to call a set of parents to tell them that their 12-year old foster son is missing from camp. You go through with the phone to call to get a voice on the other end of the line saying he's not wanted back. Um, what???? Yeah, that's right. The movie mixes humor and sadness on so many occasions, such as this one, and will leave you laughing and crying.

Just the facts, ma'am:

Movie title: Moonrise Kingdom

Director: Wes Anderson

Studio: Indian Paintbrush

Main cast: Too many to name, but recognizable names such as Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, and Edward Norton are great, but just as great are little-known names such as Kara Hayward & Jared Gilman.

Year made: 2012

Rating: PG-13

Synposis from IMDb: A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them.

Plot/character summary:
This movie just cannot be summed up in one sentence. There are so many more layers to it. To elaborate on the above, the "young lovers" are 12-year old "misfits" Sam & Suzy. Each with their own issues, they find each other in church in the dressing room during a play. They conspire to meet each other while Sam is at faux Boy Scout camp and Suzy is with her family in their summer home (or at least I think it's their summer home.)  They meet and run away and leave a number of characters chasing them. Suzy's family is headed up by Bill Murray, who plays her Dad and Frances McDormand, who plays her Mom. There are marital problems between the two dueling attorneys and Suzy has caught her Mom on more than one occasion kanoodling with the island's lone law enforcement office, Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis). Sam & Suzy get to know each other while on the lam and force others on the island to address their own issues.


Key moment:
Later in their journey, Sam & Suzy (along with several other faux Boy Scouts) escape to another local island. One of the Scouts' cousins is a faux Boy Scout leader (played by Jason Schwartzman) and is enlisted to marry the two. Yes, marry the two 12-year olds. Schwartzman adeptly carries off the lines about the seriousness of the ritual of marriage, yet also nails the hilarity mixed in. This is how the majority of the movie goes -- laughter on top of serious messages.

To recommend or not recommend?:

I think I've already split those beans -- two thumbs up! I loved the movie, because it's set in the 1960's and the costumes, hair, etc... transport you back to that time perfectly. There's also a narrator who speaks to the camera a few times throughout the movie, giving it a little something extra.

Go see it -- you'll like it!!!

Ever Stuck Your Feet In a Bucket of Ice for an Extended Period of Time?

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No worries if you haven't. Just come to northern New England and walk into the Atlantic Ocean. The tide rolling in will be like the sharp edges of the ice cutting into your feet. Numbness will set in and then borderline hypothermia.

We're talking an average of low 60's for water temperature...in the dead of summer.

Brrr.

Blue lips.

So, based on this, you'd have to be CRAZY to go all the way (or part of the way) into the water at the beaches around here. Apparently I'm married to a CRAZY person and have a CRAZY stepdaughter!

I didn't get any close ups of G.'s bottom lip shaking or the goosebumps the size of raisins, but you can get some idea of how cold it is from these. (And how G. is probably saying, "C'mon Dad -- it's not THAT cold!"

This of course before it all happened -- nice and dry and all smiles.

"I can't feel anything below my waist, but let's keep going."

"I think I can catch this one!"

"I can float!"

G.: "See Dad, I told you it's not bad."

John: "I can't feel my face."

All's well that ends well.

All the while I was taking the swimming photos, G. is begging me to come into the water.

Yeah, riiiiiiight. NOT.

So, if you swim in the northern Atlantic, I think you're CRAZY. :p





The First Step Is Admitting You Have a Problem

Hello.
My name is KT and I'm an Essie-aholic.
I've purchased four Essie nail polishes over the past three months.
Before that, I hadn't purchased four nail polishes over the last three YEARS.

I think that qualifies me as an Essie-aholic. I don't know what it is -- I'm just drawn to their colors.

The first one I bought was "Lapiz of Luxury." I bought this right before I went to Florida -- seems appropriate, right??? Plus, Essie's website refers to it as "a dreamy ocean blue." That's pretty much dead on. (FYI: I'm having deja vu -- I feel like I wrote about this already, but can't seem to find the post.)

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It's a lot lighter in person (which you may or may not be able to see due to my pale washed out legs....)

Nah...you can't tell from this photo. When it's on it's a bit softer.

The second one I bought was "Turquoise & Caicos." Now I KNOW I did write about this one. This was my Pamper Me Friday Night post. Essie's website refers to this one as "a flirty and pretty tropical aqua." I think I bought it because I wished I was in the Turks & Caicos.

I took this picture from Beauty.com and it's a lot truer to the actual color. (The picture from the Essie website is darker green, similar to that of above.)

If you read the other post, you already saw it live and in person, but here it is again, for those that have a feet fetish. (Or simply missed it the first time.)

For my next purchase, I had wanted a peachy color...not Halloween in June. The name should've tipped me off -- "Fear or Desire." It was the only orangey one in the store and I kept thinking, "It can't really be THAT bright orange." The Essie website categorizes this one as "a bright, orange crush." Again, wish I'd read that before making the purchase. It was basically like a bottle of Orange Crush soda had spilled on my toenails.

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Those of you who saw my Twilight Zone Thursday post, saw this baby in living color. Let me jog your memory -- this was the day I wore two different shoes.

 

Awful. Just awful. If you're going to a Halloween party in the middle of summer, I highly recommend it. Otherwise, no thanks.

Lastly, just a few days ago, I purchased what I hope will be my favorite so far, "Lilacism." Purple's my fave color, so it's a natural match. Essie's website describes this one as, "elegant and enchanting, this satiny smooth lilac whispers springtime." Springtime is long over here in New England, but I'm hoping it's just as capable as whispering "summer vacation."

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Stay tuned for how this looks in "real life." I'm in the middle of 4th of July cooking (Happy 4th, by the way) and plan on treating myself later tonight by painting my toenails!