Strikes my fancy

Man, Klondike bars are good!

This week 3 different people in the entertainment industry passed away. Know how I heard about it? Facebook! The first two (Ed McMahon & Farrah Fawcett) were mentioned on just a few status updates. But last night somehow between the time I left work and got home (a mere 45 minutes) my feed was FULL of news about Michael Jackson. I got a call from bp and was relaying how I heard the news on Facebook and had to go looking for a reputable source to see if it was true. And all of it was ironic to me: to think that I am now getting my "world" news from my Facebook feed (to be fair and balanced, I do have a friend who is updating on what is going on in Honduras right now)

For those of you who dont know, I have been doing an internship for my Masters in Intercultural and Urban Studies. I have been working for CityCURE, an urban ministry in Cincinnati that work with all aspects of the lives of families within Cincinnati. I have been working with the Development Department, which means fundraising. I know, who would willingly work in a fundraising department? Especially when there is a economic road hazzard as far as funds floating around waiting to be claimed by worthy non-profits . This was an area of urban ministry and non-profit in which I did not have a lot of experience. The only other time I have raised funds was for my overseas intership two years ago. The learnign experience has been fun and challenging. At first, I was the normal intern: counting name tags, spending endless amounts of time waiting for a project to do, and other pidly things. However, that lasted only a short while, and larger projects and more responsibility have been coming my w

Had some ladies over for dinner last week and this is what I cooked (half eaten... I forgot about taking a picture!). Good stuff. Here's the goods: Escarole with Carmalized Onions and Chickpeas 2 Tbl olive oil 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced 1 large bunch escarole (about 1 ½ pounds), washed and torn into pieces ¼ cup golden raisins ¼ tsp salt ½ pound multigrain penne pasta 1 can (15.5oz) chickpeas, undrained Grated Parmesan cheese Heat oil in 12” skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, for 15-23 minutes or until golden. Lower heat if onion is browning too quickly. Add escarole and raisins to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, for about 6 minutes, until leaves are tender and stem ends are still crunchy. Sprinkle with salt. Meanwhile, make pasta. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water, and return to pot. Stir in chickpeas with their liquid. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until heated through. Serve over pasta, adding reserved pasta wat

Have you seen this commercial? Every time I see it - I catch my breath. I like the beginning where they all match their walls - I like the catchy song. What can I say, I'm a simple girl (and I know EXACTLY what the product is AND where to buy it...successful ad!)

I've been looking forward to trying a salmon burger for quite some time and this one did not disappoint! Mayonnaise: 1 Tbl chopped fresh cilantro 3 Tbl light mayonnaise 2 Tbl finely chopped fresh mango 1 Tbl finely chopped fresh pineapple 1/8 tsp finely grated lime rind Burgers: 1/3 cup chopped green onions ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 Tbl finely chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce 2 tsp fresh lime juice ¼ tsp salt 1 (1 ¼ lb) salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 1” pieces To prepare mayonnaise, combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; cover and chill. To prepare burgers: place onions, ¼ cup cilantro, chile, and juice in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add salt and salmon; pulse 4 times or until salmon is coarsely ground and mixture is well blended. Divide salmon mixture into 4 equal portions; shape each portion into a 1” thick patty. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Heat grill pan over medium-

I have a confession to make - I'm afraid of heights. I was in Toronto this last New Years and had to go up in the CN Tower. Now my fear of heights is very real, but I suck it up (with much complaining) for places I'm visiting. As we were standing in line, I saw on the wall all tall buildings and realized that I had been in many... This is me getting ready to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower - for the 2nd time (CRAZY!) At the almost top of the CN Tower: Taken when I was at the top of the Empire State Building: I've also been to the top of the Sears Tower, but that was before digital cameras... so you just have to believe me ;-) I don't think I'm planning to do the whole list, but who knows.

I made dinner for my roommate about a week ago. I was very excited about how it looked and took a picture. Here are the recipes for your enjoyment: Avocado-Mango Chicken Oven @ 350 ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbl soy sauce 2 tsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chilies) 2 limes (or lime juice) 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (4oz each) 1 large mango, coarsely chopped 1 large avocado, coarsely chopped 1 Tbl finely chopped cilantro 1 Tbl finely chopped onion 2 Tbl sea salt 4 white corn tortilla Mix Worcestershire, soy and adobo sauces with juice from 1 of the limes in a bowl. Place chicken in a sealable plastic bag and pour in marinade. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Combine mango, avocado, cilantro, onion, salt and juice from remaining lime in a bowl, then refrigerate. Transfer chicken and marinade to a baking dish and cook until tender and no longer pink, approximately 20 minutes. Remove chicken from oven, place each breast on a plate and top with ¼ of salsa. Serve with 1 tortill