Farewell to the Civic

We had a massive hail storm on May 16, 2010. Here is my car after the storm:

My car ended up being totaled. While I’m grateful no one was hurt, I was heartbroken at losing my car. The Civic represented a very important time in my life. It was the first car I ever bought all on my own, after I was out of school, and before I was married. It was also a beautiful, comfortable car, and Taylor and I had a lot of fun in it. We took a lot of road trips in it and he used it to drive to important work events and business meetings. When the adjuster called to tell me it was totaled, he said, “I can tell that you take really good care of this car, and that you really have enjoyed having it.”

Dear Civic, you will be missed. You were a great car. But now it’s time to move on. Thanks for everything.

-C-

“Things change. And friends leave. And life doesn’t stop for anybody.” – The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Some Random Thoughts for a Friday

• Today is my grandmother’s 81st Birthday. She is awesome, beautiful, and one of the classiest women I know. When I called to wish her a Happy Birthday this morning, she told me to be sure to wear sunglasses to dinner because her outfit is “full of glitz and glitter!”
• The weather man said we would have a 50% chance of rain today. I looked outside when he said this and saw a monsoon blowing through. Go, Oklahoma weather reports!
• It is officially Festival Season, and this is the first year we truly get to enjoy it. Two weeks ago was the Green Egg Fest, which was a bunch of attorneys on smokers and slow cookers making amazing food. Last week was the Arts Festival. Tomorrow is Mint Julep Day, or the Kentucky Derby as most people call it. Some people put on weight during the Holidays – I put on weight during Festival Season (read: not optimal for being the precursor to Pool Season).
• Harold, my Wheaten Terrier, will be four years old next week. I got him to keep me company after college when I moved to my very own apartment in Tulsa. On the day I moved to Tulsa, because of Harold, I met Taylor (my now-husband). That dog has changed my life forever, and I am so grateful. Even if he does squeak his ball ALL. DAY. LONG.
• FINALLY (and this is where you all come in) – for my birthday, my mom is taking me on a girls’ trip to San Francisco! We are so excited to go. I’ve never been and my mom hasn’t been in about 10 years. SO, please give me some suggestions. What are your favorite things to do in San Francisco? Favorite restaurants? Shops? Museums? Attractions?

I hope you all have a great weekend!

-C-

Recipe: Tilapia Not-Quite-Picatta and Roasted Asparagus

Last night I had my mind all set to make Parmesan-crusted tilapia. Then I realized that somewhere in my shopping cart full of groceries, I forgot to get Parmesan cheese (Note: I didn’t really forget the Parmesan cheese – I bought some last week…and forgot that we already ate it). So I decided to make the next best thing: Tilapia Picatta. Because I love any light meat that drenched in lemon and capers. And I was sick of chicken. I’m not a big fan of fowl.

So I set out to make my tilapia picatta, and ended up missing few ingredients, and deciding to cook things differently than advised. However, it turned out pretty darn good, so I thought I would share the recipe with all 12 of my readers.

Tilapia Not-Quite-Picatta and Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Tilapia filets, thawed but still cold
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg white
• 1 dash of milk
• 1 T. Italian Seasonining
• 1 T. Garlic Salt
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• A bunch of asparagus
• Lemon juice
• 3 T Olive Oil
• Capers

Steps:

• Prep the asparagus first. It’s easier, and cookes at a higher temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the asparagus and trim the ends, so there’s no white left.
• Arrange the asparagus in a single row in a pan.
• Drizzle 1.5 T olive oil over the asparagus, along with about 1.5 T lemon juice, or more if you like that
• Top with salt
• Stick in the oven while you prep the fish (the asparagus will cook for 7-12 minutes)

Fish:

• Mix together the egg white and milk
• Put the bread crumbs and Italian Seasoning on a plate. If you feel like it, throw in some flour for good measure. It helps everything stick together
• Dip the tilapia filets in the egg/milk mixture, then dredge them in the bread crumb mixture
• Arrange in a single layer in a nonstick or greased pan
• Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, several Tablespoons of lemon juice, and top with a couple of tablespoons of capers. They add a little kick!
• Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Take out the asparagus if the tips are turning dark brown.
• Put the fish in for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, make sure to take out the asparagus and move the fish to the top rack in the oven. Turn on the broiler on HIGH for about 5 minutes, until the bread crumbs are a nice golden brown.
• Make sure the fish flakes with a fork – that’s how you know it’s done.
• SERVE!

I served this with a small side salad and some tabouli. Let me know what you do to mix it up!

Wouldn’t Trade them for Anything

Fewer families are crazier than mine. Fewer families are more awesome than mine. I am truly blessed…doesn’t this look like the perfect group of people to spend your Easter with?

And yes, I’m the one holding the glass of wine.

Breather

 

Over the weekend, I went to Houston. It was exactly what I needed.

A Home in Haiti

My dentist has adopted 2 children from Haiti. He got his little girl a couple of years ago, when he was newly married and doing missions work in Haiti. He has been in the process of adopting her brother ever since, and makes several trips a year to Haiti to see his son and work with the orphans. He has sat in the same room as Bill Clinton and George Bush, and worked alongside them to bring relief to Haitians since the earthquake earlier this year.

Because of the actions of several people, and due to problems such as human trafficking, organ harvesting, and child smuggling, UNICEF has put all adoptions from Haiti on hold for one year. This is the news my dentist received last week upon making his third trip in as many months to try to pick up his son. But what really got to me as he was telling me the stories of devastation was his despair at the Haitians lack of waterproof shelter. While he and his trip-mates were staying in a hotel and had a car to drive, he said the majority of Haitians are living in tent cities – but these cities are made up of anything the Haitians can find to put over their head. The majority of these coverings are not even waterproof.

What makes this especially difficult and heart-wrenching is the fact that Haiti is now in the rainy season. My dentist said it rained the whole time he was there, at times so hard that he was soaked to the bone after 3 seconds. Imagine living in that. Imagine caring for your children in that.

So, now there is a group focused on helping to bring waterproof tents to the Haitians. Of course, we want to rebuild homes in Haiti, but obviously that is a ways off, at least until after the rainy season. So for now, this is something you can do. Go to A HOME IN HAITI and give what you can – whether you can donate a few dollars, buy a whole tent, or start a tent drive in your area.

Please spread the word.

C

Literature

Have you read any good books lately? I got a Barnes and Noble nook for Christmas and I’ve been reading so much lately. It’s so nice to get back into reading. I majored in English in college, so for 4 years I was inundated with reading assignments. But the great thing about majoring in a subject you love is that the homework isn’t really work at all (most of the time – Heart of Darkness is still a rough one for me to get through).

Anyway, here is a list of the books I have read recently:

- Commencement

- Nanny Returns

- Life of Pi

- Committed

- Family Affair

- Their Eyes Were Watching God

What are some good books you have read lately?

-C-

“Hook-up culture’s” bad rap

“Hook-up culture’s” bad rap

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Love Love

Remember on Shrek when Shrek asks Donkey, “Really?” and Donkey replies, “Really Really!”? Well that has always stuck with me, and it extends to love. I sometimes tell Taylor that I ”love love” him – because saying it once isn’t enough. So, in honor of the DAY OF LOVE, but without grossing anyone out, here are a few things that I love love:

- Chocolate mousse. Seriously. I could eat it every night for dinner with a glass of red wine and be the world’s happiest (and fattest?) girl

- Dancing

- Red Dirt Country Music. Jason Boland, I die every time.

- Sitting around a fire, listening to a friend playing guitar, and drinking red wine. All 3 separately, or any combination of the 3.

- Reading trashy gossip magazines

- Red carnations. Snap dragons. Orchids.

- Puppy breath

- Hugs from the Harold (officially called the “Wheaten Welcome”, Wheatens innately know how to give you a hug)

- Road trips

- Sunsets in Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona, California, and Mexico.

- Pedicures

- Perfectly cooked, lemony white fish with asparagus, orzo, and lots of red wine.

- The very few and far between nights where I can pretend I’m in college again.

- Dallas, and everything that comes with it.

- Hugs

- The smell of brewing coffee, especially Dunkin Donuts Hazelnut or Java Dave’s Snickerdelicious

- Pioneer Woman’s Drip Beef (the recipe that uses pepperoncinis). It could convert a vegetarian, no joke.

- Skeleton Keys

Oh there’s so much more.

What are some things that you love love?