A trip to the workshop

A few weeks ago we went over to my dad's to celebrate his 60th birthday.  It involved a lot of bbq, and a quick jaunt to David Marsh's furniture studio where my dad works. We got to meet David (a super nice guy by the way) because he was there working on a Saturday on cabinets like these:

                               

The doors are open because they are drying, but aren't they neat?

While my dad has spent years making furniture and other wood-based art, he also has experience welding,which is precisely what he's doing for Mr. Marsh. He takes various pieces of scrap metal and old metal objects and turns them into bases for tables, welding them so that the tops can be fitted on and doing various cool finishes on the metal.

Here are a few pieces ready to be fitted with table tops

This is his favorite piece - I believe it's made out of an old sewing machine

The piece in the center of the photo is a good example of the finished product

It was really cool to get an inside glimpse of the studio because David Marsh is kind of a big deal, and also because it's a creative space where my dad really enjoys working. I'm really happy for him to have landed such an awesome gig, and not just because I want to snag some stuff for myself wholesale :)

Cold weather ennui + bonus comfort food recipe

For whatever reason, it's kind of an uphill battle not to feel blah this time of year. I know some people that struggle with SAD, and whatever weirdness I experience seems relatively minor, so I just wait it out. I'll feel kind of down for a few days or a week then I'm back to my jolly self, so I don't take it too seriously.

I find that exercise really helps me be cheery-jolly instead of fat-santa-jolly, which brings me to a positive note! I've weighed in at 131 the past 3 days in a row, which is a whole seven pounds lighter than I was when I started working out in August. I think this week might be a bit of an anomaly since I normally weigh about 134 these days, but seeing the number on the scale go down is helping to reaffirm what I'm generally feeling, which is lighter and leaner. I've spoken before how weight loss was never my goal, but since I'm putting on muscle that means I've lost a not-insignificant amount of body fat which is good for my health, for how my clothes fit and for my self-esteem.

It's a good thing I'm into working out these days, because with the cooler weather comes an increased craving for comfort food. It's really hard to want a grilled chicken salad when it's 40 some odd degrees out. I know it's psychological but it's just the truth. Pasta is more of a sometimes food than a good ol' standby nowadays, but I made something so good the other day I just had to share. Yes I realize the irony of posting a pasta recipe directly after a paragraph about weightloss, but that's just the kinda gal I am!

Jen's Pasta Rustica (I just made that up)

Ingredients:
-Half a box/bag pasta of your choice (I recommend bowtie or penne)
-3 links of Italian sausage (go for the spicy kind!)
-broccoli (or spinach. Or oooh rapini/broccoli rabe if you enjoy the bitterness like I do)
-Cremini mushrooms
-1-2 cloves garlic
-Small jar of marinara (I really enjoy the kroger brand sauce with roasted red peppers)
-Goat cheese


Steps:
-While your pasta is boiling with a little salt, squeeze your italian sausage out of the casing and get it browning in a pan. You're going to want to chop it up into little bits as you go.
-When the sausage is almost cooked, add your sliced mushrooms,chopped broccoli and minced garlic. If you are using spinach, be prepared to use a lot because it will cook down quite a bit. I threw in a splash of red wine at this point too because I had an open bottle, but that's optional.
-When all ingredients in the pan are cooked to your liking (obviously don't undercook your sausage or overcook your broccoli), throw in your red sauce
-This would be a good time to grate in some parmesan cheese and add whatever spices you like
-Once your sauce is heated and your pasta is drained, serve in a bowl and top with a generous dollop of goat cheese. Mix it all together!

I also make a version of this with no red sauce, just using goat cheese which turns into a creamy sauce of its own when mixed with the hot pasta. This is really good with a robust red wine, and makes great leftovers for lunch. The good thing about making pasta at home is that even though it's not a health food by any means, you can have better control of the portions and the salt. Life without pasta is not a life worth living.

Thanksgluttony

I always go all out on Thanksgiving, but this is the only year in recent memory that I've woken up at 7am to wrestle a 21 pound turkey. The kitchen at my last place was woefully small, so back then I opted for a pre-smoked turkey that required only a couple hours of warming. That let me save trouble and focus on the sides, which everyone knows are the best part anyway. Or so I thought!

  I mean, look at this sucker

My bird was cooked from scratch this year and it came out really delicious, which was good for my ego and my waistline as I found myself eating a lot of lean protein over the long holiday weekend (NOT typical). You'll notice I didn't stuff the bird. Not only does that add to the cooking time (something we definitely didn't want) but there are possible food-safety issues and the resulting stuffing is often soggy anyway. My method comes from my dad and produces great results. I juice a couple of oranges and lemons then stuff the peels inside the turkey along with some fresh herbs. This looks pretty and is aromatic. I like to think it adds to the flavor as well. With the juice, I mix some soy sauce (umami baby!...wait does that sound like something Guy Fieri would say? It does doesn't it? Sorry) and melted butter. I use this mixture along with the bird's own juices to baste every half hour or so. I've read that it's inconclusive whether basting actually has an effect, but in my opinion it helps to flavor and crisp up the skin so I will keep doing it.

I tried something new this year where I roasted the turkey upside down for the first 2 hours. I'm not sure if I can attribute my juicy breast (hee!) to that, but it's worth a shot. I'd recommend having some help though because flipping a big old turkey by yourself with hot, bloody turkey juice...just have help. After that I rubbed the whole thing directly with half a stick of butter, some sea salt and fresh ground pepper and popped it back in for the rest of the cook time, which was approximately a million hours.

 By the time it came out of the oven, this is what I looked like

Now, since I realize turkey cooking tips are completely useless after Thanksgiving, I'll share a recipe that can be used year round. I always make yams (with the marshmallows, screw the haters), cranberry sauce and stuffing (chorizo and poblano this year) but the highlight, my specialty, my crowning glory is my greenbean casserole. I'm not going to lie to you, there is cream of mushroom soup in this thing and those canned fried onions on top. I generally believe in making things from scratch, but this version is so good I've been hesitant to mess with it, and when you're making like 7 dishes you'll be glad you're not having to mix up your own bechamel or some shit. As usual, measurements are approximate and substitutions can be made. As long as you are using fresh green beans you are in the clear. If you use canned green beans the Thanksgiving Police will come and arrest you.

Jen's green bean casserole

Ingredients:
-Large bag of fresh green beans
-1/2 onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic
-4 small cans (or 2 big cans) cream of mushroom soup
-Half and half or milk
-Pepper and herbs of your choosing
-Various cheeses (I recommend cheddar, gruyere and parmesan)
-Can of those crunchy fried onion thingies

Steps:
-Snap your green beans in half, removing any excess stems as you go. This will take awhile so allot plenty of time
-Boil your green beans with a little salt until they are almost fully cooked but still a bit tender. 
-While that's happening, saute up your onions and garlic
-Drain your greenbeans, etc etc
-In a large bowl, mix the cream of mushroom with the half and half or milk, some fresh cracked pepper and a little oregano, thyme, whatever you have on hand. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water or milk. Do not, I repeat do not add any salt. Between the soup, the cheese and the topping you have plenty.
-Spread some of the cream of mushroom mixture in a large casserole dish and top with a layer of cheese. You can do cheddar, then gruyere later, then parm on top or just mix it all up. It doesn't really matter.
-Add a layer of green beans along with the sauteed mushrooms and garlic
-Top with more of the cream of mushroom mixture, some more cheese and some more greenbeans
-Finish with a layer of the mixture on top (and if you don't feel like layering it, just mix it all together because who cares)
-Top with the crunchy onion things and bake at 350 until they are golden brown and the edges of the casserole are bubbly.
-Eat a shitload of it and convince yourself it's good for you because of all of the greenbeans. Feel all smug about it.

Those crunchy onion thingies count as a vegetable right?

Oh, and I almost forgot! A huge bonus to cooking your own turkey is the bounty that will fill your freezer. I have half of a carcass (mmm...carcass...), some leg bones and dark meat, and about 2 quarts of broth. It's a cook's dream! The Thanksgiving that keeps on giving.

domestic goddess

I threw Greg a party for his 36th birthday and it was a hit! As usual, I was running around red-faced and taking stuff out of the oven until the last minute, but I'm starting to find hostessing really fun even when it's hectic. I even managed to throw on a dress, heels and red lipstick while the food finished up. I'm a regular Betty Draper. Except not miserable. Well, and I had a lot of crunch-time help from my brother (Shout out to Dylan *high five*)

I didn't take any pics of the food so you'll just have to take my word for it when I say everything came out great. I did those spinach and artichoke stuffed mushrooms I wrote about awhile back plus I tried new idea I had for a savory tart. I simply cut some frozen puff pastry into rounds, scored and pricked them and all that jazz, and then covered them in a mixture of goat cheese, carmelized onions, herbs and parm. The fillings for the mushrooms and tarts were made the night before, as was some yummy hummus (secret: greek yogurt!) which I served with baby carrots for the healthy people that didn't want to eat obscene amounts of cheese. Oh yeah, and there was a cheese plate. CHEESE. I don't bake, so Greg picked up some amazing homemade oreos from Fluff Bake Bar at Revival Market. They are incredible - go get one at your earliest convenience.

Part of the fun of cooking is sharing it with people you love, so I guess this is where I should mention that I adore all of my friends, and I'm grateful for everyone that came, and those that couldn't make it. You are all very smart and funny and good-looking! Xoxoxo.

I really enjoy getting everyone together, so I'm really glad that Greg's love of hosting parties has rubbed off on me; it's one of the many good things about shacking up. It's been about 9 months now and I couldn't be happier that we're living together. Our house is really fun and cool, plus we just click when it comes to cohabitating. I think we've had one argument about it, and it was some hypothetical situation about what do to if someone wants to bring something home and the other person finds it legitimately scary and doesn't want to live with it. I can't remember how that debate shook out but I bet you can figure out who was on which side of that argument :)

Anyway, I guess I've been having a lot of warm fuzzy feelings lately. They're probably being exacerbated by this colder weather. I'm not quite ready for the holidays and all of the shopping and cooking it entails, but I am ready to bundle up at home and watch movies and drink wine. Ok I guess I kind of do that year round but it's different when it's cold out. It just is!

GOBAMA

I'm sort of surprised I didn't make any election-related posts here leading up to November 6th, as I've been following it probably too closely for my own good (um...sorry to any friends I drunkenly ranted at). The thought of Romney winning was absolutely harrowing to me, but let's not focus on that. While I understand people's frustration with Obama, yesterday's election reaffirmed my belief that future America is a place where there will be true equality; gays, women and minorities will no longer be second class citizens, healthcare is accessible to everyone and my control over my own body will not be up for debate. You can either be on the right side of history or the wrong side, but it's happening.

We still have a long way to go of course - last night I deleted an old friend from Facebook for using the term "n*gger rigged" to refer to Obama's win. I've never been so thankful to my dad for moving us out of that small town and into a big, diverse city. While I stop short of considering myself a liberal, I am someone who believes in equality and a fair shake for everyone in this country. I'm so heartened to see anti-gay, anti-woman candidates get left behind as they should be, and to see strong women stepping up to fill important roles in our government. Speaking of which...Hillary Clinton 2016!

...too early?

Presenting Bullet Bill

Everyone, I got a new car! Well, new to me. It was finally time to retire my first car as she was looking a little rough and I was ready for some modern conveniences. I feel kind of like I'm cheating on her, but hey I need a radio and, you know...door handles and such. I'm not putting the old girl down of course - she was a great first car, it was just time to move on. At least she'll stay in the family.

I'd been eying the Yaris for awhile and opted to go with the 2010 they had at the dealership because I actually like the body style a bit better better than the new version. You can't tell from this crappy photo but the front is all round and cute, like a bug. The dealership experience was an all-day affair, but I knew what I wanted and ended up getting a great price. I was able to put a decent chunk down, so my payment is really low. Score!

Ain't she a beaut? Or rather, HE! I had thought up all sorts of cute names, like Jellybean and Space Egg, figuring I'd get a blue or silver one, but Greg threw out "Bullet Bill" (like in Mario!) and it stuck. Isn't it perfect? So he gets credit for the name and for keeping me from freaking out all day.

Not only is Bullet Bill stylish, but he's a lot of fun to drive! Well except for my white-knuckled drive home on the freeway in the dark from the dealership...it's time to brush up on my driving skills and this neato car is just the perfect motivation to do that. I've been driving it very gingerly but I think I'm starting to get used to it. I actually enjoyed my commute today. There's a lot of stress inherent in a big purchase, but I gotta say it feels good :)

Crockpot cooking, Mexican style

 Recently I cooked a huge pork tenderloin and the meals it yielded have been so good I just have to share. These aren't recipes per se, just me sharing some recent kitchen experiments. Another disclaimer - my food never photographs well. This is something I considered putting effort into before deciding I was too lazy and apathetic. There are a lot of wonderful food blogs out there and this isn't one of them, but if you're a friend and enjoy reading then that makes me happy!
 
Anyway, some people say that loin is too lean for the crockpot but I disagree. A shoulder would likely be more flavorful, but I've never had an issue with the loin drying out or becoming tough, and it's easy to find in the supermarket. Greg bought a giant one, about 5 pounds! In addition to the two meals below I gave some to my dad and brother and have another portion frozen for some quesadillas or another soup.

I prepared the loin Tex Mex style, with green chilis and tomatoes (Rotel guys, it was Rotel. Who am I kidding), chicken broth and some spices (chili powder, cumin, oregano). I threw all of it in the crockpot, making sure there was enough of the spicy broth to cover the pork and cooked it for about 8 hours before shredding it and tossing a bit more spice onto the shredded pork and mixing it up.

After portioning most of it for freezing, I got to work frying up some corn tortillas in preparation for some pork enchiladas verdes.

The reason I suggest frying the tortillas in oil is that last time I made enchiladas they were sadly a bit mushy. They still tasted great but they ended up more like a casserole...not exactly what I had in mind. I fried them up until they were a bit leathery and layered them in paper towels as I went to absorb excess grease.

I filled the tortillas with pork and cheese (I just used some jack but manchego would be FANTASTIC) and placed them in the pan. At this point I would usually add sauce and cheese to the top, but while researching a remedy for my mushy enchilada problem I came across a wonderful tip: to bake them first, then top them and broil for the last few minutes. That way they're not soaking in the sauce while they bake. After about 15 minutes at 350 the contents inside were all melty, so I pulled them out, dumped some salsa verde and sour cream on top and crumbled queso fresco all over. After a few minutes in the broiler, dinner was served. Don't forget to top with cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice! If you want to get all fancy and make your own salsa verde you will earn some real cred. I need to someday but it's one of those things that should really be done the night before, and I was aiming for a quick weeknight dinner.

Next up, I made some posole!

I had saved and frozen the broth leftover from the crockpot when I initially made the pork and I'm so glad I did. After sauteing some onions and garlic in a pan, I added the broth and a diced poblano that I had just roasted in the oven. I didn't add any fresh green chilis as I was worried it would make it too spicy. I was right - the green chilis already in the broth were more than sufficient. I added the pork, a can of hominy (can't have posole without it), cilantro, lime juice and let it all cook until heated through. I topped with some avocado and crumbled queso freso after dishing it out. I just love cold avocado in a hot soup, and queso freso is ideal for soups since it doesn't really melt. Without bragging, just let me say that it was really, really delicious. The great thing about soup is that you can tweak it and taste it until you get it just right. I didn't follow a recipe and you don't need to either.

I love this kind of cooking and will certainly do more of it over the fall and winter. If you have any great crockpot recipes send them my way!

Weighty Issue

When I was young, I had a metabolism like you wouldn't believe. I simply couldn't gain weight - something that bothered me slightly in my awkward teen years but which I ultimately accepted. Hearing catchphrases like "real women have curves" or seeing women my size being compared to a 13 year old boy still stung quite a bit, but I did my best to not let that stuff affect me. And besides, I felt like I didn't have a right to complain. After all, being rather slim put me in a conventionally attractive category though I was actually technically underweight. I developed a few snappy comebacks for when insensitive people would ask me if I was anorexic, and for the most part didn't spend much time thinking about my weight - a good thing since I quickly learned that very few people will be sympathetic to thin people with body issues not of the eating-disorder variety. Even now I worry about how this blog will be received by people who truly struggle with their weight. I hope it will be taken for what it is, which is my personal experience with how weight is wrapped up with identity, and my attempts to figure out what it means to look and feel the healthiest I can.

Anyway, after about 18 or so I didn't think about my weight at all. I was skinny and assumed I always would be. But then I hit about 25 and something changed. I started to notice some curves I had never really had before and, feeling curious, I stepped on a scale for the first time in years. That's what I discovered I had gained 15 whole pounds without noticing. That's also when I realized it was a bit silly to have thought all my pants just shrank at once. I know, I know, but weight gain was just something I hadn't considered. It wasn't that I was out of touch with my body exactly, but I'd always had a bit of trouble telling how much space I took up. It's strange. If you'd have asked me if I was taller or shorter or bigger or smaller than someone I wouldn't have had a clear answer unless the difference was drastic. Now I was all too aware.

I'm far from overweight, but being stick-thin was part of my identity. It'd be like waking up one day and not being a redhead. I was thrown for a loop, and found myself thrust into a part of the female experience that was completely foreign to me. Discussing calories, and dress sizes and whatnot. I hated it (and still do) because it's so cliche and boring. All the comments - snarky or well-intentioned - about my skinny-ness stopped, and on a bad day it's easy for your brain to run away with what that means. I used to find those comments unwelcome but now I...missed them? I wonder if growing up with my size being an open topic of discussion for everyone helped to make me more sensitive to such matters in the long run.

In a way I'm happier with my looks nowadays. When I compare myself to old pictures I prefer the less wan and boney Jen (though I feel oddly protective of her when someone else says they think I look better now).  But in a way I'm not happier, because thinking about my weight at all is decidedly not the path to happiness for me. So even though I think I look better, I miss the carefree days of slipping into my size 1 jeans and not having to worry about a muffin top. Again, not because I looked better necessarily but because I didn't obsess about how my clothes fit. I didn't have to be aware of the space I filled. Dressing a whole different body was strange at first and not something I expected to be dealing with after puberty. But you know, you adapt. In addition to picking out different clothes, I had to actually start paying attention to what I ate and drank. After a life of ignorant, gluttonous bliss it was annoying but educational.

I put on a handful more pounds after that initial 15, the after-effects of quitting smoking, drinking more than my fair share of beer and getting on the pill, along with just getting older and filling out a bit. I'd learned to embrace those pounds...except for that last handful. Because while I am happy to be curvier, I refuse to accept that slow creep of weight gain as the decades pass and I know that as I head into my 30's it's not going to get any easier. As a result, I started focusing not on weight loss but on getting in shape. I've started exercising 5 days a week and cooking healthy meals at home. These changes were so immediately rewarding on a mental and emotional level that the physical aspect was almost secondary. But, slowly but surely, that handful of pounds I was unhappy with dropped off. Well, most of them at least.

A funny thing happened though when I saw that number on the scale drop. I felt elated. Ugh, how typical.  I keep telling myself that if that number goes up because I get more muscular then that is fine with me. I hope I mean it. It's such an easy thing to obsess over, a metric to measure yourself by. I'm glad to be approaching my 30's having once been made fun of for being too thin, and also having been a bit softer than I'd prefer, because hopefully those experiences will help me keep perspective and remember that how I feel is what really matters. I also know that I have my metabolism and genetics on my side, and that I have it far easier than others. The recent hoopla about Lady Gaga's 20 pound weight gain has strengthened my resolve to think about weight in a healthy, non-obsessive way. Is there really such a small margin between concern-trolling about someone being underweight and then calling them fat? I refuse to apply such harsh standards to others and I refuse to apply them to myself. My goal is simply to be in better shape health-wise in my 30's than in my 20's. I think I'm on my way!

Things I hate!

Presenting, in no particular order, things that make me want off of this planet

Lip injections - You're not a porn star, you're a real estate agent. Stop it. You look ridiculous.

Luxury SUVs -  "I want an SUV....but I want to pay MORE for it!" or alternatively "I'm one of the few people that actually has a practical need for an SUV...but how will people know I'm rich?!"

People who honk at me when I'm taking an unprotected left -  Sure I'll just go straight, instead of to my house, because you're an inpatient dick. Fuck ooooooofff.

White people preaching about racism - Notice i didn't say "talking about" I said "preaching". Absolutely have these important conversations and open up dialogue when you feel someone's comments or behavior are hurtful. But don't try to co-opt minorities' anger as your own. You might think you understand, but you don't. You're from the suburbs.

Undecided voters - If you're reading this you're probably my friend so no i don't actually hate you of course, and i know there's more to politics than social issues. BUT you can't claim to be a pro-choice person who believes in gay marriage rights then vote for Romney. You just can't, I'm sorry. I said so. Just because you may not need an abortion or to get gay-married doesn't mean you don't have an obligation to support the issues you claim to believe in.

People who think feminism is a bad word - At its core, feminism means you believe women should have equal rights to men. No more, no less. Feminism encompasses varying schools of thought and feminists do not fit into one mold (talk to two of us and you may find completely opposing views on prostitution and strip clubs for example) and we especially don't fit the angry "feminazi" stereotype. You know who coined that offensive term? Rush Limbaugh. If you say you believe women are equal but defensively stammer on about how you're not a feminist, I'm going to give you side-eye forever and ever.

Overpriced food - Not to be confused with expensive food. I have no qualms about dropping 100+ dollars on a nice meal, but don't serve me two scallops you asshole. I mean I guess that's technically "scallopS" plural, but you and I both know I just got fucked over.

Overly hoppy beer - Not everything needs to taste like a goddamn bouquet. Where's the maltiness, the balance? You leave a bad taste in my mouth and it makes me sad.

Leaked celebrity nude pics - Or in this case, people that create a market for them. I've seen otherwise progressive, gentlemanly friends of mine go gaga over some starlet's hacked Iphone photos. A woman's naked body is not there for you to look at unless she has given you permission, you entitled butthead! The concepts of privacy and consent don't go out the window just because someone has a job where they're in the public eye.

Margarine -  Eat real butter. Not too much of it, but c'mon. Life is too damn short.

rock and roll lifestyle update

Sorry for not posting for awhile (I'm sure you were all waiting with bated breath...not!) but I just haven't had much to write about. Things are pretty much humming along smoothly and I'm feeling really happy and content lately, but that doesn't always make for exciting reading. I'm on month 2 of Healthmonth and other than my booze rule I'm doing really great. (Not that I'm some drunken party spaz, I just manage to go a couple drinks over - literally a couple - most weeks. Gah, I just love wine. And being social!) I added some more rules centered around things I've been meaning to do for awhile - bring lunch to work a couple days a week, make time to read actual books, floss every day, etc. - and I continue to find the site really helpful for instilling good habits.

I'm feeling in better shape than I have for a long time and even lost a few pounds, though that's probably due to the PLAGUE I had. It was a horrible sore throat that was strep, but wasn't strep, then was maybe mono but not. I'm actually surprised I didn't whine about it here because I was a miserable grouchy mess for over a week. I was on a liquid diet for like 5 days and it was the worst, most painful thing ever.

Other recent highlights in the world of Jen: I got an awesome review at work. I went to my first drive-in movie. I got 3 dresses from Modcloth for 60 bucks. I'm about to start officially shopping around for car. My life is so exciting! That sounds like sarcasm but I promise it's not. Things are pretty damn swell. And they will be even BETTER now that it's not hot as hell outside anymore. You guys, I am so looking forward to Fall, and not just because of the copious amounts of pumpkin ale I'll be imbibing. Ok...a little bit because of that.

More kitchen adventures

I cut my thumb pretty bad the other day you guys. I'm always so careful when using my big chef's knife to chop veggies, but of course I let my guard down while hastily slicing a lemon with a small serrated knife. I felt really stupid. And bloody. So much blood. I'm not very squeamish so I'm pretty sure it was the endorphins that made me feel all faint, forcing me to sit on the kitchen floor and recuperate. So anyway, it was painful and the healing process is annoying but it was almost worth it because it was in pursuit of...

The best pasta salad ever!

BAM! How's that for a segue? Quit thinking about my bloody thumb now! I skipped the lemon juice due to post traumatic stress, but here's what I did put in it.

-Half a bag of rotini (cooked and drained - I didn't have whole wheat but I like to use that whenever possible)
-1 tablespoon dijon mustard (dijonnaise if you have it. I used this stuff which I've been putting on sandwiches and in everything else. Bake some chicken with it! It's sooo good)
-A squeeze of mayo (that's if you didn't use a dijon/mayo hybrid and also it's totally optional if mayo freaks you out)
- 2 tablespoons pesto
-Enough balsamic vinaigrette to make things a little saucy

While that cools, throw the following items in a saute pan with a pinch of salt and some pepper:
-Baby bella mushrooms (chopped)
-Baby spinach
-2 or so cloves of garlic

Add veggie mixture to pasta then toss in some:
-Diced raw zuchinni (gives it some crunch - it's great)
-Finely chopped raw red onion
-Feta
-Freshly grated parmesan
-Some lemon zest
-Red pepper flakes
-Capers if you have them

I didn't have these following items but would definitely recommend them as well:
-Roasted red peppers
-Toasted pine nuts
-Artichokes

The great thing about pasta salad is that you can throw in whatever you want! Definitely chill it for a few hours (I fridged mine overnight) then add in some protein if desired. I baked a chicken breast with lemon pepper and served it warm on top of the cold pasta salad. It'd also be great with shrimp!

Workin' on my fitness

I've been making some lifestyle changes recently and I'm feeling really good! Naturally I want to brag about, er I mean share them. One of the tools I've been using is Healthmonth, a site where you set goals, track your progress and play against your friends. You can play for free or pay 5 bucks a month if you want more than 3 rules. It's in beta and can be a bit buggy, but overall I find it pretty user friendly (others may disagree with me on this). The best part is that quantifying my goals and being held accountable is really helping me stick to them. Its also really nice to get encouragement from your friends and encourage others. I'm not sure how the end-of-the-month game play will shake out but I already plan to play next month. If anyone reading is interested in joining our team, leave a comment or shoot me a note! It's not just for fitness-related goals either. You can set goals to meditate, practice your musical instrument, whatever you want!

So, my goals for August are as follows:

Work out for 20 minutes a day 5 times a week
I'd already been on track for this one (even hitting 6 days some weeks) but I wanted to ingrain the habit and keep from slacking off. So far it's going great. I do mostly calisthenics at home, and a lot of work with a resistance band. Whenever possible I ride my bike - sometimes to count for one of the workouts and sometimes in addition to my regular workout. This will be far easier to do once the weather cools off a bit. I may incorporate a cycling-specific quota into next month's goals. We'll see!  I plan to change things up periodically by incorporating some yoga, increasing the cycling and maybe even doing some (ugh, embarrassing) Zumba. There are some fitness videos on Netflix Instant so I plan to see what they have to offer. My plan is to keep my workouts consistent but changing ever-so-slightly. For example, I added burpees to my home workout yesterday with exhausting results.

I haven't lost any weight, which isn't really my goal anyway (hell I'm even cool with gaining weight as long as I'm fit and toned - if I lose a dress size that's a nice bonus) but I swear my clothes are fitting better and I feel slimmer and more energized. My focus is on changing my body composition - essentially, more muscle, less fat and I think I'm accomplishing that. I've been working out for a couple of months now with quite a bit of strength-training related exercise so I know I've built muscle. Which means that if I weigh the same, I must have lost some fat. Rock on!

Cook dinner at home 5 days a week
This is definitely one I'd be slipping on if I wasn't faced with losing points on the website. Previously, I was cooking 2-3 nights a week and eating out a lot. Prior to moving into our house in February, we were eating out every day! I really enjoying cooking and, while it takes more effort on some days when I'm burned out from work, it's something that simply must be done if I want to spend less and eat healthier. I try to use methods to make some of the days feel low-effort, like firing up the crockpot and doing things like making batches of empanadas to freeze and cook at a later date. As a bonus, meals out now feel like more of a treat.

Drink no more than 10 drinks a week
Up until about 2 years ago I drank however much I wanted, whenever I wanted. I didn't have a "problem" with alcohol more than any other person in their early 20's, but I knew it was too much. I felt groggy, dehydrated, bloated, and depressed from spending perfectly good days hungover on the couch. In the past year I've cut down substantially, first limiting total number of drinks per day  (to 1 or 2 on the weekdays with no rules on the weekends) then cutting out weekday drinking altogether. That latter step really helped break the association I had with getting home from work and cracking open a beer. As a result I feel totally comfortable about my relationship with alcohol - great for my health and my self-esteem.

This 10 a week thing is the first time I've set an actual weekly limit but it's more out of watching calories than watching alcohol intake. I know it isn't the lowest number on earth but hey I'm young and social, and a night out with friends can easily rack up 6 drinks so it's a start. On the plus side I'm now tracking my consumption on the weekends, something I never did before. On the slightly negative side, I've begun to have a couple of drinks during the week to use up my "quota". I'll be tweaking this rule next month - if not formally then at least in my head because I really do like weekday drinking to be off limits aside from occasional social events. I'm also trying to drink less beer and choose wine as a healthier choice but goddamnit I love beer. I really really love beer you guys. A lot of what makes cutting down challenging is that I genuinely believe any meal is improved with a nice glass of wine or beer., not because I'm out to booze it up but because it's delicious! Unfortunately my metabolism and my waistline beg to differ. I don't know if I plan to continue to cut down, but it's likely over time.

So there you have it! My rules are not super challenging (I almost feel silly writing this out when I see how much ass my friends are kicking) but I'm really trying to think of this as a method to instill permanent habits that will add up to an overall lifestyle change, and the best way to do that for me is to start small. I've also been working on some dietary changes in a non-structured way, like eating less bread and pasta and incorporating more fresh veggies and fruit. I refuse to "diet" (my doctor specifically told me not to since I'm at a healthy weight and BMI) and I eat pretty healthy already (no sweets or mindless snacking to speak of) but loading up on protein and produce while cutting out refined flour and sugar is a healthy change that anyone should consider. One non-health related thing I've been doing for awhile now is tracking my budget with Mint.com. To be honest I always go over my budget (hm...maybe I should look into that) but just the fact that I'm tracking it is making me spend less than before. That plus the health stuff adds up to a happier, less stressed Jen. I feel more in control of my life than I have in a long time. My mood is better, my relationships are better and my chronic stomach issues have even drastically improved recently. I really hope I can stick with all of this. Feel free to comment with what works for you!

Gregifer Goes West

Greg and I just spent 5 days driving through the West Texas desert on our second official vacation together. I hadn't been on an honest-to-god roadtrip (meaning longer than a daytrip) since I was a kid; it was everything I hope it'd be and more.

We set off on a Tuesday night toward the Hill Country. Our plan was to eat in Kerrville and stay the night, but due to traffic we got there kind of late. After grabbing a glass of wine and relaxing a bit we powered on to Junction. There was nothing open and the place seemed kind of desolate (a drive downtown involved deer darting in front of our car...downtown) so we backtracked a bit to Segovia, where we ate surprisingly good truck stop food and crashed at an (also surprisingly good) Econolodge. That's right, we're fancy y'all.

The next day we had breakfast in Junction at Isaak restaurant. Home to some good biscuits, an older waitress that was concerned about Greg's sore throat, and the coolest sign ever.

                                          I want this sign!

From Segovia we headed to Sonora for one of the few officially planned activities of our trip: The Caverns of Sonora. Billboards on the way advertised it as Texas' most beautiful show cave. I was skeptical as we had recently seen Natural Bridge Caverns, which is better known. My skepticism grew after finding out that the flighty eccentric man that sold us our tickets was to be our tour guide.My concerns were quickly put to rest though as the tour guide was friendly, funny and knew his stuff. And most importantly the cave was simply gorgeous. At times (like now) I regret not bringing my camera in, but the pics probably wouldn't have come out very well. Plus I enjoyed being in the moment. I highly recommend doing a Google image search for Caverns of Sonora though so that you can see what I am talking about. I was impressed by the variety of formations and in awe of the helectites - an unusual formation that the cave is known for. If you ever get a chance to go I highly recommend it.

We continued to head west, stopping along the way in Fort Stockton. Now for the only negativity in this post: Fort Stockton sucks. I mean really. It's a real shithole. I hate to be mean but if you are ever in the area just keep driving. The historic cemeteries were the highlight and even they were kind of...meh. We didn't stay long!

We arrived in Marathon Texas just before sunset. I had been using my Iphone to peruse Yelp and Tripadvisor for restaurant and bar recommendations, and came across a glowing mention of the White Buffalo Bar at the Gage Hotel. Looking back it's funny how I thought I picked the place out - had we gone in blind we quickly would have discovered it was the only place to go anyway. But what a place it was! I've been describing it as an oasis in the desert, which is very apt I think. It had a gorgeous patio, great cocktails and one of the best burgers I've ever had in my life. Bonus: without realizing it, we'd knocked another burger off of Texas Monthly's Top 50 list, which we've been working through the past few months. There's not much to do in Marathon but if you're ever nearby make a point to stop by the bar for dinner and drinks.

                                          Poor white buffalo

                                          Patio at the White Buffalo Bar

                                          Astonishing burger. You guys don't even know.

From Marathon we drove onto Marfa to see the Marfa Lights. I'm not entirely sure if I saw what people were talking about but I think I did? Regardless the stars were just magnificent. I'm not sure that I've ever seen so many. Also memorable: the fact that it was chilly in July! I put on Greg's sweater while we alternated between looking at the stars and trying to catch a glimpse of fleeting phenomenon.

We stayed the night in Alpine as our motel options in Marfa were pretty limited that time of night. I talked the guy behind the counter at the Ramada down 30 bucks and scored us a suite for pretty cheap. Totally unnecessary...except for the fact that it was the only available room. That was probably the best night's sleep we had on the trip.

We spent the next afternoon in Marfa, one of the main destinations of our trip. It was nice and all, but it's a pretty damn sleepy town. We could have made more of it had we planned a bit better, but all in all I have no regrets other than an awful meal at Alice's Cafe. I pity anyone that comes to Texas and thinks that's good Tex Mex. They should be ashamed of themselves! We totally should have hit up the Food Shark food truck despite the long line. Oh well, live and learn. We did some walking around downtown Marfa, doing the tourist thing and snapping photos. This included a visit to The Hotel Paisano where James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor stayed while filming Giant. They have a little exhibit set up. The gift shop was surprisingly awesome and the hotel itself was quite pretty.

                                          I'll call this the Marfamobile

                                          I think he's into me

Ready to move on, we decided to drive south to Terlingua. This wasn't on our original itinerary, but after discussing our trip with a friend who was planning an upcoming West Texas trip as well, we decided to add it to our "maybe" list. I'm so incredibly glad we went, as it was the highlight of our trip and such a memorable experience. Bonus: the drive down was awesome, all winding roads and mountains.

Terlingua is an old mining town - now called the Terlingua Ghost Town since the mines were abandoned. It has been established as a tourist destination, but it's still very remote and it didn't feel gimicky but genuine. The ruins are still standing - it's eerie and very cool. Some of the townspeople have restored and converted the old buildings into houses. There's plenty that can be said about Terlingua, but really you just have to go there. If we had it to do over we would have stayed another day for sure.

                                          Rain rolling into Terlingua

We arrived in the early evening just in time to snap a few photos and watch a thunderstorm roll in over the desert. We sat on the porch of the Starlight Theatre (which is now one of my favorite places on the planet - more on that later!) where we had a unique vantage point to watch the rain move in from miles away. I've heard the porch is a spectacular place to watch the sunset, but we got the storm instead. I'm not complaining though - it really added to the ambiance of our time there.

When it got too blustery, we hunkered down inside the Starlight Theatre for some food and drinks. I could live at that place! The decor is awesome, the bartender is friendly as hell - he called me by name the whole time..."Jen, did you see these new tank tops for sale?" "Jen, have you met Jason over here?") The food was yummy too. We split two apps of venison sausage with cheese and jalapeno and chicken-fried antelope with lone star beer gravy. At this point Greg's head cold was really acting up, but he hung in there while I had a few drinks. It was a mellow place to hang out and we spent a total of a couple of hours there.

Now, our hotel had the most uncomfortable bed I've ever slept on, but it almost added to its charm in a weird way. Greg and I chuckled about how much we tossed and turned but hey it was a good deal. As an example of how laid back Terlingua is: when I asked what time checkout was, the lady behind the counter (and presumed owner) said "eh...I don't care". Awesome.

                                          The front of our hotel

In the morning we went to the cemetery since we didn't make it there the night before due to the rain. You guys, I cannot say enough about this amazing cemetery.

There's a lot of history there, due to both the mining trade and the flu epidemic of 1918. It is at once run down and well kept. By this I mean that you can see tipped over crosses made of rotting wood (we saw a headstone that was a cross mounted in a paint can) but you can also see the tell tale signs of recent visits - people are regularly coming to leave tokens on the graves of their loved ones - bottle caps, coins, candles, flags. Modern cemeteries are usually fairly uniform and sterile, so the Terlingua cemetery with its homemade headstones and its intrinsic personality really left an impression on me. The cemetery is also a hangout on Dia De Los Muertos, when people come there to drink and spend time with the departed. I've always loved the Mexican culture's way of mourning and celebrating the dead. Terlingua isn't exactly Mexico but it's pretty damn close and you can tell. (We actually had to go through a few border patrol checkpoints on this trip which surprised me). Anyway, what I wouldn't give to be in Terlingua on the Day of the Dead.

What I wouldn't give to be in Terlingua right now actually! If you ever get the chance, just go. The town hosts a well-known chili cookoff that is probably a blast to attend, but I'm glad we went during a quieter time.

After a filling breakfast at a tiny mom and pop cafe called India's, we continued on our way via a lovely drive through Big Bend State Park. We chose the park route instead of doubling back on the same highway and I'm so glad we did. The mountains and desert are so gorgeous. Texas, you never cease to amaze me.

                                                    Big Bend!

We stopped in Langtry, home of the infamous Judge Roy Bean and read some historical markers and took a somewhat iffy drive near a big canyon that is this close to the Rio Grand. There was literally no one around (and nothing open) and Greg had to assure me that the dangerous border towns people speak of are the ones on the Mexican side.

A quick stop in Del Rio for some good BBQ, then it was back to the Hill Country. After all of the desert driving, I was glad to be back in familiar territory. We stayed in Kerrville, took some fun pics at Stonehenge 2 in the morning then headed to Boerne to eat at The Peach Cafe (formerly the Peach Tree, a childhood favorite when I lived in Boerne). If you ever get a chance to have brunch there I highly recommend it! They have these cheesy roll things you guys. Mmmm cheesy roll things...

                                          Aforementioned cheesy roll things

Where was I? Oh, so making the most of our remaining day, we drove up to Enchanted rock to take a peek then back to Fredericksburg to spend the afternoon. Unfortunately I have to say that Fredericksburg was kind of a bust (other than the magnificent pie at Fredericksburg pie company). It's just too damn touristy now. The stores weren't my thing at all. Tacky tacky clothes and way too many people. I did have a good glass of Texas wine though and the salsa shop was cool (funny moment: Greg popping a big dollop of salsa in his mouth right as I read the label and saw "ghost pepper"...he was ok though. He's tough.)

We hit up the Espada aqueduct in San Antonio (since we missed it on our last trip there) before driving on home. The original plan was to stay another night, but we were beat and ready to sleep in our own bed. I love traveling just enough to miss home and not a moment longer - it was perfect. Greg is the perfect road buddy and I like to think I'm a pretty good copilot. I truly am the Chewbacca to his Han Solo. Seriously though, what a great (and fairly cheap!) trip. I'm finally adjusted to being back to my routine. I joked for days that I left my heart in the desert :) I'm so glad we went and that we have those kickass memories to share now.

Like Christmas Morning!

In the interest of keeping this journal from being too boring, I try to post when I actually have something to say that others might want to read instead of just using it as a brain dump. As a result, I haven't posted in awhile. But then again not posting is boring too. Oops! Some recent highlights: Summerfest was hot as fuck, my Austin trip with Alexa and Kathryn to see Foster the People was super fun, Greg's job hunting again and I'm looking forward to some kickass weekend plans to hold me over until some official time off at the end of July. So yeah, nothing earth-shattering has been going on, but I'm happy and things are good.

One thing (or several things actually) I can share that might be of interest to you: before Alexa and I drove to Austin, Greg asked if we were going to go to Austin Books and Comics. I scoffed and said "yeah right" but lo and behold we ended up there (and for quite awhile too!) along with Toy Joy and Waterloo records....basically the places we'd have gone if Greg had been with us. So naturally I was thinking of him and had to buy him a bunch of presents! Check them out.

Look at that thing! It's hideous and its arms spin around and I'm pretty sure it's possessed. I almost didn't buy it because I didn't want to look at it.

Also disgusting. We soaked it in a bowl of water and it's all big and soppy and strangely ridged and textured. I hate it.

This is Herbie the Fat Fury, a comic book character Greg likes. I thought it'd look good in the office with all of his other toys :) He doesn't really collect action figures anymore but I figured this was a good exception because it's so odd.

This record sucks. I got it for 50 cents. Look at that cover! They are holding carnations.

This record actually has some good songs but I bought it mainly for the cover. It's cute at first glance...but also kinda racist.

LOOK AT THIS FUCKING RECORD COVER. It's a Christian record where they tell stories and crap and it's terrifying.  I figured we could listen to it for kicks but I underestimated the creepiness of a super fundamentalist Christian lady ventriloquist talking with her "son" about the dangers of alcohol. Greg said "Whatever is going on here is really scary to me". He wasn't kidding - it was unnerving.

Check out the back! Don't you ever take your dummy golfing and make him pose for "family" portraits?

Anyway, my boyfriend is a weirdo OBVIOUSLY. And I guess I am too for buying him these awful, awful things.

Shrimp and Grits. Or: This isn't a food blog, I just eat a lot

Last night I made a ripoff version of the shrimp and grits at Zelko Bistro, one of my favorite dishes in Houston. I made some polenta, added a hefty dose of smoked cheddar (they use white cheddar), fried up some crispy bacon and topped it with some seared shrimp and chopped scallions. For the sauce I mixed some ponzu, honey and butter and warmed it in a pan then drizzled it around the edge of the plate. (They use a mix of soy and agave). I was very pleased with how it turned out. It was a damn good interpretation of it, and I actually chuckled at my own cleverness while I was eating. I'm so full of myself. And shrimp!

Thai Lettuce Wraps: Take 2

I posted awhile back about making this recipe for sriracha beef lettuce wraps. They came out good but I made a modified version last night that I prefer, swapping ground turkey for the beef and romaine for the iceberg (because iceberg is laaaame). Boom! An even lighter, healthier version that still tasted great. I have to admit that I'm still not completely sold on lettuce wraps as a concept - I think they are a bit messy and strange - but if you're looking for a healthy vessel in which to put a filling of your choice you can't get much lighter than lettuce. I can see myself making these again for sure.

PSA

For anyone looking to grow their hair and nails faster and healthier, I highly recommend biotin supplements. I'm using the Spring Valley 1,000 mgc (2 a day; just upped it to 4 a day) and I'm getting good results. I did some research when a friend had some issues with hair loss due to some medication, and the makeupalley reviews convinced me. The first photo was taken on March 31st, the day of a new haircut, and the second photo was taken today - just over a month and a half later. See?!

I dig chicks

Growing up, most of my friends were guys. I had a few female friends, most notably when I lived in Bastrop in my early teens, but when I reached 15 or so I started to find it very difficult to relate to the girls around me. This continued until a few years ago. I have a few theories as to why that is, but what it comes down to is that I was kind of intentionally closing myself off.  For a long time I just thought I couldn't get a long with women. So many were catty, or talked exclusively about things I found boring. While I wore makeup and painted my nails, I didn't have money for clothes or shoes, so bonding over that stuff was out. I've come to realize though that it was a matter of me not giving them a chance. Estranged from my mother and lacking a consistent female role model (though my aunt filled the role wonderfully when she was able to) I was wary and awkward. I just didn't relate.

Thankfully this has changed over the past few years, partially due to my internal attitudes shifting, but also because I'm honored to know some of the raddest women on the planet. I'm not going to say that I never have days where I feel like a bit of an outsider, but I am honored to be part of such a great group. The women I know are as varied and unique as you can imagine, but at the core there are similar struggles and experiences. As a result, the last few years have done more to turn me into a feminist than my whole lifetime leading up to them. I think one of the healthiest things you can do for your emotional state is surround yourself with a group of strong women. Whenever I start to internalize the message that I'm not attractive enough, or smart enough, or good enough in any other way I just look at my girlfriends - the tall and short ones, the skinny and curvy ones, the quiet and loud ones, the A cups to F cups - and think about how they're all beautiful and how I would never judge them harshly - which means they aren't judging me either and fuck anyone else that does. It's a good reality check sometimes. Mostly though, they're just a shit ton of fun. I know I'm being a bit sappy, but I just got back from a wonderful beach house weekend for my friend Liz's bachelorette party and I'm feeling really grateful.

The ultimate housewarming present

Most of you know my dad is an artist. He makes custom furniture, altars, paintings and various other pieces. He's a jack of all trades, but there's always been creativity with anything he does and after years of being a master carpenter, a tattoo artist and who knows what else I think he's really found his niche.  I'm lucky to have several of his pieces around the house, and the latest addition is a beautiful hutch cabinet that he converted from an old wardrobe. It was a big rectangular piece, but he completely changed the shape and added cabinets, complete with old glass doors.

Isn't it lovely? He refers to it as a future family heirloom (a phrase lacking his characteristic modesty) and I wholeheartedly agree. I have some other wonderful pieces of his that I'd love to include here, but I need to take better photos to do them justice. In the meantime, check out his work at ashlandgalleryhouston.com. He does a lot of custom work - special discount for friends of mine (hint hint!)

Greg and I took a impromptu road trip to San Antonio on Saturday and I'm kicking myself for not putting my phone on the charger the night before. I would have love to have gotten pics of the trail we walked at Mission San Juan near the river. We saw a beautiful crane (we have those in Houston near the bayous but it always feels special to see one), some fuzzy caterpillars and other creatures. Of course the mission itself was beautiful too, but the walk was a real highlight for me. I grew up in the country and I miss being in nature.

We also went to Mission Espada, which has a chapel that is still in use. But we mostly drove around. There was some festival going on downtown but we weren't quite up for braving a crowd of thousands, especially given my slowly healing foot injury. We didn't set out to do anything in particular anyway, so we headed back after a few hours of exploring and knocking one of Texas Monthly's top 50 cheeseburgers off of our to-do list. We had wanted to go to The Cove, a funky laundrymat/carwash/grill but the line was out the door. We settled for a place called MoMak's and while the burgers were delicious the atmosphere was very suburban. Not really our thing but Greg did leave with a delicious malt for the road. I do want to make it to The Cove sometime though.

Oh! We also stumbled upon a cool old cemetery in Columbus on the way that I'm sure Greg will want to revisit. He hadn't been there before and I had started to think he'd seen it all.

I guess there's not much more to recount but that's because the roadtrip itself is a lot of the fun. It's always good to get away!

Paint your face!

I'm just popping in real quick to recommend an excellent blog! Full disclosure: I'm totally biased because it's written by my friend Geri. She's doing a different makeup look every day for the month of April, ranging from practical (wedding looks, makeup that won't melt off of your face on a hot day, etc) to fun and wacky (Cleopatra, Ziggy Stardust). Bonus: she's really pretty and also her name is Geraldine. (I highly recommend having a friend named Geraldine because it's really fun to say.)

Thai style something or other

I wanted to try my hand at crispy tofu and I think I succeeded! I took 2 blocks of extra firm tofu, cut it into pieces and pressed it with paper towels to get the moisture out (I'm learning there's a method to do the whole block at once so I'll be looking into that). Then I coated it in a mixture of corn starch, salt, pepper and garlic powder. They needed about 6 minutes on each side over medium-high heat in a pan generously coated in oil. I also cooked up some onion in another pan and added a bag of frozen stir fry veggies to that, mixing in some green curry paste, sriracha and fish sauce. The I served the whole thing over rice and topped with peanut sauce and cilantro. I wish I could have added a bit of coconut milk, but I threw this together out of stuff I had on hand.

Full disclosure: this came out a bit salty which is a food crime I CANNOT abide, so I will have to be more careful next time. I think the fish sauce is betraying me. I've only cooked with it twice and I think I'm vastly underestimating its salt content. Rookie mistake. Live and learn! The tofu itself was great though. I make a chicken coconut curry with eggplant, potato and carrots and I can't wait to do a version with the tofu.

Adventures in hostessing

I love parties but I'm not one to throw them. The thought of a lot of people in my house has historically freaked me out, but I knew that living with Greg meant I'd have to add some hostessing skills to my repertoire. And what better way to break in the new house than to have 60-70 people over and commit to making a bunch of food! Oh boy. Unfortunately it was impossible for me to feed everyone, but I did what I could. Those that got there early were able to partake and I got some good feedback. I have to admit that I like showing off my skills a bit, so even though I was a bit overwhelmed at first it was a lot of fun. The food came out awesome, the turnout was good and I hardly freaked out at all...once I had a couple of drinks :) The best part though was sharing the evening and my home with some of my favorite people. I seriously have the most wonderful friends! People said that the house really reflected both of us, which was so important to me. One highlight: overhearing someone say "this house is really weird". I couldn't ask for a better compliment :)

So! As far as the food. I did empanadas because they're a good finger food and you can prepare and freeze them the night before. If you choose to do so, just individually wrap them in plastic wrap and bag them. Alternatively, you can place them in Tupperware separated by parchment paper to keep them from sticking together. I did a version with diced mushrooms, red onion and goat cheese but the beef ones were a real hit so I'm including the recipe here. You can put literally anything in an empanada, so have at it. I'm not a very experienced baker, so my dough is a little stickier than it should be. It comes out tasting fantastic, but I'm totally open to any modifications you guys can suggest. I also did some antipasto kabobs and cheesecake stuffed strawberries, both of which I found on Pinterest. Kind of an eclectic menu. Ideally I would have done some sort of theme, but sometimes it's fun just to make all of the random things you want to make.

Beef, Poblano and Potato Empanadas (makes 10-13)

Ingredients for dough:

-3 cups flour
-1 tbsp salt
-1 tsp sugar
-3 shortening (chilled is better)
-1 tbsp butter
-1/3 cup cold water
-2 eggs
-1 tbsp vinegar

Filling:

-Half pound of ground beef
-1 small potato
-1/2 white onion
-1 poblano pepper
-1 clove garlic
-Cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper for seasoning
-Cheese of your preference. I used a pre-grated mexican cheese blend for convenience sake but if I wanted to be a bit more splurgy I'd get a nice wedge of manchego.

Instructions:
1 - Mix together the flour, salt and sugar
2 - In a separate bowl beat the eggs then add the vinegar and water then set aside
3 - Divide the shortening and butter into small chunks
4 - Cut the shortening and butter into the flour mix (Look online for how to do this. I don't have a pastry cutter so I used two knives)
5 - Add the wet ingredients in and mix.
6 - Once it becomes stiff, kind smush it with your hands then knead on a floured surface
7 -  Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour

While dough is chilling, prepare your filling. Hey that rhymed.

8 - Dice potato, poblano (removing seeds) and onion
9 - Saute in olive oil over medium heat until almost tender, adding the garlic after about 10 minutes
10 - Add beef and cook until brown
11 - While beef is cooking, add salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. I'm sorry that i don't have precise measurements. It's all a matter of personal taste though I will say I'm quite generous with the cumin and chili powder. You can taste it when it's all cooked and dump some more in there if you need to

Let mixture cool then prepare the dough. Now's also a good time to preheat the oven to 375.

12 - Roll out dough on floured surface (add flour between the dough and rolling pin too to keep it from sticking)
13 - Cut into 6 inch circles
14 - Rolling out the scraps should give you an extra 2 or 3 empanadas so do that
15 - Place a spoonful of the beer mixture in each circle then top with a pinch of cheese
16 - Fold dough in half over mixture then crimp with the tines of a fork (super easy but google it if you're not sure)
17 - Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 until golden brown. Should be about 20 minutes, but longer if you froze them the night before. Just keep an eye out and check every 3-5 minutes when you're on the home stretch. I've heard people say to paint egg on them prior to baking to make them shiny and pretty, so if you try that let me know how it goes!

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries:
 Recipe via Thesweetslife.com

 Antipasto Kabobs:
Recipe via thehungryhousewife.com (I accidentally bought green olives with pits so I couldn't use those, but I did add artichoke hearts)

And of course no party is complete without...

Cheers!