This morning I almost left the house wearing two different shoes.
No joke.
After playing hookie yesterday, my sluggish mind was apparently confused about why I was going back to work after only one day off, and it decided to play a little prank.
Luckily I heard the weather report just before heading out the door – cream-laden coffee in one hand, peanut butter and jelly toast in the other. Today it’s going to be “oppressively hot and humid.” Oppressively. My black pants had to go.
I scrambled back into my closet to grab a skirt (when it’s this hot and humid, I do what I can to aerate), and it wasn’t until I went to slip my sandals back on that I noticed they were different.
Wow.
I immediately realized 2 things:
1. I need to start weaning myself off of my caffeine addiction. When I can’t even manage to put on matching shoes before I’ve had my daily dose, we have a problem.
2. Maybe I’m just not cut out for this 9-5 business.
Anyone want to take on an apprentice in a specialty trade? I’m good at sales, decent at writing, I’m creative, I know how to fix watches, and I can type like a million words a minute.
Just don’t ask me to wear matching shoes.
*It has been brought to my attention that it’s been awhile since I’ve updated you on Alaina’s kitchen. I will try to have something for you by tonight – if you’re interested in finding a unique flooring product, don’t miss this one! In the meantime, you can read about demolishing her kitchen here, behind-the-scenes action here, the countertop selection here, and a progress check here.
…to try and please me. I love you just the way you are.
oooOOOoooo ooh yeah.
Sing it. You know you want to.
I’m guessing you might be noticing a couple changes around here. The site title, for one. As sad as it makes me, this site will no longer be called Domesticating Kate. You will be automatically redirected to domestiphobia.net from now on.
Why?
Most people who know me – okay, all people who know me – who read the site have pointed out that my name is not Kate. My name is, and always will be, plain Katie. Also, this will no longer be just my site. I’ve taken on a partner in crime because frankly, this is a lot of work. I love it, but other parts of my life were getting neglected. Finally, I feel like this name much more closely depicts a “truer” version of who I really am.
We’re still in the process of adjusting the “about” section and other categories of the site, so you’ll understand more of what I mean as we progress. Oh, and the “big news” is still to come. Just workin’ out the deets’.
Let it be known that sharing the site is not the same as quitting a project. I’m simply readjusting to meet my needs.
Capiche?
Hopefully Erin will get a chance to introduce herself later today, and then we’ll get back to the fun stuff. I have been going through a lot of photos lately, so don’t hang up.
Here are some random Hawaii surfboards to tide you over:
Taking some food that might – in its purest form – have some type of health value, and then adding enough other crap to basically negate that as much as possible.
Rice and veggies, meet oil and sausage. And a bit of mayo. But it’s SO worth it. Trust me – you’ll see.
This is kind of my “fall-back” dinner – the thing I make when I have no idea what else to make. So we basically have it like once every other week. I enjoy cooking, but I’m not exactly creative. The ingredients are easy, the process is easy (plenty of chopping, which I find therapeutic – is that weird?), and this makes enough to keep us rich in work lunches for at least 4 days.
And because it’s loaded with vegetables and grains, I can do my girl-thing and justify my wittle brain into thinking it’s healthy. And then I add mayo.
So here is where I found the original recipe. I didn’t change anything this time, but you could get creative – add teriyaki if you don’t like soy sauce, change up the veggies, etc.
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 pound ground sausage (I use Jimmy Dean’s Hot sausage. He’s yummy.)
5 eggs, beaten (Get the free range “happy chicken eggs”. That’s what I call ’em. You’ll feel better about yourself as a person.)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I suppose you could sub a “healthier” oil. But I’ve always made it with the veggie oil, and I’m afraid to change because I know I like it this way. Plus, it’s VEGGIE oil – can’t be that bad, right? RIGHT?!)
1/2 head cabbage, cored and shredded (Screw the shredding – I just chop it up with a big fat knife)
3 carrots, chopped
6 cups cooked white rice, cold*
1/4 cup soy sauce, or to taste
1 (14.5 ounce) can bean sprouts, drained (I actually use fresh sprouts – about half the weight in ounces does the trick)
1 (6 ounce) package frozen green peas, thawed (These really don’t even need to be thawed)
ground black pepper to taste
3 green onions, chopped
*The reason the recipe says the rice should be cold is because day-old rice tends to be less sticky than freshly-cooked rice. The problem? I NEVER think that far ahead. I don’t know I’m making this until I’m making it. The solution? Stick your cooked rice in the freezer for about an hour or so (while you prep your other ingredients, run to the store for the ingredients you forgot, paint your toenails, etc.) and I don’t usually have a problem. You might want to stir halfway through to make sure it doesn’t freeze together in clumps.
1. Cook your rice according to the package directions. I use a rice cooker to justify its existence. I simply add 2 cups of uncooked rice, 4 cups of water, hit the “cook” switch, and end up with 6 whopping cups of cooked rice. This is a LOT of rice, friends. Consider yourselves warned.
2. Get your sausage cooking over medium-high heat. You don’t need any oil yet – this is greasy enough.
3. While your sausage is cooking, chop up your carrots, cabbage and green onions.
4. Meanwhile, your sausage should start to look like this:
Once it’s cooked, set it aside on a plate covered with a paper towel to soak up some of the grease. Don’t forget to feed a couple pieces to your pups. They deserve it.
AND FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, DO NOT drain the grease from the pan!!!
5. Yep, that’s right. You’re using that grease. Crack open 5 eggs into a bowl and beat the heck out of ’em with a fork.
Am I the only one impressed with myself for taking a photo while cracking an egg? Okay, so the timing could’ve been slightly better, but I assure you that this is egg-cracking action here – I’m not just holding it next to the bowl.
Then scramble them up (over low heat) in that sausage grease-laden pan. YUM.
Take the cooked eggs out of the pan and set them aside as well.
6. Here’s where things really get moving. Heat 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a VERY LARGE pan (if you’re making the full recipe) over HIGH heat. When you stir fry, it’s all about the heat, baby. This should go QUICK. Add your carrots and cabbage, and cook until the cabbage is wilted. This should only take a couple of minutes…
7. Add the cold rice and stir it up until the clumps are gone. Can’t get rid of the clumps? No worries. I think it tastes better that way.
8. Add the cooked sausage and 1/4 c. soy sauce.
9. Then stir in your bean sprouts, peas and eggs.
10. Add a bunch of ground pepper and your chopped green onions just before you remove it from the heat.
*I couldn’t actually grind the pepper and take a photo at the same time, so pretend there’s something happening here.
11. Sit back and admire your handiwork.
And, if you’re feeling extra frisky, you can add some Japanese white sauce (also known as duck sauce, seafood sauce, etc.) to your bowl. We tend to use a combination of this recipe and this recipe. Pick your poison. Oh, and this is where the mayo comes in – so you see, it’s completely optional.
It’s probably not for everyone, and doesn’t exactly look gourmet, but I love this. Nay, crave this. Yes, I said nay. And I might say “good morrow” later this evening. It’s a Renaissance kind of day.
The plans for the new site (and a BIG announcement – NO I am NOT pregnant) are well underway, but in the meantime I wanted to share with you the dumbest picture I ever took. (Thanks for your patience, by the way. This website stuff isn’t exactly easy or quick, and I appreciate the patience of those of you who actually read my ramblings – it really means the world to me.)
I snapped it on my way home from a visit to Frederick, MD this weekend (more on that later). I drove over this bridge – probably about 100ft. above the water – and couldn’t resist the beautiful sunset with the kayaker below. So I crossed the bridge and pulled my car off to the side. There was no shoulder, so I basically had to walk on this elevated piece of cement that held the bridge railing. The railing was probably only a couple feet high. I was wearing flip flops and had been in the car (hung-over) for 6 1/2 hours.
Not my brightest moment.
Meanwhile, cars are flying by, the occasional SUV brazen enough to honk. Enough already, I know I’m an idiot.
The worst part is that the picture is not even good. Not terrible, mind you, but not good. The sunset had all but disappeared, and I was so nervous as I crouched at the railing, my bare toes hanging over the edge of the precipice as the cars zoomed past a couple feet behind my back, that holding the camera steady was not really an option. And I didn’t even get to the center of the bridge.
So the lesson? Don’t risk your life for a mediocre photo. If you’re going to risk it, then walk to the middle of the bridge, take a deep breath, and get the shot you want.
Hey, all… I apologize for being a bit lax in my posts as of late.
Here’s why:
I will probably be partnering up with a good friend to make some changes to the direction of the site. It will likely be a bit sassier… a bit edgier… but hopefully still entertaining and useful.
Because let’s face it – if you want wholesome, family goodness (and maybe some good stock tips), you’ll head on over to Martha’s site anyway.
If this sounds like it still might be up your alley, feel free to subscribe (see the bar at the right?) and you’ll know when the action is happening.
At work I’m writing an instructional packet for new contract employees so they can get their bearings when the arrive. The hardest part about working for the government is… actually getting started working for the government. So this guide is intended to provide step-by-step instructions to take new employees through the rigmarole of acquiring all the things they need (ID card, background check, email access, etc.) in order to actually become valid, useful contractors who are actually allowed to use a computer.
This little project of mine has been set aside for the past month or so, and when I looked at it again yesterday, I realized my approach was slightly… unconventional.
Case in-point:
So I think I might be calling new employees kleptomaniacs with an uncontrollable affinity for chocolate and peanut butter. Oh, and apparently they’re also coffee addicts whom I’m encouraging to slack off on company time.
Here’s another:
Okay another coffee reference. And now they’re clumsy, to boot. I can explain this…
And again:
Uhhh…. Am I not-so-subtly suggesting – in a work document with my name on it, no less – that the acronym CAC sounds uncomfortably close to another “c” word?? (Hint: rhymes with clock but then say it with a Boston accent.)
I can just hear the questioning now…
“So, were you actually intending to call our new employees junk food kleptos when you wrote this?”
and
“Accidents happen, but do you really think it’s wise to imply that all new employees are clumsy, over-caffeinated oafs who are bound to destroy any original documents we give them?”
and
“Do we really have to tell you that it’s inappropriate to allude – even subtly – to anatomical objects in a professional document?”
But I can explain all of this. Really, I can. See, in college the writing professors always tell you to “write what you know,” right? Well:
I have already divulged in my side-bar that I’m a sucker for all things chocolate, peanut butter, or a combination of the two. Well put it an egg shape, and I’m helpless to resist. Everything tastes better when it’s in the shape of an egg.
Coffee? I try not to like it. I really do. But I just can’t seem to stop the Starbuck’s spending spree. And do I spill? Only once or twice a month.
And is it immature to think that CAC sounds like another word when you say it out loud? Think about it: “Insert your CAC into the keyboard.” “Make sure you don’t leave your CAC sitting out on your desk.” How could your mind not be in the gutter?
All-in-all, I’m pretty proud of the document. I will justify my unorthodox writing by stating that we actually want new employees to read and understand what’s written there. If it’s not at least slightly entertaining, they’ll never get through it. Since this isn’t an “official” company document (a disclaimer that is prominently displayed at the beginning of the guide), this should be okay.
It’s not like it looks fancy or anything – in fact when I make it, it looks quite sloppy – but put it in a fancy restaurant-style dish and slap some fresh parsley on top, and you have a meal fit for company.
For those of you who might not know, tilapia is a white-looking fish. It can be semi-fishy tasting (but not too bad), but this recipe covers that “fishyness” right up. I highly encourage you to try it if you’ve never had it.
I made it a couple of nights ago because I happened to have some frozen tilapia fillets and all of the other ingredients on-hand. I also had some leftover asparagus from this recipe, so I decided to make one of my favorite side-dishes to go with the fish.
First, I thawed my tilapia fillets in the sink under running water.
Actually, first I poured a glass of wine. I always cook with wine – sometimes I even use it in the recipe. (Ha! No, I can’t take credit for that… heard it somewhere.)
While that was happening, I got the asparagus baking.
1. Preheat your oven to 400-degrees F.
2. Rinse your asparagus and clip off the fat, woody ends.
3. Spray a cooking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and spread your asparagus evenly onto the sheet. Spray cooking spray over the top.
4. Generously season with salt and pepper. Just go for it!
I keep my kosher salt in a small, covered container next to the stove for easy access.
Okay, I might have gone a tad overboard with the seasoning…
5. When the oven is preheated, just pop ’em on in on a middle rack. Let ’em bake for about 10 minutes. They should be somewhat floppy, but to me they’re good if they retain a bit of a snap. You just don’t want them too tough.
While your asparagus is baking, you can start working on your Parmesan sauce for the tilapia.
By the way, I make these recipes so often that they’ve ended up in my “special” cookbook. It was a gift from my sister.
Okay back to the Parmesan sauce. I didn’t halve the recipe for the sauce, even though I probably only used 1 lb. of fish (the recipe calls for 2 lbs.). What I’m trying to say is, doubling the sauce is perfect.
You will need:
1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese
1/4 c. Butter, softened (softened – not melted! ~10 seconds in the microwave worked for me)
3 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp. Dried Basil (I used fresh from the garden)
1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1/8 tsp. Onion Powder
1/8 tsp. Celery Salt
The pepper was feeling anti-social.
All you need to do is measure this stuff out and mix it in with your softened butter.
Then realize your bowl is too small and switch to something larger.
And that’s all there is to it!
Take your asparagus out of the oven if it’s finished and set it aside.
See my art? Yeah… still in the kitchen. Home might be where the heart is, but the kitchen is where the art is.
Sorry. The cheese-factor is unforgivable.
Immediately set your oven to broil. You’ll want one of your oven racks to be up near the top of the oven (if your broiler is at the top).
Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and set your fillets on top.
Stick ’em under the broiler for ~2 minutes. Leave the oven door open a couple inches!!
Meanwhile, get your balsamic butter sauce for the asparagus going. Things are really rolling now…
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter on the stove over low heat.
While the butter is melting on the stove, check your fish. When the 2 minutes are up, flip over your fillets and stick ’em back under the broiler for another 2 minutes.
Once your butter is melted, remove from heat and add 1 Tbsp. of Soy Sauce and 1 tsp. of Balsamic Vinegar.
Pour the sauce over the asparagus, and that’s DONE!
Take out your fish (so far they’ve only cooked 2 minutes on each side) and spoon the Parmesan sauce over the top. Remember that halved the amount of fish but not the sauce – that’s why mine looks extra gloopy. It’s still very good with less sauce and will form more of a not-quite-crust.
Put them in for 2-3 more minutes. Watch closely, because things can darken under the broiler fairly quickly.
Take them out when the look about like this:
Mmmm… melty, cheesy goodness.
This would look even better if I’d remembered to add the chopped, flat-leaf parsley from my garden.
But the fish is nice and flaky – kinda like me – and the balsamic butter sauce on the asparagus is oh, so good.
You can choose whether I should take a carpentry class…
…or learn how to mountain climb…
Photo by: Leah B Photography (click photo for link)
…among other things.
Since I included an option where people could type in a unique adventure, I thought I’d share with you the options some people thought I should do:
“Write a book.”
Okay, just give me a plot and I’ll work on that.
“All of the above!”
That is a distinct possibility.
“Find Matt a girlfriend from afar.”
Anyone interested? Matt is one of the hubs’ best friends and really great guy.
“Go mountain climbing in Colorado.”
Tell you what. If I take a mountain climbing course, I just may do this. I have people there.
“Learn to speak German, so when you move to Germany, you can be my fluent guide!”
I would love to move to Germany, and I already know a little bit of the language! Ich mochte kartoffelsalat, bitte.
“Stripper pole class! Do it for Justin!!!”
Thanks for the suggestion, but I’m already living here for Justin. Isn’t that enough? Although, our anniversary is coming up…
So there you have it. There are some good suggestions in there, but I get the feeling that some of you might have some selfish motives. Let’s not forget that this is all about ME. :)
I’ll admit I’m a little disappointed only one person (so far) thinks I should move to Hawaii.
See how happy it makes me??
Photo by: Leah B Photography (click photo for link)
