This is SUCH an easy recipe that a coworker told me about, and I whipped it up tonight for dinner. Adam LOVED it! I had never had hominy before, but it's a very satisfying vegetable (technically a starch, though) and it adds substance to the dish.
Serves 4 with this recipe:
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 can of white hominy
1 jar of Salsa Verde-- green taco sauce--- (or make it fresh with tomatillos!)
Chopped cilantro
Saute chicken breasts in a pan with a little olive oil. Once it starts browning up, add the hominy (do not drain) and the jar of salsa verde.
Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring once in awhile. It will reduce down and soak into the chicken. Top with cilantro. Serve with rice or tortillas!
Enjoy!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Last Kiss
This morning, my best friend said to me, "Soon we will only be kissing one man for the rest of our lives!" and I replied, "I'm okay with that." It was the first time I had really thought about it, but yeah, I am okay with that. It wasn't always like this... in fact, when I met Adam, I didn't think it would amount to anything. You can read about our chance meeting here.
When I met him, I was a senior in college with one semester to go, and ready to leave this town. He was perfectly content as a partier who didn't go to school or work. It's funny how your priorities change when you fall in love. I expected us to date, have a sweet little fling, and for it to end amicably when I moved away. He knew this and we were okay with it. Of course, as you've learned from any romantic comedy/chick flick, it never works out like that. In April 2010 I was a finalist for a job in Wichita Kansas, 3 hours away. Since Adam doesn't drive, we knew this would be the end of us. Then: panic set in. Neither of us wanted me to get that job. And, I didn't. That's the turning point.
Soon after, Adam and I moved in together and he started college. He has flourished in school; bringing home GPAs as high as 3.57. I never got that in college! Most importantly, we've grown as a couple... into a team. We recently went through a tragedy with our furbabies Roxy and Trixie. They escaped and Trixie was killed and Roxy was hit by a car, and will have her leg amputated on Friday, which will be her third surgery for her leg. Adam was my rock during those depressing weeks where I wouldn't get out of bed and chose crying over anything else.
Last night, my Zumba class had a Sweetheart Zumba and we got to bring our significant others. Only three guys showed up- Adam, the instructor's husband, and another couple. Adam was timid at first but made it through the whole class and was actually pretty good! I was SO proud of him for going outside his comfort zone and doing something for me.
Since my parent's divorce I've never been calm about marriage. Frankly it raises my blood pressure and makes me antsy. I had frequent nightmares about weddings. I'm in a veil and a dress and I can't bring myself to walk down the aisle.
We aren't engaged or even planning on marrying each other in the near future, but when I think about spending the rest of my life with Adam, I feel calm. I feel happy. I smile. And that hasn't ever happened to me.
When I met him, I was a senior in college with one semester to go, and ready to leave this town. He was perfectly content as a partier who didn't go to school or work. It's funny how your priorities change when you fall in love. I expected us to date, have a sweet little fling, and for it to end amicably when I moved away. He knew this and we were okay with it. Of course, as you've learned from any romantic comedy/chick flick, it never works out like that. In April 2010 I was a finalist for a job in Wichita Kansas, 3 hours away. Since Adam doesn't drive, we knew this would be the end of us. Then: panic set in. Neither of us wanted me to get that job. And, I didn't. That's the turning point.
Soon after, Adam and I moved in together and he started college. He has flourished in school; bringing home GPAs as high as 3.57. I never got that in college! Most importantly, we've grown as a couple... into a team. We recently went through a tragedy with our furbabies Roxy and Trixie. They escaped and Trixie was killed and Roxy was hit by a car, and will have her leg amputated on Friday, which will be her third surgery for her leg. Adam was my rock during those depressing weeks where I wouldn't get out of bed and chose crying over anything else.
Last night, my Zumba class had a Sweetheart Zumba and we got to bring our significant others. Only three guys showed up- Adam, the instructor's husband, and another couple. Adam was timid at first but made it through the whole class and was actually pretty good! I was SO proud of him for going outside his comfort zone and doing something for me.
Since my parent's divorce I've never been calm about marriage. Frankly it raises my blood pressure and makes me antsy. I had frequent nightmares about weddings. I'm in a veil and a dress and I can't bring myself to walk down the aisle.
We aren't engaged or even planning on marrying each other in the near future, but when I think about spending the rest of my life with Adam, I feel calm. I feel happy. I smile. And that hasn't ever happened to me.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Therapy (long but worth it)
Hello all,
It's been a long time since I've written, but I've been going through a helluva time in my life right now, so don't you judge me.
Recently I went through a friendship breakup of one of my oldest friends. I was having a really hard time about it, and among other things, I decided that I needed to talk to someone. There's a social stigma about therapy that you only need if if you're crazy, but that's not true. Think of it this way: No matter how good of parents you had, no matter how well adjusted you are, you've got issues. Whether it's dating issues, work issues, love issues, self esteem issues.. EVERYONE has issues.
I made an appointment with a local psychologist- who I found out later was really a clinical social worker- and I got there 45 minutes early to fill out paperwork. There were so many things to fill out, mostly trying to evaluate if I was about to kill myself or not. There would be questions like, "I often find it hard to concentrate" and then the next would be, "I often feel that I want to end it all". ...uh? What? Bad segueway!
My pyscholog- uhhh, I mean, clinical social worker- let's call him Pete- is a very round man that looks like a mix between my tax guy and my father in law- (Analyze that, Pete!) invites me into his office- now, call me stereotypical, but I assume there'd be a couch or something. My last shrink had all the lights dimmed, she had a chair and there was a couch that I could sit on... Kleenexes close by. His office was bleak- short desk with a laptop on it, and two mismatched chairs across from it- those cloth covered fancy chairs with the gold studding around the arm rests.
I sit down and he starts going through the paperwork. He starts asking questions. I answer. All of the sudden... his phone rings... I assume he'd apologize profusely and turn it off. Instead, he does what old people do, he took it out of his pocket, stared at it while it blared an annoying generic ringtone, and ANSWERED IT. It wasn't an important call; it sounded like a wife or a daughter. "Oh, I'm working... yeah, okay, I'll be home later. Love you too." I'm appalled right there.
As he's asking me about my parents and my relationship, he cocks his head to the side and says, "Do you have naturally curly hair?" When I answer yes, he replies, "It's beautiful" BARF.
He gets on his computer at one point, and I'm pretty sure that he's either a.) On Facebook or b.) on some sort of gaming site: You know those really annoying pop ups that say, "CONGRATULATIONS you've been selected to..." that popped up. Now, I know internet sites. And the only reason that would happen at that particular moment is if you had just then- opened a site like that. So what the hell was he doing on his computer while I was paying $95 an hour?!!
At this point he tells me that he thinks I'm a very passionate person and he asks me if I should be in politics. I told him that I don't want to be a politician but I believe very strongly in certain things. He says, "What are your political leanings?" I said, "I'm very liberal." He stops writing and gives me the "You're a puppy and you just peed on my new carpet" look. Further, I say, "I am very liberal, I believe in Obama very strongly." At this point he ROLLS HIS EYES. Then he tells me that I will become more conservative as I get older. I also told him that my dream job is to work for Planned Parenthood as a Sex Educator, and he says he doesn't believe in Planned Parenthood. I tell him that I believe in comprehensive sex education, and that of PP's services- only 3% are abortion services. He says we shouldn't be able to make a choice about abortion. WTF?
Then, his phone rings again. He answers it- again! It's his secretary, I think. Nothing really important.
He wants me to come back next week. Of course, I won't be going. I think I need to find a therapist more like me....
It's been a long time since I've written, but I've been going through a helluva time in my life right now, so don't you judge me.
Recently I went through a friendship breakup of one of my oldest friends. I was having a really hard time about it, and among other things, I decided that I needed to talk to someone. There's a social stigma about therapy that you only need if if you're crazy, but that's not true. Think of it this way: No matter how good of parents you had, no matter how well adjusted you are, you've got issues. Whether it's dating issues, work issues, love issues, self esteem issues.. EVERYONE has issues.
I made an appointment with a local psychologist- who I found out later was really a clinical social worker- and I got there 45 minutes early to fill out paperwork. There were so many things to fill out, mostly trying to evaluate if I was about to kill myself or not. There would be questions like, "I often find it hard to concentrate" and then the next would be, "I often feel that I want to end it all". ...uh? What? Bad segueway!
My pyscholog- uhhh, I mean, clinical social worker- let's call him Pete- is a very round man that looks like a mix between my tax guy and my father in law- (Analyze that, Pete!) invites me into his office- now, call me stereotypical, but I assume there'd be a couch or something. My last shrink had all the lights dimmed, she had a chair and there was a couch that I could sit on... Kleenexes close by. His office was bleak- short desk with a laptop on it, and two mismatched chairs across from it- those cloth covered fancy chairs with the gold studding around the arm rests.
I sit down and he starts going through the paperwork. He starts asking questions. I answer. All of the sudden... his phone rings... I assume he'd apologize profusely and turn it off. Instead, he does what old people do, he took it out of his pocket, stared at it while it blared an annoying generic ringtone, and ANSWERED IT. It wasn't an important call; it sounded like a wife or a daughter. "Oh, I'm working... yeah, okay, I'll be home later. Love you too." I'm appalled right there.
As he's asking me about my parents and my relationship, he cocks his head to the side and says, "Do you have naturally curly hair?" When I answer yes, he replies, "It's beautiful" BARF.
He gets on his computer at one point, and I'm pretty sure that he's either a.) On Facebook or b.) on some sort of gaming site: You know those really annoying pop ups that say, "CONGRATULATIONS you've been selected to..." that popped up. Now, I know internet sites. And the only reason that would happen at that particular moment is if you had just then- opened a site like that. So what the hell was he doing on his computer while I was paying $95 an hour?!!
At this point he tells me that he thinks I'm a very passionate person and he asks me if I should be in politics. I told him that I don't want to be a politician but I believe very strongly in certain things. He says, "What are your political leanings?" I said, "I'm very liberal." He stops writing and gives me the "You're a puppy and you just peed on my new carpet" look. Further, I say, "I am very liberal, I believe in Obama very strongly." At this point he ROLLS HIS EYES. Then he tells me that I will become more conservative as I get older. I also told him that my dream job is to work for Planned Parenthood as a Sex Educator, and he says he doesn't believe in Planned Parenthood. I tell him that I believe in comprehensive sex education, and that of PP's services- only 3% are abortion services. He says we shouldn't be able to make a choice about abortion. WTF?
Then, his phone rings again. He answers it- again! It's his secretary, I think. Nothing really important.
He wants me to come back next week. Of course, I won't be going. I think I need to find a therapist more like me....
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