30 Before 30: Item 14, Part 3

Movie #3 is on every "Classic" Movie List out there, so I just had to add it to mine. This weekend, I watched Citizen Kane and am one step closer to crossing Item 14: Watch 5 "Classic" Movies off my list.

Directed by and staring Orson Welles, Citizen Kane is the story of a millionaire publishing tycoon, Charles Foster Kane (Welles). The movie kicks off with a news announcement of Charles Kane's death which provides a snapshot of his life for the viewer. Alarmed and intrigued by the announcement of his death, news reporters start a frenzied investigation to decipher the meaning of his final word, "Rosebud."

Although very rich and considered the most powerful man in the world, Charles Kane did not find happiness in his public, extravagant life and dies alone in his mansion - Xanadu. Reporters dig deep into his history and, using flashbacks into his childhood and adulthood milestones, the viewer learns about the rise of Charles Kane, including his tumultuous love life, expanding wealth and ever-increasing power.

Overall, I found this movie to be quite boring. I'll attribute that to my limited understanding of cinema, as it is considered by many to be the best film ever made. It's hard for me to recommend watching this film, but if you do please let me know what you think!

Be on the look out for my next movie coming up this week.....An American in Paris.

30 Before 30: Item 23, Part 3

To get started on this recipe, I had to google search, "How to Boil an Egg." It was a humbling experience. You may not want to be taking my recipes and cooking skills too seriously.

This week, for lunch, I made egg salad. Thinking not all of my cooking posts need to be about dinner, I thought I'd throw in a lunch! I am now only two recipes away from Item 23: Learn to Cook 5 Meals. Hope you like it!

What you Need:

• 1 Dozen Eggs
• 2-3 Tablespoons Mayo
• Mustard (recommend dijon & yellow)
• 1 Celery Stalk
• 2 Slices Onion
• Salt, Pepper & Paprika

And Action:

Google search "How to Boil an Egg" or click here. Follow instructions. Once boiled, rinse under cool water. De-shell the eggs, chop into small pieces and add to a large bowl.

Chop one stalk of celery and approximately two slices of onion into to small pieces. Add to egg.

Scoop two heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise, a squirt of yellow mustard and a squirt of dijon mustard into the bowl. Salt and Pepper liberally. Add a dusting of Paprika.

Carefully mix all ingredients together being sure not to crush the egg too much. Voila! Egg Salad!

Serve on toasted bread with lettuce and tomato. Enjoy!

30 Before 30: Item 2

Remember these two little sprouts?? Well, guess what, they are BOTH still alive! Shocked? Believe me, no one is more shocked than I.

Six months post-purchase, my bamboo and coffee plant are still living strong and I can officially cross Item 2: Keep a Plant Alive for Six Months off my list. Here they are now, just in case you don't believe me.

The Coffee Plant (lives at home)

The Bamboo (lives at work)

30 Before 30: Item 12

You've heard about him quite a bit on this blog so by now you all know know that my husband is quite the cook.

Additionally, you know that I'm working on moving from "culinary-challenged" to "kitchen-literate" and have been sharing my progress with you as Item 23: Learn to Cook 5 Meals. However, in efforts to thank my spouse for all the meals he has prepared for me over the years, I not only wanted to learn to cook a handful of dishes but also added Item 12: Learn to Cook John's Favorite Gourmet Meal to the list.

Key word here: Learn. The spouse helped me every step of the way in this challenge! He was a great teacher; I learned quite a bit and had a blast cooking with my hubby.

The first step in all of this....nailing down John's favorite fodder. Both foodies at heart, neither of us can really claim an absolute to-die-for dish. There are just too many wonderful foods out there! We talked about it quite a bit and came up with the following menu:

Appetizer: Artichoke dipped in Seasoned Butter

Main Entree: Crab Legs & Steak

Side Dish: Asparagus

To the Cooking...er...Learning!

We started by opening a bottle of wine....naturally. We also got right down to business and steamed and seasoned the artichoke. (Recipe)

LOVE Artichokes

What I learned: The most important thing when preparing an artichoke is to really clean out the inside of the 'choke. It has all these spiky thistles on the inside and to really enjoy the heart you must remove all of them prior to steaming.

Next, we marinated the steak (Recipe) and prepped the asparagus (Video Recipe). We also boiled water with lemon and salt in a large pot. We placed a steaming basket in the pot and filled it with frozen crab legs. (Crabby Info)

What I learned: Crab is ready when it turns a brilliant bright red (might already be red if purchased frozen and cooked). The other tell-tale signs are that the joints move easily and the knuckle is warm to the touch.

At around the same time that the crab went into the pot, we put the marinated steak and asparagus on grill. This particular steak is bit strange for a gourmet meal.....it is a flank steak. John had big plans to make carne asada with the leftovers so he specifically requested this piece of meat.

What I learned: Asparagus is awesome with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Also, to tell how "done" a steak is, just push down on it. The more undone, the more squishy the meat. The more done, the more firm the meat. John likes his med-rare (medium-squishy).

While the food was grilling, boiling and steaming away, I set the table.

We then sat down and enjoyed a wonderful meal! By the way, since I don't eat the beast, spouse made a little salmon for me. It was very tasty!

John's Plate :)

Although it'll probably take me few more rounds before I can make the whole meal myself, I feel as though I accomplished the task of Learning to Cook John's Favorite Gourmet Meal and can cross Item 12 off the list!

30 Before 30: Item 6

I haven't eaten red meat or pork for approximately nine years. I don't miss it, I'm not gonna lie. I'm asked frequently how I can live without bacon, a good steak or burger. Every so often my brother or sister will waive a piece of sausage, slice of ham or bite of beef in front of my nose, testing me, as if it is willpower that keeps me from delving into a pile of flesh. No willpower needed people....I just don't like or want it.

However, I am not a Vegetarian or Vegan. I eat a lot of different foods that keep me from these categories including our low-flying, fowl friend, the chicken. I consume pretty much all delicacies under the sea from shellfish to cephalopods and every type of gilled, scaled swimmer. And I LOVE cheese...LOVE. love.

All this being said, I respect and encourage those who choose to live a Vegan lifestyle and have always been curious if it might be for me. I couldn't think of a better way to understand the dietary behavior and test it out than to try it myself as Item 6: Go Vegan for a Week.

To get started, I took some time to research Veganism. I recommend a couple of great blogs, including Oh She Glows and Happy Herbivore, if you're interested in checking out recipes and other FAQ's.

To quickly put the biggest Vegan myth to rest, there are a lot of options for a Vegan to get protein and calcium to meet the daily amounts recommended for a balanced diet. For example, did you know that in 100 calories of spinach there is actually MORE protein than 100 calories of steak?

Protein is plentiful in dark, leafy greens, legumes, nuts, tofu, other soy-based foods, brown rice, broccoli, potatoes, beans, lentils, and many other items. Calcium is just as prevalent, being found in a lot of the same foods, including broccoli, tofu, kale, greens, and okra. The key, for carnivore and herbivore, is to eat a variety of foods throughout the day at the caloric intake your body requires.

Vegans are not emaciated, unhealthy individuals. They simply leave out the animal products, but they take the same caution (that any person concerned with a healthy diet does) to incorporate the foods that they need, want and enjoy as part of a nutrient-balanced regime.

Okay....Week of Vegan: I had an incredible week of wonderful food!! For breakfast, I typically had a banana, organic oatmeal and a handful of nuts and dried fruit. When I bored from oatmeal, I enjoyed whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter, banana slices and a small orange.

Like my work mug?? I prefer my breakfast in cups...and at work.

For lunches, I had veggie sandwiches on whole wheat with tomato, avocado, leaf lettuce (or spinach), cucumber and balsamic dressing. On the side I had fruit, usually grapes or apples. Occasionally, I switched it up to a veggie wrap with salsa or had a bowl of vegan chili.

Veggie Sandwich....Super-Yum!

Veggie Chili , Apple & Sun Chips = Delicious Lunch!

(Sun Chips Original flavor is Vegan-approved)

For dinners, I cooked to intentionally have leftovers because, as a busy gal, I couldn't spend each night cooking for myself....and the spouse was not too keen on the whole "cooking for a Vegan" thing (although he did a couple nights anyway). I made a big pot of vegan veggie soup and had that a couple of nights. I also enjoyed tofu stir-fry, spaghetti and veggie burgers. All dinners satisfied my hunger, provided the nutrients I needed, and excited my taste buds.

Veggie Stew & Salad

Spicy Stir-Fry with Oudon Noodles...YUM!

Additionally, I couldn't go a week without ice cream, so I found this fabulous Soy Dream treat and had a scoop or two each night after dinner. :)

Surprisingly Good!

Although it is not the ongoing lifestyle choice for me (future food-posts will confirm this), I enjoyed my week of Vegan, am happy to cross it off my list and now know that being a Vegan is just as healthy as any other balanced, nutrient-rich diet.

Giving Thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving!

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, naturally I've been reflecting on what I'm thankful for and how lucky of a girl I really I am. And since you all know how much I LOVE to make lists...I thought I'd make a list of the top 10 things I'm grateful for. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

1. Family - I hear so many people complain of "having" to spend the holidays with family. Driving or flying from this place to that and eating more than one Thanksgiving turkey (the outrage!) but I look forward to these busy (sometimes hectic) days. To see my siblings, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents is a special experience that I treasure deeply. I live pretty far away from my East Coast fam and don't get to see my Wyoming kin too often either so whether I'm looking over the Rocky Mountains with my dad, sis and brother or toasting wine with my cousins in Jersey, every time I get to spend with my family is truly, truly special. Also, I couldn't ask for a better person to share my life, adventures and future with than the spouse :)

2. My Friends - My friends are the most hilarious, entertaining, talented and caring people I've ever met! I am so very lucky to be surrounded by a group of people that I've known since high school, befriended in college and met in recent years.

3. Pugs - Specifically, Barley. Need I say more than show you this photo? How could you not be thankful for this sweet animal (er...plant)!??

4. Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers - I absolutely adore RCPM (especially Jim....guitar players...get me every time). Catching every concert possible on the Front Range, I attempt to meet the band every time and surprisingly they've started to remember me! (Uh, oh....here comes that crazy girl Steve Larson* warned us about). I LOVE them and if you don't know them, GO HERE to give a listen. You're Welcome.

*steve larson is their ex-guitarist

5. The FC - Rated as Money magazine's 6th Best Town to Live in, helping earn the Front Range the "Napa Valley of Beers" status, a ten minute drive to the Rocky Mountains, and a plethora of local restaurants.....it just doesn't get better than Fort Collins. I'm so grateful to live in this town. In what other town could you take your dog for a run....to a microbrewery!? (The FC is also rated in the Top 10 Active Towns to live in, has been high-ranked on the Most Pet-Friendly cities in recent years AND....AND we're the home of Odell & New Belgium Breweries).

6. Christmas - From November 1 to December 25th, I'll be the jolliest a**hole this side of the nuthouse :)

7. My Health - Recently, I've become much more appreciative of my health, something I've taken for granted in the past. As 30 quickly approaches and I start to snap, crackle and pop with every limb movement, I'm reminded to be thankful for a body that allows me to push myself to pretty extreme physical limits, learn to golf with my spouse and lets me dance, dance, dance to Ke$ha (alone, when no one is watching).

8. My Job - In these tough economic times, everyone should be thankful if they are employed! I can say I'm truly thankful for my job!! They send me awesome places like Vegas, Boston and other great locations and I get to meet and work with a lot of great people! Also, without my job I couldn't have the home I live in, enjoy all the great food I am lucky enough to get to eat (and pad myself with) and all the other things I enjoy and am so very, very thankful for.

9. Food, Coffee & Red Wine. I LOVE to eat! Who doesn't right? Between the Food Network, my spouse's culinary wizardry, the Kilted Pig, my own kitchen adventures and all of the amazing restaurants I get to go to....my world is literally controlled by what, when and where I get to eat. Add a cup of joe in the morning and good glass of red wine in the evening and that pretty much sums up what I think about all day (good thing I've got #7 to work it all off).

10. YOU!!! Blog readers, I appreciate you visiting my page, reading my sometimes incoherent ramblings and supporting me with your comments and continued visits.

Thank you & Happy Thanksgiving!!!

30 Before 30: Item 14, Part 2

I absolutely had to add a Marilyn Monroe film to my Classics list...it just didn't seem right to not include at least one of her iconic movies. Some Like It Hot is number two under Item 14: Watch 5 "Classic" Movies.

Set at the end of the roaring 20's during prohibition, Some Like It Hot tells the tale of two musicians, Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) who witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Desperate to get out of town fast, the duo disguise themselves as women, Josephine and Daphne, and travel with a girls-only band down to Florida.

Along the way, they meet the sultry, bombshell, Sugar (Marilyn Monroe) and Joe, er...Josephine, quickly finds himself falling in love with her. As Daphne accidentally wins the heart of a millionaire with a fancy yacht, Joe woos Sugar by hiding his true identity and simultaneously befriending her as a girlfriend.

This hilarious movie included mobster fights, dancing scenes and the courtship process of two generations ago. Jack Lemmon's comedic antics and Marilyn Monroe's sweet singing combined with fairly racy content (for the time it was released) elevates this film to the classic status it holds today. I definitely recommend to anyone looking for a classic comedy!

30 Before 30: Items 3 & 15

I was sitting on the couch with the spouse thinking about how I really need to be more involved with my community and church. So I turned to John and said, "I want to volunteer at church. I think I'd like to join the choir." He stared at me silently, scrutinizing me with his eyeballs, and said nothing.

Surprised by his quiet response to my declaration of selfless songbirding, I said, "What? You don't think I should be in the choir?" He looked right at me and said a quick "No" without offering any further explanation. So, naturally I prodded him to find out why he wouldn't want me to take on this new activity. He turned to me and said, "Because you are a terrible singer."

That being said, I am now a reader at church. My first training is scheduled for December 5th, I'll be put in the lector rotation shortly after and I'm excited to cross Item 15: Volunteer at Church from my list.

Motivated further to become involved in the community, I have been attending general meetings of the Fort Collins Junior League for the last several months. I've chosen this organization because I work in Denver, CO and from home....leaving me with very little opportunity to meet people in Fort Collins. The Junior League is an organization of women who are dedicated to service and giving back to the community while building strong, long-lasting friendships. So far, its been a wonderful way to get to know women in my community and learn about all the opportunities to volunteer. I've filled out the application and mailed the check! I can officially cross Item 3: Join the FC Junior League off my list!

For more information on the Fort Collins Junior League, check it out here!

30 Before 30: Item 30

Kickboxing was AWESOME!!! (high-pitched squeal)

I've wanted to try kickboxing for quite awhile. Once, in college, I participated in one of those girl's boxing matches as a fundraiser for my rugby team (I was kind of tomboy.....and apparently chose violent sports....pent up aggression? Hard to say).

Anyway, I absolutely loved boxing...I sorta enjoyed punching the other girl in the face (it sounds bad but it was for a good cause), I loved the energy, I didn't even really mind being punched back (it doesn't hurt as much as you'd think and just really motivates you to jab, jab, jab).

Today, I can't say I'm excited to hop in a ring to get pummeled in the jaw, but I have missed the exhiliration and energy I found in that one, long-ago fight. Hopeful for a similar endorphin rush in a slightly safer environment, I added Item 30: Try Kickboxing to my list.

The class was exactly what I had hoped for. We got started immediately and from the very beginning we were bouncing, punching, kicking and jumping. We did uppercuts, jump rope, side-kicks, back-kicks, and jabs. The music was intense, fast and loud; I was breathing heavy and sweating within minutes of the start.

As we moved through the motions, I felt a little like I do at weddings when I drink enough to think I can actually dance and get up during the Electric Slide. I was one step behind and not really doing the same thing as everyone else, but I didn't care! I was having a blast and getting a major workout at the same time.

I kicked, jabbed and wiggled myself through the 60 minute class, literally smiling the whole time. Being a true cardio-junkie, this class really got me excited and I can't wait to go back again! I was so distracted by the whole session, I didn't manage to snap any shots, but I did have the instructor take this lovely photo before I left.

I will definitely be at kickboxing every week going forward! Pow-POW!

30 Before 30: Item 23, Part 2

For our annual viewing of Christmas Vacation, we always make the classic Cheyenne, WY school lunch, chili and cinnamon rolls (you Cheyenne people know what I'm talkin' about). This year, I signed up to make a White Bean Chicken Chili (Jess made the cinnamon rolls) and I took one step closer to crossing Item 23: Learn to Cook 5 Meals off my list.

Hope you make it and like, like, like it. (If you do make it, tell me!!!!)

You Need:

• 1 Rotisserie Chicken
• 1 Can of Chicken Broth
• 2 Tomatillos
• 1/2 of a Large Tomato
• 1 Small Onion
• 1-2 Jalapeno (depending heat)
• 1 Can of White Kidney Beans
• 1 Can of Chili Beans
• 1/2 Can of Corn
• 1 Can of Green Chillies
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• Cilantro
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Sour Cream
• 1 Avocado
• Hot Sauce (whatever one you like best...I went with a Green Chili sauce)
• Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Cayenne, Cumin, and Garlic Powder

And Action:

In a food processor, puree tomatillos, jalapeno, chilies, salt, pepper and other seasonings. Set aside.

In a large pot, saute chopped onions and diced garlic in olive oil (for a bigger flavor you can use several tablespoons of butter, but the olive oil is a bit healthier). Add the pureed tomatillos, jalapeno and chilies. Allow to cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.

After a couple of minutes, add the chicken broth and beans. Season liberally with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, cayenne and garlic powder. Allow to simmer.

Pull all of the meat off of the rotisserie chicken and break into small chunks. Side note: break the chicken against the grain so it will stay chunky and not break up in the chili.

Add the chicken chunks, tomato and hot sauce to the pot. Allow to cook for approximately one hour. Chop cilantro and avocado. Stir cilantro into the chili.

For a creamier chili, add several teaspoons of sour cream to the pot and mix in (healthier to skip this step!). Scoop a large portion of chili into your bowl, add a dollop of sour cream (unless you've already put a lot in the chili....or if you don't care about the calories). Garnish with avocado chunks, cheese and ENJOY!