Sep 30, 2015

Sad News: UPDATE!

Remember my Sad News post about my bag getting broken? I mean, that was pretty much the whole post.

I got the bag fixed! I took it to a new guy who also repaired to pairs of shoes for me in the same visit. Ahh! I feel whole again.

Here is a picture of the bag with my soul!


It's basically my birthday present to myself. 





Sep 28, 2015

Catpanion: Lucky & Me

My catpanion is Lucky. I didn't name him, but, he sure is one lucky cat. He's also a butthead.


You can follow Lucky on Twitter - Lucky the Rescue or you can even email him at LuckytheRescueCat@gmail.com. He's that popular. 


Sep 25, 2015

Things I Eat: Roast Whole Chicken

'Tis the reason for roasting, coasting and toasting! I mean, it was 60 degress or something for Sunday dinner. Thought I would take a crack at making a whole roast chicken.

I have never done this before and I was actually inspired by my friend's blog back in 2011 - she is the proud yet absent (ahem) author of I Didn't Get Fat Accidentally and she took on a whole roast chicken in her Bird is the Word post.

After thinking about it for a good four years, why not take a crack at it?

What You Need

  • A whole chicken - I got my unbrinded (that means it wasn't soaked in salt water) and all free range (which is a lie) and organic and antibiotic free. I was worried about the "innerds" but they were nicely wrapped up.
  • Olive oil: I used Bella Olive Lemon infused olive oil.
  • Seasonings: Salt and pepper (I don't do pepper) and anything you like. I used garlic, basil and rosemary.


Optional:

  • Stuffing: I did not stuff my bird. I mean, I threw some onion in there, but, I didn't make any stuffing or anything. You're on your own for that.
  • Root Veggies: I got red bliss potatoes and a pre-packed mix of turnips, carrots, celery, parsnips and onion. I roasted these desperately.




What You Do
First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Then remove the innards. Nice. Good job.

I made a slit in the skin and pulled the skin from the meat so it made a sort of pocket. Then I poured in the olive oil and LIBERALLY seasoned with minced garlic, rosemary, basil and salt. This is a trick I learned when I just roast chicken breasts. It's fantastic.

You do the same for the cavity. I also jammed in some onion. Because. . .what doesn't need onion? I also put onions in the pan with the chicken.

Then I put the bird in my dutch oven. Sure, you are suppose to cover it. . maybe. But, I didn't. I cut up my root veggies and seasoned them the same - rosemary, basil, garlic and salt but I used reguarly olive oil. I threw this in the same oven as the bird.

After about 15 minutes, I reduced the temperature 375. This helps keep everything juicy yet the outside crunchy. Actually, I was just doing what I was told. I was also told to tie the drumsticks together - so, there's a 50/50 for you.

You want to roast the bird for about 20 minutes per pound. My bird was a little over 4lbs so I made my husband do the math and 80 minutes (or 1 hour and 30 minutes) we had a chicken! It smelled so good. SOO DAMN GOOD.

I don't know how to use a meat thermometer so I just cut into it and it wasn't pink. You can let this guy set for about 20-30 minutes for max chicken roasting traditionalest stuff.


I cut it up to serve - my Dad is amazing at cutting up birds. I am not that great but I haven't done it a lot.


And what about those veggies? I did occasionally stir them and they were also delicious.


Special moment - the innerds. I ended up sauteing them up in some chicken fat for Lucky the Cat. He did NOT like them. He wanted normal chicken - and got it.


Enjoy!

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Sep 23, 2015

The Happy Birthday Bob Project

Now I can tell everyone in public! I didn't buy my husband anything this year for his birthday - I invested far more time in trying to remind him that's he's pretty stellar to people.

Originally, I was going to make him a video and try to get people to send in video clips of themselves with messages - but, let's face it, no one is up for that.

His birthday is in August so in March I set up a gmail account HappyBirthdayBobProject@gmail.com and send secret messages to friends and family and strangers to sent him birthday messages. Anything from a "happy birthday" to advice, food/book/move/music recommendations or bucket-list items. 

I decided to use the video as a way to get him to open the email account I created. Here is the video:


(sometimes it loads, sometimes it doesn't - IDK, man)

It worked pretty good! He got a lot of messages and he liked the video!

I can't take credit for it - first, Google, thanks. Google originally had an ad called Google Chrome: Dear Sophie which was the story about a father setting up an account at gmail when his daughter, Sophie, was born and then giving her access when she was 18. 

Here is the video:


Thanks for everyone who sent a message - the account is still open if you feel the need to send a message or two to my handsome husband. 


Sep 21, 2015

Maddy Reacts to The View/Miss Colorado

After watching the Miss (they still can't be married right?) Colorado monologue to see what all the fuss is about. I’m very conscience that tiny slip-ups and unfortunate turns of phrases and different opinions often snowball on social media and can destroy people while exulting the average.

So, I watched it. Woot.

Expectation
Monologues are hard. I studied theater. I suck at it. But, it is more than, “here’s my experience” it’s really a skill to perform. When I first saw her walking out, I actually did not know if she was really a nurse or just acting as one to highlight the importance of the job. I don’t watch the pageant, so, not sure if that was known.

I also was excited because of the new women’s lib thing happening where women don’t have to be judged by their dress and sexiness and ability to entertain.

Of course, it is the Miss. American Pageant. It’s assumed you will wear a lot of makeup, bling and preform something in the theatrical field like dance, singing. .and. . .IDK, wear a bikini.

Let's watch!



My Thoughts On It
I thought she did something different – has something like that been done before? Again, I don’t know.

I just don’t think it was a very good performance. I didn't think she connected – at least on my YouTube box. I wish she had drilled down on the impact of Alzheimer's or the amount of things she does as a nurse. I really cringed a little when she “realized” she’s not “just a nurse.” I wanted to go on that journey with her and feel what that was like – and I just didn't. I felt toward the end it was more her talking about how great she was and I wanted it to be more than that.

I don’t think this cheapens the profession of nursing. I think nurses are great. Ok, not all nurses. I had some pretty awful nurses in my life. Like. Bad. And I had some who were amazing. Same goes for doctors and teachers and. . . .all that.

I don’t think saying that her performance wasn't that great cheapens the nursing profession or her skills or her impact.

Social Reaction
What seems to have happened is that someone was watching The View expecting – what? It’s The View. To me it’s tabloid entertainment – morning television. They say some air-headed things - sometimes meant to be funny, sometimes the produce of misinformation or passion. Of course they are going to have some snide comment when a woman doesn't obtain or conform to their standard of beauty or behavior – and Miss. Colorado did that.

Let's watch!



Should we get the touches and pitchforks to combat it with the same wild abandon? I don’t know. I feel the reaction is a level 10 and the offence was a bratty level 5.

It’s like Fashion Police where they pick and pull and say horrible bully things from the plush safety of their studio. Eh. What do you expect?

Watching The View reaction, no one insulted nurses. In fact, Michelle Collins said basically what I wrote here. I didn't think the performance was that good. However, she was a little more aggressive about it.

Joy Behar has come under fire for saying “Doctor’s stethoscope” – to destroy someone over those two words. I don’t know. I feel as if it was as if she was thinking on the fly. If she said “hospital stethoscope” or “silver stethoscope” it would have been fine. I know a little of Joy Behar, I am unsure if she said it meaning it to be condescending or it was just a descriptive word.

But, in social media world – life is a little more harsh.

Conclusions
First, yes, The View was a little bitchy and that should be noted.

Dear View – You came across as being very closed-minded and bitchy rather than in respectful disagreement with a performance. Please keep in mind, you have a very large and reactive fan base. Plan and think accordingly - maybe to make the world a better place when possible.

Of course, this behavior is how they get advertising dollars and keep their names fresh. They will have a whole list of statements and tearfully talk about how much they love nurses and maybe even have Miss. Colorado on or some other nurses. And they will donate to some fund. It will all be forgotten.

But, the truth is. Actually. Ehhhh. . .they didn’t really say to much that seems to warrant this reaction.

I understand The View’s position – and I agree with the points:

  1. The performance wasn't that great. 
  2. Nursing really important to the medical industry and people in care.


However, I don’t agree with how it was communicated.

I wanted them to give an opinion and maybe then say: This was different and it’s nice to see someone showing women in different professions than musical or dance. Maybe it will inspire other girls and women and show that “beauty queens” are more than pretty clothes and makeup.

Let’s take a moment and instead of respond with our gut – look at the situation, think it through and then make a decision based on understanding and compassion rather than some meme or posts.

The View probably owes an apology. Probably could have been a little more aware and less cocky when judging someone. Then again – it’s The View.

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Sep 18, 2015

Things I Eat: Scallops

We're getting weekend dinners back on track - now that it's not 100 degrees in my apartment.

What You Need

  • Scallops: Because, did you see the title? 
  • Pancetta: Italian bacon. Better than Canadian bacon. Not quite American.
  • Olive oil: You know, we're sauteing. 
  • Garlic powder: Because. . .garlic powder.
  • Onion: About a half of one. How can you NOT have an onion?
  • Bourbon: For more than just your drink.


What You Do
Thaw out your scallops if you got the froze stuff that might have been on sale. This bag says "family size" so I know it will feed either me OR my husband.



Now, I am basing my recipe here off of this Pan Seared Scallops with Asparagus thing. Apparently, one scallop under some asparagus is a meal.

IDK about that.

I do know these are slightly smaller than what you get in a restaurant or what people who watch the Food Network a lot would like. Whatever.

First, chop up the onion. I used about half of a large onion and I chopped it up really, really fine. I also thawed and patted dry my baby-sized scallops.

I bought the Citterio type of pancetta from. .somewhere. It was already diced which means I have less work than EVER to do!

Time for another Old Fashioned - and time to eat most of the scallops raw. You can do that. People who also eat food don't suggest it. I did do it. They are delicious raw. Since my scallops had been frozen for over 3 days - probably longer - the odds of anything harmful to me surviving is pretty slim. Or non-existent. Whatever. I eat a lot of stuff raw.



Ok, Get your pan with your olive oil all nice and hot. Then put in the pancetta and onion because that's the bomb. Keep cooking it - maybe for a couple minutes - until it is browning and the onions are getting nice and transparent.

I also added a little garlic powder but no salt. I assumed this was going to bring it's own salt. It didn't. Maybe you want to add salt. I'm not going to tell you how to live.


Remove this beautiful stuff from the pan but keep as much of the liquid behind. Add a little more olive oil if you need. Then saute up your scallops. Depending on the size - you will cook them about 1-2 minutes per side.Then remove them but keep as much of the juices in the pan.

Since I actually like my raw, I very lightly cooked them. I also had a couple drinks at this point, so. . .

Add back in the pancette, a touch of olive oil and a splash of bourbon to deglaze and/or cook off the alcohol. Doesn't take that long. You are actually suppose to use white wine or vermouth. I don't ever want to use wine because I can't have wine and I didn't have any vermouth. So. . .bourbon it is.

I did make some asparagus - the grilled stuff from Trader Joe's that I popped in the microwave. Boom. Done.



And that is what's for dinner. I think next time I will use applewood smoked bacon - you can really play around with that. I also felt it needed a little more salt. But, the flavor was good. Really, how could this go wrong? Can't.

It's very simple to make and delicious.


Cheers!


Sep 16, 2015

Polyvore

Orignally, I thought that the word "polyvore" meant something like many loves. Then I remembered that was "Polyamory" and. . .ok, so, on to Polyvore!

Polyvore is a community powered social commerce website. Members curate products into a shared product index and use them to create image collages called "Sets."
That pretty much sums it up. I found this site a while ago. The site was founded in August 2006. I found it in like. . .2014.


I enjoy it for two reasons - I can play around and create outfits and by "liking" the items, I will get emails when they go on sale. Unlike places like Pintrest (which I hate) you can always find exactly where to buy the item and you have a quick method for going to the site where the item is sold.

You can also create sets base on decor or art or beauty - things I currently care less about. But sort of do. I'm a moving target.

If you like to window shop - check out how us normal folk would like to dress - and also know where to buy items, I suggest it. You can find me and enjoy all my fashion choices at The Maddy Maddie.

Here are some of my favorites!

Polka-Day
Lately, I have been into dots. I have many three outfits with dots. Anyhow, this seems pretty classic - a good entrance into using a statement skirt.


As an example, you can check out all the peices I used to create this set and if you were on the app or in the site, you could click and go to buy any of these items. Pretty cool for a site!



Studio Uniform
I do voiceover work for work at work - it's not my job, it's just what I do. This might be what I have going on because the studio is COLD.



April Showers
I loved this top with the umbrella pattern - a fitted vest with a pink flower would be adorable. I love a bright colored pump - and that wooden purse was just too adorable to avoid.


If you happen to open an account at Polyvore - make sure to find me and follow. I'll follow you back. Unless I forget.


Sep 14, 2015

Obligatory Birthday Post: Part 2

Now with less obligatory!

One of my birthday traditions that I have been doing for. . .a while now. . .I donate my age in dollars to some place I haven't donated before.

Last year, I donated $34 to a local rescue which provided medical treatments for injured Labrador Retrievers.

Places I have donated in 2015 include:


This year, I added a special twist! I normally ask friends on FaceBook or Twitter to recommend places to donate - and this year, I added the person who I picked should match my donation. That would mean $70 would go to charity.

(Drum roll please)

Due to two people saying they would match my donation - I picked PALS! Finally, something about my birthday I can feel happy about. Giving back.

Maybe you all should start donating your age to a local charity or program. It's actually pretty fun and a nice legacy to leave even if it seems small. You could even get kids involved by giving them a couple bucks for their birthday and asking where they would like to donate it - great way to raise social awareness.



Sep 11, 2015

Things I Eat: Old Fashion

If you know me - you might know I love bourbon. My favorite is Bulleit which. . .well, I'm pretty sure it is no top-shelf but I found I like it the best of the bourbons I drink.

For the summer, I have been drinking bourbon and lemonade - which is a delightful combo. I got into bourbon a while ago when I tried Thug Kitchen's Blackberry Bourbon Fizz.


It's no secret I love blackberries - so this was something I wanted to try. What I found out was I did like it a lot, but I also liked it with lemonade. From then on. Well, I'm matured into Old Fashions.

Bourbon
What is bourbon? Well bourbon whiskey is the American whiskey. It is distilled from corn. I'm sure you can talk a lot more about whiskey and bourbon. I can tell you this: all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Bourbon is specific - it need to be produced in America and made from 51% corn.

Who Cares?
I guess a good amount of people do. I mean, I like Bulleit. Sort of the end of the story there. I have tried other whiskeys - still like Bulleit.

What's an Old Fashion
Apparently, there is a TV show that you popular people watch called Mad Men which everyone drinks Old Fashions and that has made it popular. I don't know anything about this. I have seen drink menus that say "Mad Men Old Fashion" or something like "Manhattan Old Fashion" or something like that. I like the simple one.

What You Need
1 1/2oz bourbon
2 dashes Angostura bitters (bitters are alleged to have restorative properties)
1 sugar cube
Few dashes plain water

Place sugar cube in old fashioned glass and saturate with bitters, add a dash of plain water. Muddle until dissolved. Fill the glass with ice cubes and add whiskey. Garnish with orange slice, and a cocktail cherry.



(I like the cherry a little crushed up in it - won't lie)

So, you are not going to want to pound these. Trust me.





Sep 9, 2015

Maddy Replies to First Day Of School Posts

People are like, "OMG, my baby's first day of school!

And I'm all like "Day 4633 in corporate America."



Sep 7, 2015

I Am The Foster: Let Them Go

One of the first questions I am asked when someone adopts an animal I have fostered, or learns I foster, is "How do you let them go? I could never let them go!"

I never thought my role as letting anything go because I don't feel I have any ownership over these cats and kittens. I only own my own love and I don't give that up. I just work with these scared little critters until you come along to take them home.


I am the foster.

I love them first, all of them.

I ran to the pet store right before it opened and right before it closed for extra litter and food.

I washed the dirt from their fur.

I was there when they had to be euthanized.


I medicated them while enduing wild protests, bites and scratches.

I came home to rooms stinking of stress induced diarrhea and sickness induced vomit.

I taught them they always have a safe place to go – and this place is safe.

I might never have learned their stories, but I could see the result in all our interactions.

I talked about you and the home you would provide.

I taught them how to cuddle.


I thought them about the best toys to play with.

I love them first so you could love them last.

So, that’s how I let them go. Because I saw them at their worst – lonely, afraid, starving, dirty and injured – and I taught them about you. So when you came to take them home, my job was over.

I'm the foster - I let them go.



Sep 4, 2015

Things I Eat (Not) Popovers

Today is all about what I can't eat unless I want to have a very crappy. . .mm. . .life shortly after. However, I think everyone should impress someone by making popovers.

Popovers - good for dinner. Good for breakfast. You get to beat, stab and impress all in about an hour. If that. And really, an hour in popover time is like 10 minutes in real people time.

Popover are sort of like muffins but they are hollow on the side do to the (simple) cooking process. This means they are crusty and delicious on the top and on the sides and bottom while have a pocket for you to put in your goodies that is still chewy and bread-y. Bready? Sure.

Alert: Special Equipment
You can Google about people who do not have a popover pan. I got one. I like my popovers to be. . .mm. .tall. How else are you going to cram them with jelly and beef stew and butter and cheese and. .other things? You can't, that's how.

Popover pans are not expensive. You can get them for maybe $12-25 bucks. Here is the basic popover pan on Amazon - Bellemain 6 Cup Nonstick Popover Pan

Yeah - so, that's a popover pan. Dramatic.

What You Need

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter: I used Earth Balance Soy Free Spread
  • 3 cups flour: Normal flour. Don't get fancy.
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt: Sometimes I use a little more, I won't lie.
  • 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature: The key here is things to not be cold
  • 1 cup room-temp milk: I used Rice milk


Optional:
You can season with any seasoning you like. I suggest making them plain the first time and then amping it up. I am a fan of adding onion and garlic powder for something savory.

What You Do
Preheat the oven to 400. You need a hot oven.

Pretty simple - dump everything in a bowl and mix it up. It'll be sort of a thin batter. Ok, ok. First break the eggs and beat them, then add in the milk and butter and then the flour and everything else I forgot. I'm rarely sober for Sunday dinner, so, the dump and beat works just fine. This will probably take you about 5 seconds to do.

In the meantime, you will probably want to lube your pan. I want to say I forgot once or twice and everything was fine. I use the cooking spray or some of the butter. Just get those cups all lubed up. You can even do the super-lazy thing I do when you put a little butter in the cup and then pop the pan in the oven until it melts.

Which brings me to another step - you DO want to warm your pan. Once your oven is 400 or when you are about ready to pour the batter, pre-warm the pan. It doesn't have to be smoking hot, just warm. Warm, people.

Ok, then you fill each cup about 1/2 to 3/4 full - depending on sobriety. Then put them in that over for about 30-35 minutes. You'll see them puff up and get all golden brown. It's amazing. Also don't peak. I peak. You shouldn't.

When you get the pan out, the first thing you need to do (after you pull them out of the pan) is stab them in the side. This will let out the steam in there. Though magic, Jesus or science - whichever you believe in most - the warm pan with the warm stuff in it baking steam up and that makes the hollow inside and muffin top pop. You do want to let that steam out or your popover will get soggy as the steam turns back into ho-hum water.

Serve them pretty quickly after you get them out of the oven. They are best warm. But, not like having a couple around the next day for breakfast is a BAD thing. It's just, they are better warm.

Lucky agrees!



Enjoy! 'Cause I can't.









Sep 2, 2015

Obligatory Birthday Post: Part 1

I had a birthday.

Pretty exciting. I was given six months to live back in 2007, so, hitting 35 seems like an accomplishment. Yep, my 35 years of existence pretty much can be summed up as a victory because I didn't die.


I'm not big into my birthday. I find it sort of embarrassing and self-serving and a little ridiculous. Because of this fact, I really never had a good birthday even when I attempt to put an effort into it. 

It's not that I don't appreciate people or stuff - I just really, really hate celebrating myself for no reason other than I am alive. It's awkward. I am also awkward. I actually had the same views toward my own wedding. Something about the "center of attention" type things. 

Birthday are awkward for me. I'm just going to use this post to point out how well I have kept it together for 35 years. Since my first birthday - when I spit out my first taste of cake. 

Food & Cake
I can't eat 80% of what God has provided for us on this earth. So, going out for a snazzy surprise dinner will never happen. Ok, it happens. If it's a surprise, I'm going to be surprised at the salad selection and if someone asks me where I want to go, it means I have to figure out where people like to go and then email the restaurant to see if there is something I can eat. Or eat the house salad.

I also can't eat 100% of items put into a normal cake. There will probably be a cake put in front of me with someone saying, "You can eat it" or "You can scrape that off." I mean, people like going out with me on my birthday because you get that dessert with the candle in it and everyone gets to eat it.

And. . .why did you set the food on fire? Think about it. We celebrate by setting food on fire.


Food, cake - the fabric of society - it's a painful, work intensive spectacle for me. And that's also true on my birthday.

This year, though. I'm buying myself a Sassy Ginger Molassie from the Happy Girl Cookie Company and saying, "Happy birthday to you, friend," while I eat it. 

Singing
The everyone staring while someone lights something I can't eat on fire. 


Gift Issue
I am always mortified when someone gives me gifts when I cannot reciprocate. I have really been working on it and I think most people don't realize how bad it feels for me. Everyone is staring at you as you open something and you better like it and be grateful. 

One year - many years ago - I set up an Amazon wish list where I put all this stuff I need and/or want. I originally did it to bookmark stuff I was saving up for to but when birthdays and other holidays come up where giving gifts is normal, I would direct people to it. 

The overwhelming response was, "I didn't want to get you something off the list because then it wouldn't be a surprise."

Now, I get random stuff with cats on it. I actually have never bought a single thing for myself with a cat on it. Ever. I don't like things with cats on them. I like cats. I just don't decorate with their likeness. 

Age
As a female, it is assumed my age is some type of expiration date on societies acceptance. "You're old now!" or "25 again? LOLZ." Society, for women, is still stacked to show any signs of age or aging as a bad thing. I just cannot logically make this work in my own head. I suppose whenever someone says something about age or aging, the logical response should be, "I wish I was lucky and dead instead of this age!"

I'm 35. Next year I will be 36. This my age.

It's cool. 

Conclusions
Birthdays. I don't get 'em. But, it does make my Mom happy and that's worth it in the long run.