Korean BBQ Meatballs and Carrot Noodles

6 Trader Joe turkey meatballs

2 TBSP TJ Korean BBQ sause

2 servings angel hair pasta cooked al-dente

sprinkle of TJ everything bagel seasoning

sprinkle of Thai spice blend

1 bundle of green onions, sliced whites and greens

1 tsp olive oil

half package of frozen TJ carrot spirals

few splashes of soy sauce

 

1. While noodles are cooking saute onions in oil until soft and turning brown
2. Heat meatballs according to microwave directions. Add BBQ sauce and toss together, heat 30 more seconds.
3. Add frozen carrots to the onion pan to thaw and cook covered according to the directions, adding a few splashes of hot pasta water can help with thawing. When they start to brown add soy sauce and cook to reduce (just a few more minutes)
4. Toss drained noodles with bagel seasoning and Thai spice blend, top with carrot and onion mix, and then the meatballs.

 

 

 

A game of serendipity: Fun Stuff on the Internet

So there is a cool new game where you get a random image from Google maps and you have to guess where you are in the world.  From when I heard about it I knew that it would be my thing. Yeah it is totally great.  You get points based on how close your guesses are to the actually location.  The first on I got was low hills with cat tails by the road, no buildings at all and a traffic sign on the right hand side.  I guessed USA because of the traffic sign and I think cat tails are in marshy areas, but it had the hills.  My guess was somewhere in the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia.  Turns out it was Brazil, oops.  Then I realized you can actually navigate around to get a better sense of the location not just the single snapshot.  The next one was a fancy shopping area.  Seemed obviously Japan. I guessed Tokyo; it was actually Osaka but my score definitely got better.  Then there was a plain-y area with modern metal buildings and farming equipment.  I guessed Amarillo Texas; it was in Kansas.  Number four was on an inland waterway.  The signs looked like they were in Spanish.  I navigated around a bit more and saw a number of signs that said Ponte (I think.)  Then I found some signs that had .br web addresses. Brazil again, Portuguese not Spanish.  My last place was basically this:

AH HA! Got to be Russia! So I pan around and see this.

Looks familiar… Like Yekaterinburg, but what are the chances?

I went exploring trying to figure out the Cyrillic alphabet and find a clue.  Pizza Place, Movie theater, a Botanical Garden, this crazy place…The tower reminds me of something in St. Petersburg and I know St. Petersburg has a famous garden I was about to guess when I saw a sign in English, you guessed it… Ekaterinburg.  I found it on the map, made my guess, and got my score.  Less than 2 km from correct.  Cool.  You should try Geoguessr.  It’s really fun.

Erin is a nerd… GC 2012 edition

Watching General Conference videos the other day. YouTube suggests… Russian Floorball.  I don’t know what that is but it sounds exciting.

In reply

So that happened

Teas of 2012: A journey through my drawer of teas… and more

1/1 Twinings Earl Grey
1/2 Wilkinson’s of Norwich – USA Holiday Blend
1/3 Republic of Tea Fair Trade Blueberry
1/4 Adagio Cranberry
1/5 Plymouth Tea Golden Monkey

1/6 Special Teas Coconut
1/7 Bigelow Raspberry
1/8 Wilkerson’s of Norwich Berry Blend
1/9 Republic of Tea Good Hope Vanilla Red
1/10 Tazo Joy

1/11 Church Mouse Black
1/12 Lipton
1/13 Republic of Tea Mango Ceylon
1/14 Adagio Earl Grey Bravo
1/15 Archer Farms Chocolate Berry Earl Grey

1/16 Lipton White Tea Blueberry Pomegranate
1/17 Twinings Pumpkin Spice Chai
1/18 Ashby Assam
1/19 Metropolitan Nutcracker Roobios
1/20 Harry and David Chocolate Raspberry Tea

1/21 Celestial Seasons Madagascar Vanilla Red
1/22 Ashby Darjeeling
1/23 Wilkinson’s Of Norwich Assam Tarajulie
1/24 Twinings Lemon Twist Black
1/25 Adagio Chestnut

1/26 Twinings Lady Grey Cold Brew
1/27 Adagio Pumpkin Spice
1/28 Adagio Candy Apple
1/29 Adagio Passion Fruit
1/30 Tropical Tea Company House Blend

1/31 Plymouth Oktoberfest Blend
2/1 Twinings Peach
2/2 Metropolitan “Across a Crowded Room”… turns out it’s vanilla/pomegranate
2/3 Stash Chocolate Hazelnut Decaf
2/4 it’s a long story… I drank copious amounts of generic iced tea with dinner, had a sample of Peppermint Vanilla Chai at Spice and Tea Exchange, then I got a cup of British Breakfast at Panera, but I throw it away because it tasted like coffee residue (get it together, Panera)

The things that have happened

In no particular order…

• I have another new job… well a seventeen month old new job
• My sister and I went on a road trip
• and we went to Epcot Food and Wine
• and I went to visit her again at her new house
• I barely did any theater
• I took a seminary class
• I preached one of the last nights of our departed Evening Vespers service
• I had minor surgery
• that let me gain back most of the weight
• Ryan Bradley won the US Championship
• Many hours of “So You Think You Can Dance” were watched
• More youth got confirmed
• I agreed to help with Youth Sunday School
• so I am going regularly to the contemporary service at church
• I cut my hair short
• I cried my eyes out too many times
• I took a 12 week Biblical Greek class
• I put up a half done online dating profile… then took it down
• I applied for about 20 jobs… got one phone interview and no jobs
• I finally turned some acquaintances into real friends
• Visited Lakeland to go to FTC see old friends, waive at FSC, and see my beloved drama teacher get a distinguished career award
• I got lots of books
• I nominated myself to be a delegate to General Conference and did not win the vote
• I saw the first national tour of the Hair revival
• I spent holidays at home
• I picked up a bad YouTube watching habit
• I got asked to speak at next year’s Women’s Retreat
• I rode lots of roller coasters
• I went to the PCC reunion
• I went to my ten year HS reunion
• I help organize an emergency cold weather shelter for homeless people
• I got a new car
• I had a Seder meal at my house
• and more… can’t decide if that’s a lot or a little

Seventeen months later…

Shall I pick up where I left off?

Yellow for Spring

Here’s my Easter dress.  I cheated and wore it again the next Sunday for confirmation, not to the same church.  I got more compliments on it than I’ve got on any outfit in a long time.  Though this is not me in it.  I have no pictures.  Though they may exist out there as  I was the unfortunate subject of the “Here’s people getting food off the brunch buffet” photo session.  And I doubt that will be flattering, pretty dress or no.

I think that it is very me.

I brought cupcakes for the confirmands.  Prepare to be awed.  I spent so much time slaving on them.

True cupcake confession:  These are Walmart cupcakes with Veggie Tale “Peep-like” marshmallows stuck on them.  It was hard work, but anything for the kids.

That’s what I’m known for

We had our monthly United Methodist Women’s Circle meeting tonight.  We went to the Mexican joint.  I decided to just order some guacamole because if I’m blowing my calorie goals I want to do it on something that I really like.  So chips and guac for me.

Well Tamara said to me, “I never see you eat anything.”  RIGHT!  That’s me never eating anything.  Except my weight in tortilla chips.  And enough tea sandwiches to make me sick.  And more than my fair share of spinach puffs.  And that’s just when I was with Tamara.

So my weight loss/conscience eating have lead to two things (well besides the, you know, weight loss.)  One,  I spend a lot of time thinking about, planning for, dealing with, feeling guilty about, and generally obsessing over food.  I can quote calorie count to you.  It feels a little over kill.  But that’s the way it has to be.  But on the plus side, I’m saving some money.  Turns out when you need less food it costs less money.  Shocking I know.  So besides my eating small amounts when I go out I also look like a cheap skate.

But I’m ok with that.  I’m cheap… even at my fattest.  Now I’m just a bit lighter.

Confirmation 2010

The ceremony was lovely and uncomplicated this year.  I got to read the kids’ names again this year.  Maybe a part of it was that I only went to about 4 sessions of a reduced number anyway.  Plus the retreat, which was great fun.  Here’s some shots from the ropes course.

They are singing I’m a little teapot.

They are a fun group.  Most of them told me that the word games I brought were there favorite part.  No wonder I like them.