NYCitified

New family member, new content and a new giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 00:31:00 +0000

Hello friends!

It's been a long time since we last spoke. You see, we've been a little preoccupied around here with our newest and most adorable family member.

The jr. officer joined our family on March 25th and life has seriously been turned upside down by the new master of the house. I have so much to share about all the new changes in our lives. Now that the master allows me a few minutes of downtime during his naps, I'm really excited to start writing again.I'll be back at it with my first hand accounts from deep in the trenches of new parenthood starting next week with the dramatic story of the jr. Officer's birthday.

Time has seriously flown since his birth, and I feel like we're going to be packing him off for college in the blink of an eye (sniff, sniff, my baby). So to celebrate surviving eight months of parenthood, nycitified is participating in a giveaway!

Just in time for the holidays, you can enter to win a Student Starter Pack from Residence Hall Linens. This package is perfect for the little baby in your life whose feet now dangle off the end of that extra long bed in his/her dorm room.

Really, seriously, where does the time go? Someone please tell me!

*Prize package is a $188 value and includes the following:

2 extra-long fitted sheets
2 extra-long flat sheets
2 standard pillow cases
1 extra-fluffy pillow
1 extra-long reversible comforter
1 extra-long quilted mattress pad
2 all-cotton bath towels
2 matching cotton hand towels
2 matching cotton wash cloths
1 extra-long thermal cotton blanket
1 bedside buddy

*Winner’s choice on color combination.

(Enter on the Rafflecopter below the rules.)
RULES:

*This giveaway is open to US entries only.

*Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

*The winner of this giveaway will be drawn no later than the evening of December 16th and will be emailed. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

*This multi blogger giveaway was sponsored by Residence Hall Linens, but all opinions are strictly my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Would You Know What to do During a Shooting Incident?

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 22:15:00 +0000

This past week has been especially heartbreaking for Americans as we all try to make sense of the shootings in both an Oregon mall and Sandy Hook Elementary School. My heart absolutely goes out to these victims and their families. As we prepare our home for little Baby H, I can't even begin to imagine the heartbreak that those parents are experiencing.

Without a doubt, the scariest aspect of these events is the randomness factor. It is frightening to think that you or your loved ones could be trapped in a such a dangerous situation while going about your daily business.

So far, there has been lots of talk in the media about gun control, but absolutely zero attention on public safety. So with a little research, I put together a few safety tips that I sincerely hope you NEVER, EVER, EVER have to use.........

First things first: Identify the Incident

We're all familiar with the slogan "If you see something, say something" and it's worth repeating. Train yourself to stay alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. Be on the lookout for any suspicious activity (i.e. someone sweating in the winter or looking particularly nervous for no reason), and anything that looks out of place (i.e. a dude wearing a ski parka in July). Note: this doesn't mean that you should live your life in absolute fear, just that you should stay alert and use some common sense.
Don't assume it's a joke! If it seems like the situation is not right or dangerous, don't wait until it's too late to take action.
Try to remain calm and take notice of as many of the details as possible, so that you can assist first responders in finding and containing the situation as quickly as possible.

Run if you can!

Always take notice of the nearest exits, so you can get out as quickly as possible if it is safe to do so.
Don't stop: if you are able to get out of the situation safely, do not stop moving. Crazy people are unpredictable, so if it is safe to do so, go much further than you think is necessary (i.e. don't just stop once you reach the parking lot).
Once you are sure that you are a safe distance away, take cover behind something solid (i.e. a brick wall).
Call 9-1-1: Don't assume that someone else has already called. If you are able to get to a safe location, continue calling until you are able to reach a dispatcher. It's possible that you might have noticed something that other callers missed, and that could make a big difference to the emergency response.

If You Can't Escape, Take Cover

If you are unable to escape, try to remain as calm and quiet as possible.
Lock the door, and block the entrance with heavy furniture, but only if it is safe to do so without alerting the shooter to your location.
Move away from windows and doors. Turn off lights, computer screens, phones or anything else that could make the shooter aware of your location.
If you are with other people, scatter around the room and stay low/hidden.

When Help Arrives

For your own safety, do not approach emergency personnel unless told to do so, and follow all instructions.
Do not start screaming or shouting when emergency personnel arrive on the scene, because this could compromise the rescue operation and cause others to panic.
Keep your hands where emergency personnel can see them, and do not make any threatening movements. Until the situation is contained, emergency personnel will be completely focused on eliminating the danger and will likely see everyone as a possible threat.

If you would like more information, please click here for a detailed video that was put together for students at University of California, Merced in response to some of the recent campus shootings.

The Five Worst Christmas Gifts for My Future Kid

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:50:00 +0000

We're starting to get ready for Christmas around here, which means that Mr. Officer and I have had quite a few conversations about how much fun it's going to be when little baby H is around next year. In turn, that has prompted many discussions about Christmas toys.

Now if the stories from Mr. Officer's childhood are to be believed, we are gearing up for a very imaginative little pint-sized prankster. From all sonogram accounts, baby H is very active, which is also in keeping with Mr. Officer's childhood personality.

As our kid grows, the name of the game is going to be getting the energy out, without giving him any ideas for future mischief. With that in mind, I bring you my picks for the worst possible Christmas gifts to give our future little one.

1. Trampoline

We've all seen America's Funniest Home Videos, come on people, why are backyard trampolines even still on the market?! Mr. Officer and I decided that this was on the no list way before we even talked about marriage or kids.

I realize that many trampolines come with safety nets these days, but I feel pretty confident that baby H and his future friends will still find some way to foil my best safety measures. Plus I really don't want to encourage any sort of jumping activity, since a bed is just basically a giant, indoor trampoline. No thanks...pass!

2. Mischievous Elf on the Shelf

Okay, I actually love the Elf on the Shelf, and I think he's adorable. In fact, I can't wait to do this with our kid. However, Mr. Officer and I are going to have to be very careful about the elf scenarios. I'm fine with the elf taking Barbie out to the movies, or making mini donuts out of Cheerios, but I'm going to have to draw the line at the elf tp'ing the living room. Kids love to reenact things, so I don't need baby H fishing for, and then potentially eating, goldfish crackers from our toilet. Yuck.....

3. What's in Ned's Head?

This is another in the series of possible reenactments gone horribly awry. I'm sure we'll do a fair amount of fishing cereal and other random kid accoutrement from baby H's various orifices, so I don't need Ned to give him any ideas. Enough said about that one....

4. Don't Wake Daddy

Mr. Officer works nights, so I'm expecting that "Don't wake Daddy" will already be a popular phrase in our house. Did I mention that Mr. Officer is not a morning person, and does not like to be woken up? It would not work out well if this toy jumped off the game board and into real life.....I'm sure there would be tears on all sides. Therefore, it's for baby H's own emotional protection that this "game" is banned from our household.

5. Stuffies

This toy perplexes me every time I see the commercial on TV. I understand the attraction for little kids, but I'm just picturing opening up stuffies' mouth to discover that our kid has been feeding his brussel sprouts to his stuffy for the past week.....or that he put some chocolate milk in there for safe keeping...or that he forgot about the flashlight he put in there before clocking an innocent neighborhood kid over the head during a sleepover pillow fight. A stuffed animal with hidden compartments, that's a skip....

So, have I missed anything? What seemingly innocent toys are banned in your household?

{Book Review} Yes, Chef: A Memoir by Marcus Samuelsson

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 01:35:00 +0000

So I've decided that I need to share my book reviews with the world, because frankly, I think Mr. Officer is sick of hearing me yammer on about whatever random book I happen to be reading. As a disclaimer, it should be noted that my method for picking books is kind of hit or miss. Basically I just use Live-library.com, and search for available books with three or more stars. Speaking of which, sidebar, OMG borrowing ebooks from the library has been completely life (and pocketbook) changing.

Okay, I'm back from my sidebar now, and really excited to bring you my very first book review blog post - Yes, Chef: A Memoir by Marcus Samuelsson. I had high expectations for this one, because it had five stars on live-library. I've also seen Marcus Samuelsson on the Food Network a few times, and I was intrigued by his life story.

By way of background, Marcus Samuelsson was born Kassahun Tsegie in Ethiopia. He just barely made it to the hospital in Addis Ababa with his mother and sister before his mother succumbed to tuberculosis. After the tragedy of losing their biological mother, Kassahun and his sister were adopted by a Swedish couple and moved to Gothenburg, Sweden (where his name was changed to Marcus Sameulsson). Through hardwork and discipline, he went on to become a highly successful, international, superstar chef.

Sounds intriguing, right? Unfortunately, I didn't feel that the book really delivered, and I was kind of disappointed on the whole. It read kind of like an extended PR bio, and I felt like the entire book was transparently trying to sell me on how awesome and hardworking Marcus Samuelsson is as a chef.

That brings me to my next gripe about this book.......I just didn't find Marcus Samuelsson to be overly likable as a character. It's clear that he is extremely driven, and ambitious, but that blind ambition kind of rubbed me the wrong way. There was not even a hint of humor or lightness in his commentary, and I feel like he's not the kind of guy that I would want to hang out with on a Friday night. Now I realize that shouldn't factor into my book review, but if I'm going to read a few hundred pages about the guy, it helps if I'm actually pulling for him!

On the plus side, it is kind of fun to share in his accomplishments through the years, and there's a lot to learn from his self-made success. I also enjoyed the sporadic cooking tips, and the behind-the-curtain look at the world of professional chefs. On the whole, I give it 3.5 stars out of 5. Not terrible, but definitely not worth the five star hype!

So, did you read this book? What was your opinion? Leave me a comment and let me know if you agree or disagree with my assessment!

P.S. - if you want to read along with me for next time, I am currently reading The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson.

The Great Diaper Debate!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:34:00 +0000

There is a disturbance in the force, dear readers, and that disturbance revolves around baby poop. Or more specifically, baby poop containment devices. The issue of cloth vs. disposable diapers has quickly turned into the most contentious decision of our baby prep. For the first time, Mr. Officer and I actually found ourselves on opposite sides of a parenting decision.

Through lots of research and conversations with experienced parents, we discovered that people have some STRONG opinions on this particular topic. Parents of cloth diapered babies are excited to tell you that modern cloth diapers are the greatest things since sliced bread. Parents that use disposables, are quick to tell you that diapering can be extremely overwhelming, and stress that convenience is king where diapers are concerned. Realistically, the truth is probably somewhere in between.

Now before you go making a final decision, let me tell you that modern cloth diapers are not your mama's diapers. They're closer to disposables in overall design (i.e. no more diaper pins), but there still are lots of pros and cons on both sides. However, after lots of in-depth consideration (including some arm twisting and pleading from my end), we have decided that cloth diapers are worth a shot. Hooray!

If you're considering cloth diapers for your new addition, there's a lot to learn. Below, I've summarized some of the arguments that I've used to browbeat Mr. Officer into cloth diaper submission; organized from least important for our lifestyle (#10) to most important for our lifestyle (#1):

10. Environmental Concerns - it's important to care for the environment, landfills, disposables diapers, blah, blah. Seriously though, I feel like I won't really care too much about the environment when I'm deep in the poopy diaper trenches, but I guess it's still important.

9. Dangerous Chemicals - does anyone really know what that weird, blue, oozy stuff is in disposable diapers? This is another case of "I feel like I won't really care in the moment," but it does concern me a little bit.

8. Less Diaper Rash - I have kind of a hard time believing this one, because there are a lot of conflicting reports that disposables do a better job of pulling the wetness away from baby butts. However, cloth diaper advocates swear that cloth diapered babies suffer less diaper rash and potty train earlier. If there's a chance that is the case, I'll bite.

7. Cute Factor - ummm the Huggies Hawaiian Diapers just don't hold a candle to the Charlie Banana Robot Diaper in the cuteness arena. That is all.

6. Comfort for Baby - ever been to a doctor that uses those cheap, paper hospital gowns? They're drafty, scratchy, and not at all fun. I feel like disposable diapers probably feel like that for baby.....except centralized on baby's most sensitive parts!

5. Overnight Leak Protection - now I'm under no allusion that we won't have any leaks, but cloth pocket diapers at least give you the option to double or triple stuff for extra protection. Unless you put two diapers on the baby at night, disposables just don't really give you that option.

4. Less Trash - related to the environmental concerns, we have a problem here with small animals (raccoons, squirrels, etc.) getting into our trash and tipping over our trash cans. I really do not relish the idea of cleaning poopy, raccoon-bitten, diapers off the front yard.

3. Convenience - stick with me here, because I know "convenience" is not usually what comes to mind when people say cloth diapers. However, I will be home alone most days without a car. The thought of running out of diapers while home alone, without transportation, is a little scary. To me, it's going to be much easier to run an extra load of laundry than to plan my diaper needs four days in advance.

2. Fewer poop-spolsions - every disposable diaper parent we talked to had some truly frightening diaper blow-out stories to share. We're talking up the back, on the crib, all over everything, poop blow-outs. Almost unanimously, parents that have used a combination of cloth & disposable diapers have reported a significant decrease in poop-spolsions. It makes sense to me that the thick material and snaps on cloth diapers would do a better job of containment than the flimsy paper version, and I'd much rather be cleaning cloth diapers than my own clothes/arms/couch. Again, I'd be amazed if we never had a leakage problem, but I do believe that cloth diapers will do a better job. Need more convincing that disposables are less efficient in this area? Here you go, fair warning though, it's pretty gross.

1. Cost - when it comes right down to it, we wouldn't even be considering cloth diapers if they were more expensive in the long run. The average estimate for disposable diapers is $2,000 - $2,500 per child. OR you can buy a basic set of 20 cloth diapers from Alva Baby for $84 that can be reused for multiple children. Granted, you will probably have to spend about $15/month on supplies and laundry for cloth diapers, which gives you a grand total of $444 for basic, pocket style, cloth diapers (or $360 for each subsequent child). That's a savings of approximately $1,500 - $2,000 per child to put into the college fund. Done and done.

I'm pretty excited to boldly go into cloth diaper territory. Mr. Officer is onboard, but still has some very valid concerns about our decision. To find out why, stay tuned for a future post when I talk about the scary proposition of cleaning all those cloth diapers. Dunh, dunh, duuunnhhhhh......

Top Five Ways to Annoy a Pregnant Woman

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 22:41:00 +0000

Since I've spilled the beans on our baby news, I've been on the receiving end of more than a little bit of parenting advice. Some of it has been great and supportive, but a surprising amount falls into a much more unhelpful category.

So, as a public service for my fellow sisters-in-arms, I've put together a brief reference of comments that are usually not well received by ladies that are in the family way:

1. That's great that you enjoy your spouse's company, but he/she is going to change dramatically, so enjoy his/her company before you're overwhelmed by the urge to stab him/her in the eye with the nearest available toddler spork.

2. Labor is incredibly painful, you may think you know what you're in for, but really you have nooooo idea how much it's going to hurt. Here, you have to watch this youtube video of a woman in labor screaming bloody murder, I've already queued it up on my iPhone for you!

3. Are you sure you want to register for that particular baby item? It's not what we chose for our child, so allow me to present you with a brief dissertation on all the ways in which the one we chose is better.

4. Kids are really expensive, have you thought about that? Are you sure you will be able to manage the financial responsiblity of a new child?

5. Have you heard about the study that came out recently stating that it might be okay to drink a glass of wine while pregnant? You can totally have wine now! Here, I'll pour you a glass of merlot and bring you a plate of coldcuts.

The truth is that most pregnant women spend a ridiculous amount of time obsessively researching every little detail of pregnancy and childbirth. We're painfully aware of the cost involved, and totally freaked out about all the unknowable changes that are coming our way.

We're all really nervous about making the right choices for our families, so we just want a little reassurance that we're not screwing it up royally. Sure, we're happy to learn from your experience, but we know that what worked for you might not always be the best choice for our families. In short, please don't make a federal case out of it if we decide not to take your advice!

And p.s. please check your scare tactics at the door. We really don't want to hear about your friend's cousin's neighbor who was in labor for an entire week, and ended up wearing adult diapers for the rest of her life. Likewise, your story about the friend that got a divorce as a result of the stress of raising children, is so not helpful.

Thank you for listening to this pregnant lady PSA, you may now carry on with your regularly scheduled activities.

Exciting News!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:37:00 +0000

It's kind of an understatement to say that it's been a big year for NYCitified.

First we did this:

Then we did this:

And now we're preparing ourselves for this:

Aww, look at that little waving hand! Hello baby!

Yup, it's been a big year here at NYCitified. We're simultaneously super excited and crapping our pants in preparation of baby's arrival at the end of March. Hold onto your hats, it's going to be a wild couple of months.

So, in honor of all these exciting changes, I decided it was time to update the blog design. Please excuse my super amateur design skills. I won't even tell you how long it took me to figure it all out, but I'm feeling pretty smug about the whole thing tonight!

How to Uninstall a Temporary Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:25:00 +0000

Ugh, I've been struggling to write this post for ages. Soo much to say on the topic, soooo much life getting in the way. The wedding is only 3 weeks away, and I've been blogging over on the Broke-Ass Bride. Oh yeah, and we're all moved into our new house. But now I'm back, baby....and ready to talk about a big, pressurized, thorn in my side!

If you've ever lived in a NYC apartment, you're probably familiar with the concept of a temporary wall (also know as a pressurized wall). To the uninitiated, a temporary wall is essentially a wall constructed without screwing into the floor, existing walls, or ceiling. The whole idea is to make a ridiculously expensive NYC rental apartment more affordable by adding an extra room without doing any damage to the apartment (or your security deposit). I've done it in three apartments, including my most recent place.

Needless to say, the temporary walls are not approved by the NYC Department of Buildings, so the pressurized wall companies are all a little sleazy. In fact, I probably should have seen it coming when I called One Wall, Two Rooms to schedule our "free" temporary wall removal and was told we would be charged a "small fee" of $475. Ummm, what? Is that what we're calling a small fee these days? Oh and the deposit for the return of materials magically disappeared once we were ready to actually remove the wall. How convenient.

And that is how Mr. Officer and I ended up uninstalling a pressurized wall on a cold, January day. I was a little worried when we first set out on this little project, but it seriously couldn't have been easier. We didn't have any instructions to follow, but after our experience I feel like I needed to do a PSA for NYC to show people how easy it really is to remove a pressurized wall.

Tools Required

Screwdriver
Rubber Mallet
Power drill
Step stool
2 people

Step 1: Remove any doors by the hinges.

Step 2: Remove all the moulding around the drywall/door frames. The moulding is held in place by small, tacking nails, and should just pry off of the drywall. We used a screwdriver to get us started, but then the moulding just pulled right off.

Step 3: Carefully remove any screws around the windows and doorframes with a power drill, and slide out the windows/door frames.

Step 4: Use a power drill to unscrew all of the drywall screws, and carefully remove the drywall from the pressurized wall frame. Note: you will probably need one person to hold the drywall sheet in place and catch the screws, while the other person takes out the screws.

Step 5: Use a rubber mallet to carefully knock the support beams out of the frame (working parallel to the top & bottom of the full frame). This is also a two person job, because you will need one person to hold the top of the frame against the ceiling while the other person removes the support beams.

Step 6: Break up the drywall sheets/moulding and put it in heavy duty, construction, trash bags. Yup, NYC sanitation will collect residential building trash for small projects. Also, we put the doors, windows and aluminum beams by the curb with a sign that the materials were free for looting. Then we went for pizza, and the materials were gone within the hour.

That's it folks, easy peasy!

Love, thy name is Polyvore!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:03:00 +0000

Isn't it just great being a girl? We get glitter pedicures while simultaneously reading Hollywood gossip and drinking free cosmos (fyi - Dashing Diva in Brooklyn offers free cosmos on Thursday and Friday nights). Meanwhile the guys just get some stinky cigars and a hot shave...LAME.

OMG jumpy claps and now I've found Polyvore! I am not cool enough to actually be endorsed by Polyvore, I'm just over excited and wanted to share. It's like the most amazeballs, fantasy, shopping trip ever with all the fun of old timey paperdolls. Side note: I loved paperdolls so much as a kid that I made Civil War Era paperdolls for a 7th grade history project. Yup, it was kind of an awkward nerd-diva phase, but I worked it.

Anywho, I'm crazy proud of my new creations, so without further ado I present you my fantasy closet. Click on the pictures below to see a larger image with price/brand details. Eeee, so excited.

Meeting vendors with Mom via Polyvore

Totally would hit the yoga studio if I had this cute ensemble via Polyvore

Glammed out bridal shower outfit va Polyvore

Shopping with the bridesmaids outfit via Polyvore

PS - Is it too late to change my bridal registry to include some cute outfits? I mean a bride has to look adorable throughout the entire process, right?

Merry New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:35:00 +0000

photo via Living in Cinema

Happy New Year everyone! I know I've been away for a while, but I promise that I have some very good reasons.

First of all, I'm happy to report that I finished my Professional Writing Certificate at Hunter College in December. Yay! I hope this means that I'll be kicking the writing level up a notch here, but more likely it just means that my mom will continue to call me with grammar corrections. (Hi Mom! Love ya anyway).

Second bit of news - NYCitified will soon become Long Islandified. That's right, after almost ten years in NYC, this city girl is about to become a suburbanite. We're super excited to have a whole house to prance around in, and I promise to post lots of details about our adventures in homeownership.

As a final bit of news, we're still chugging along with our wedding plans and I'll have some very exciting wedding related blogging news to share soon. Stay tuned for all the details, because 2012 is going to be a fantastic year!

Bacon, Mushroom and Pea Risotto

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:48:00 +0000

Recently I discovered a new favorite ingredient….are you ready? I’ll give you a clue:

Photo via IMDB

Yup in addition to free healthcare and mounted police, Canada also has the most delicious bacon….really, what’s not to love about our neighbors to the north?

But seriously, there’s a lot to love about Canadian bacon. If you haven’t had it before, Canadian bacon is actually much more like ham than bacon. That means it’s leaner than traditional bacon and comes in at just 2.4 grams of fat/ounce versus 11.9 grams of fat/ounce for regular pork bacon. Wow!

Photo via Fresh Direct

Another huge bonus is that our grocery store sells it from the deli counter, so I love that I can save money by purchasing a small 0.25 lb package instead of a full 12 oz. package. Because let’s face it, unless we’re having retro ‘50s week around here, there’s just no way that two people can eat a full package of bacon.

So in an effort to cram my new favorite into a recipe, I decided to use it as a base for my usual mushroom risotto. The result was woodsy, manly and completely delicious. Mr. Officer was super excited about this recipe, so I expect it will go into our regular rotation. As an added bonus, we’re now completely prepared with a delicious peace offering in the event that the President decides to take a cue from a John Candy movie and start a Cold War with Canada……

KT & Mr. Officer enjoying the Disney version of Canada

Bacon, Mushroom & Pea Risotto

Please excuse my fuzzy picture and alien peas

¼ lb Canadian Bacon, chopped

1 package sliced cremini mushrooms

1 shallot, chopped

1 c. Arborio rice

2 14.5 oz. cans Reduced Fat & Low Sodium Chicken Broth

¼ c. bourbon or whiskey

½ c. frozen peas

½ c. shredded parmesan cheese

2 tbsp olive oil (optional)

Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, sauté the bacon over high heat in a Dutch oven for about 2-3 minutes to render the fat. If your bacon is very lean, you may need to add a bit of olive oil in order to keep the ingredients from burning.
Add the mushrooms and shallot to the bacon pan and sauté in the bacon fat/olive oil until the vegetables start to soften (about 3 – 5 minutes).
Add the rice to the Dutch oven and sauté for approximately 1 minute to toast the rice. Turn off the heat and carefully add the bourbon or whiskey, stirring to deglaze the pan.
With the Dutch oven on medium heat, begin ladling the chicken stock into the rice pan ½ c at a time and stir until the broth is absorbed by the rice. Continue adding chicken stock and stirring the rice until all of the stock has been added.
Turn the heat to low and add the peas and cheese. Stir and heat until the peas are warmed through and the cheese is melted.

How to Save For Retirement by Eating a Healthier Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:14:00 +0000

Source: Crown Fried Chicken

It’s a story we’ve heard over and over– Americans are obese because many can’t afford to eat a healthy diet. Really?! Is that even possible? I’m no genius, but the math in that equation never seemed right.

To me, it seems more likely that most people are just too L-A-Z-Y to bother with meal planning and cooking. So, I was excited when I came across this article in the NY Times that supported my assumption.

Source: Martha Stewart

Inspired by my reading and the recent economic protest kerfuffle, I decided to conduct my own experiment for our two person household. Without further ado, I bring you NYCitified’s first ever homemade versus fast food price challenge!

Night 1: Martha Stewart’s Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon and Asparagus (reserve 2 servings for night 2)

Night 2: Mom’s Chicken Corn Chowder

Now let’s see how my recipes compared economically to the NYC favorite, Crown Fried Chicken, with a super nerdy cost analysis spreadsheet. And yes, this is what I do with my Friday nights…..

Ingredients	Grocery Total	Recipe Total	Cost per person/per night
Chicken Breast with Ribs (2 pieces/2lbs)	$5.33	$5.33	$0.89
Golden Creamer Potatoes (24 oz bag)	$3.49	$3.49	$0.58
Asparagus	$4.89	$4.89	$0.82
Rosemary	$1.99	$1.99	$0.33
Lemons (2)	$1.89	$1.89	$0.32
Butter (2 sticks)	$2.39	$0.45	$0.08
Lipton Noodle Soup (2 packets)	$1.89	$0.95	$0.16
Fat Free Milk (1 quart)	$1.29	$0.16	$0.03
Creamed Corn	$1.69	$1.69	$0.28
Total	$24.85	$20.84	$3.47

Takeout Comparison	Total Cost	Dinner Cost	Cost per person/per night
Crown Fried Chicken Dinner Box includes: 3 pieces of chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw & 2 rolls	$29.94	$29.94	$4.99
	$29.94	$29.94	$4.99
Total savings for the week	$5.09	$9.11	$1.52
Total savings for the year	$264.68	$473.46	$78.91
¹Grocery cost based on Fresh Direct standard prices

There you have it, making a healthy dinner just two nights every week for a year can put over $400 into that retirement account; not to mention a serious dent in that expanding waistline.

So what do you think readers? Are you convinced that making dinner saves money or do you still think fast food is cheaper?

A Decade of Perspective - Part III

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:17:00 +0000

Given my initial reaction, you can imagine my surprise when I was reduced to a blubbering, weeping mess while watching the History Channel last year on the nine year anniversary of 9/11. What triggered the emotion that I didn’t have all those years ago? For me, it was watching the footage of dust covered people running past the landmarks I recognized from my everyday routine. There’s the shoe repair store and the eyeglass place, and here are the people taking refuge in a lobby that I walk by every day. Then there are the emergency responders talking about survivors and casualties in the foyer of 7WTC. Obviously the building is all new now, but I immediately recognized the way that the light filters in past the other buildings and the unchanged position of the security desk.

Suddenly NYC’s WTC was no longer a far-off or remote place. There I am sweeping past the security desk and taking the elevator to my 8 AM meeting. Here are my friends running dazed and dust covered through the streets of NY. There’s the man I love going into the lobby to rescue survivors.

The thing is that the effects of 9/11 are always subtly in the background, to the point that you kind of forget that things were ever different. I never thought that for the past ten years, my life would be moving in concentric circles closer to ground zero. I hadn’t considered that we would still be living with “specific and credible” terrorist threats, but it seems clear to me now that a war on terror doesn’t have a true beginning or end. It’s impossible to sign a peace treaty with an organization that is aligned only with hate so there are only more dangerous periods and less dangerous periods, but life goes on. People are still falling in love, finding new jobs and getting wrapped up in the mundane aspects of life such as finding matching socks and managing bad hair days.

So on the ten year anniversary of 9/11, I want to say thank you to the city of NY. You’ve given me an identity, a way of life and a future. Your courage and resilience has shaped my adult life in a way that I truly will never be able to forget.

A Decade of Perspective - Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 22:54:00 +0000

Now, ten years later my life is completely intertwined with the city of NY. I know the subway system by heart; I can interpret the unintelligible route change announcements. I’ve made friends, lost friends, had 6 apartments and 5 jobs. I've learned that I’m supposed to say something if I see something. I’ve seen police officers with semi-automatic weapons and I know my NYPD fiancé has a biohazard suit in the trunk of the car.

During my NYC career, I've also worked at the rebuilt World Trade Center 7. Working at 7 WTC wasn't quite as awe-inspiring as you might think. In fact, most days were pretty unremarkable and I was more likely to be annoyed by the tourists that blocked the sidewalk to take pictures than awed by the rebuilding efforts. Each time I start a new job though, I know I'll probably be issued a bright red fannypack filled with emergency PowerBars, water, burn cream and a gas mask in case of an attack. It’s not something I ever think about; to me it’s just a normal part of life.

NYC is also the place where I found my future husband and started planning for the future.
When I tell people that I am marrying a police officer, the reaction is always the same…..first they want to know if it’s anything like the cop shows on TV and then they want to know how I can handle knowing that his job is so dangerous. To answer the first question – no, it’s not anything like TV. The NYPD still uses typewriters for most of their paperwork so you can just forget about all those fancy touchscreens.

The answer to the second question is a bit more complex. The easy response is that I just don’t think about it, but I’m not naïve either. I know he wears a bulletproof vest to work, I’m aware he can shoot a gun and I’ve heard his command voice. For the most part we just try to make light of the situation; I tease him about being a “pistol expert” and he tells me about his daily HI jinxes with his partner.

All joking aside, it's undeniably terrifying to think that the man I love spends his days running towards danger. When it comes right down to it though, I’m also insanely proud of him. He and his colleagues are willing to do a job that takes a crazy amount of training and a ridiculous amount of courage. I love him even more for his courage and selflessness so I coudn't even imagine asking him to stop doing the job he loves.

To be continued…..

A Decade of Perspective - Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 21:37:00 +0000

In a very special memorial version of NYCitified, I’m posting a three part series with my thoughts and reflections on the last ten years. The events of 9/11 have deeply impacted my generation and had a huge impact on the development of our adult lives. This is the story of how my life has been influenced.

Photo via All Posters

September 11, 2001 – it was a crisp, fall morning in Pittsburgh and I was on my way to class during my senior year of college. I was wearing a white sweater and I’m sure I was thinking about the heavy subject of whether or not I had time to stop and get a granola bar. Suddenly multiple cellphones were ringing simultaneously and it was as if everyone on the street got the memo to stop walking at exactly the same moment. Flight 93 had just gone down in Shanksville, PA but the news media had it slightly wrong, and reported that a plane had just crashed in Pittsburgh. The University of Pittsburgh parents were in a panic and the day that had started out so peacefully, had just taken an abrupt turn for the surreal. The US was under terrorist attack and the North Tower of the World Trade Center was about to collapse.

The rest of the day is a bit of a blur. I know that at some point I watched the news coverage from a classroom in the business school building. I remember a very awkward lunch with a guy that had a crush on me (the feeling was definitely not mutual). Pittsburgh public transportation was halted so I made the long walk home in beautiful September weather and found my roommates in the backyard with the weed whacker. In retrospect, the weed whacker part seems a bit odd, but at the time it seemed perfectly normal. That day, doing something was better than doing nothing. I’m sure all three of us gave blood and I’m sure my tiny veins made it very painful, but I really don’t remember that part at all.

The one thing that does stick with me more than anything though, was a feeling of distance. We were safely tucked away in Pittsburgh and NYC seemed like a far-off fantasyland at the time. Sure, I had been there a few times to see shows and do a little sightseeing, but I didn’t actually know anyone in NY. I had no real connection to the people or the place. I still felt sad, but it was more like the subtle feeling of sadness that accompanies uncontrollable change, not the intense sadness that comes with real loss. I can’t remember even crying that day.

Smashcut to 9 months later and I was moving into a little apartment with a mouse problem on the Upper Westside of Manhattan. So what would possess a person to move to NYC less than one year after such a terrifying incident? Frankly, I wonder that myself some days, but I think I was mostly propelled out of a spirit of adventure and challenge. Maybe I’m a little type A that way, but I loved the idea of taking on one of the most competitive cities in the world, just to see if I could do it. Oh and it didn’t hurt that the economy was a mess and New York was literally the only city that seemed to have jobs. I found my dream job and I was well on my way to becoming an obnoxious New Yorker. Score one for KT and her Upper Westside apartment with the BB gun holes in the bedroom window!

To be continued…….

Easy Strawberry Avocado Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:23:00 +0000

I’ve been a bad blogger. Bad, bad KT for neglecting the readers (all 2 of you) and leaving the blog to rot like an old banana. Don’t worry though; I’m currently doing penance in time out…..

I wish I had some good excuse for completely ignoring my blog, but the truth is that it’s just been way too humid for me to even think about getting creative in the kitchen. My kitchen adventures lately have been strictly in and out affairs with tried and true recipes. Nothing really exciting to report, but with autumn right around the corner I’m back on the wagon!

The upside of all this neglect is that it’s allowed me to get some serious wedding planning done. Ladies and gentlemen we have a dress! I’m so excited, but Mr. Officer is a little bummed that I won’t let him see a picture. Apparently no one told him that seeing the bride before the wedding is bad luck. However, I’m willing to make a one-time exception just to stop the bellyaching, so without further ado……a dress pic:

What?! You didn’t think I’d actually post a full picture of the dress, did you? Is that the skirt, the bodice, front, back? The possibilities are endless and you all will just have to wait until the big day to get the full effect.

Alright fine, to make it up to you and remind you of the handsome guy that I’ll be marrying, a gratuitous Mr. Officer shot from the beach. Just um, disregard the creepy saltwater taffy puppets flipping around in the background. Oh yeah, and below the picture, I also have a delicious recipe for you to enjoy!

Easy Strawberry-Avocado Salad

1 avocado, chopped

2 breaded chicken cutlets, baked and chopped (I used Fresh Direct breaded almond chicken cutlets, but you can use whatever floats your boat)

1 package romaine lettuce

6 strawberries, sliced

2 handfuls cashew halves

Red wine vinaigrette, to taste (I used approximately 2 tablespoons of Brianna’s brand)

1. Assemble ingredients and toss, couldn’t be easier! No cooking involved.

2. Convince fiancé that even though he is a manly man, this dinner will be delicious and filling.

3. Smile brightly and try not to say “I told you so” when he proclaims his dinner delicious and filling.

Basil – Arugula Pesto Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 08:06:00 +0000

Random story - one of the first times I had pesto was during a business lunch when I was working at American Ballet Theatre. We were meeting a high society donor for lunch at Union Square Café and I was absolutely terrified that I was going say something stupid or get a giant piece of spinach stuck in my teeth. Unknowingly I ordered the pesto, which is basically a spinach tooth just waiting to happen. Luckily I managed to get through the lunch without completely embarrassing myself, but lesson learned for all future dates and/or business lunches with intimidating high society ladies!

Photo via ladies that lunch
And yes, we're still rockin' the flapper style in NYC....the more you know!

I love pesto and usually make a big batch at least once per summer so that I can freeze the leftovers. I’ve heard it's possible to freeze pesto in ice cube trays and then put the frozen cubes in freezer bags for storage. That’s too fussy for me though so I usually wait until the pesto firms up in the fridge a bit and just spoon it into a log shape on a sheet of Saran Wrap. Then I just wrap it up in the Saran¸ throw the whole thing in a freezer bag and cut off pieces from the frozen log as needed.

*Hey, look at that.....another bonus drink recommendation! I was in a very Italian mood tonight and decided it was time for a Campari Americano happy hour....yay happy hour! If you want to play along from home, a Campari Americano is simply 1 oz. of Campari, 1 oz. of vermouth and some seltzer water combined over ice in a glass. If you’re feeling fancy, you can throw in a twist of orange or lemon peel, but I’m usually pretty unmotivated when it comes to garnishes.

Please note that if you haven’t had Campari before, it is a bit of an acquired taste. I don’t generally like really sweet drinks so the bitterness of a nice Campari Americano is a perfect summer drink for me. When we were in Disney World though, we stopped by the Coca Cola sampling station and discovered that the Italian regional soda (which is called Beverly) is essentially a non-alcoholic, slightly sweeter version of Campari. Now if you want some fun on a sweltering, Florida afternoon just try feeding a bitter orange soda to a bunch of pre-pubescent American boys. I guarantee hilarity will ensue….now that’s entertainment!

Basil Arugula Pesto Pasta
1 package fresh pasta
1 package of basil leaves, washed and picked from the stems (mine turned out to be approximately 3 cups loosely packed)
1 package arugula leaves, washed and picked from the stems (mine turned out to be approximately 1 cup loosely packed)
½ c. shredded parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. chopped shallot
2 tbsp. pasta cooking water (cooled to room temperature)
¼ c. chopped walnuts
¾ c. olive oil
Chopped tomatoes

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserving 2 tbsp of the pasta cooking water.

2. Put the next 6 ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend to combine. With the blender/food processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Note: you may need more or less olive oil depending on the desired consistency.

3. Combine the pasta with a few tablespoons of pesto and garnish with chopped tomatoes. To store the remaining pesto just put it in an airtight container with a thin layer of olive oil on top or freeze for later use!

Weeknight Spaghetti & Meatballs

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:06:00 +0000

Confession time.....for most of my life I was afraid to make spaghetti & meatballs. It's true, this is the type of shame I carry with me on a daily basis.

I think maybe I've been traumatized by all the stories I've heard about Italian Grandmothers lovingly toiling over huge pots of red gravy for hours; stirring, tasting, seasoning, etc. The truth is, if I made Italian wine in my basement or grew tomatoes for my sauce in my garden in Queens, I think I might feel the same way because sometimes it's about the process and the memories. Who can compete with that level of dedication?

However, I managed to overcome my fears and made some very delicious meatballs the other day. Sometimes it's the small victories in life. Not to brag or anything, but the sauce was so delicious that I may have been taking little spoonfuls everytime I passed through the kitchen for the rest of the night.....please don't judge me (even if I used my fingers a few times).

End result: I had a delicious dinner, my man had a delicious dinner, everyone wins, I'm so proud of myself! Huh, maybe the Grandmothers won't rise up and chase after me with wooden spoons after all!

*Bonus wine pairing recommendation: I enjoyed my spaghetti & meatballs with a nice glass of Chaddsford Winery Merican. We're kind of obsessed with the Chaddsford Winery and my man never misses an opportunity to show off his vintners club frequent buyer card.....because we're giant nerds and love that kind of thing. Not to worry though, there will be lots more babbling on about wine as get closer to our wedding in a Pennsylvania winery/bed & breakfast next year!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Meatballs

1 lb ground meat

1 egg

¼ c. breadcrumbs

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. nutmeg

1 tbsp olive oil

Sauce

1 shallot, chopped

¼ c. red wine

28 oz. crushed tomatoes with basil

15 oz. diced tomatoes

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp crushed red pepper

2 tsp. sugar

1. Combine all meatball ingredients except for the olive oil in a large mixing bowl. Form the meat mixture into balls using your hands (it should make about 12 meatballs). Be careful that you don’t handle the meat too much because that will result in tough meatballs.

2. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven on the stovetop and brown the meatballs in the oil. Remove the meatballs to paper towel lined plate to drain.

3. Reserve 1 tbsp of the oil and meat drippings in the dutch oven, add the shallots and cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Turn off the heat, add the wine to deglaze the pan and cook off the alcohol.

4. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan along with the meatballs and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

BBQ Ribs

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 03:10:00 +0000

I hope you all had a fun and celebratory 4th of July, I know we all had a great time here in NYC!

I was so excited to finally spend a holiday with my main man this year. Alas, the city of NY had different plans and he ended up patrolling the harbor during the fireworks (cue Price Is Right style loser sound effect).

But as a consolation prize, doesn't he look so handsome and official in the picture below?! Rawr....not even gonna lie, I did consider leaping into the harbor so that I could be rescued by this good looking guy:

However I'm happy to report that I was able to hold onto some small shred of dignity and did not end up swimming out to his boat. Instead, I settled down to watch the exact same fireworks with our friends from a sweet vantage point behind the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Oooohhh, aaaahhh, pretty and patriotic!

Yup, Macy's really knows how to put on a show. Plus we discovered that the added bonus of a fireworks display sponsored by a huge department store is that it provides a perfect setup for numerous jokes about the finale involving a special, aerial coupon code for 25% off slacks. These are the jokes folks.

Now that I'm done gloating about my handsome fiance and excellent fireworks-watching spot.....let's cook some ribs! I don't really have too much to say about this recipe except that it's good, you should make it. And yes, that's a blueberry muffin on the plate. Don't knock it until you try it!

BBQ Ribs

Barbecue Bible BBQ rub (recipe below)

Rack of ribs

BBQ sauce

1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Rub ribs all over with dry rub, seal tightly in aluminum foil and place in a baking dish.

2. Bake for 2 hours at 300 degrees.

3. Open aluminum foil and baste with BBQ sauce, put back in the oven and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Barbecue Bible BBQ Rub

¼ c. sweet paprika

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

1 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1. Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar, shake to mix and use as needed. Makes about ½ cup or enough for 4-6 racks of ribs. The rub can be stored away from heat and light for up to 6 months.

Chicken Tacos

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:59:00 +0000

Greetings blog readers! I feel like I’ve been a little behind on my blogging lately, but I’m back today with a great recipe for chicken tacos.

I love this recipe because it incorporates three of my favorite things: a crockpot, laziness and Pepper Jack cheese. Plus the tacos are relatively low-fat and taste great with a Corona. My main squeeze told me that these tacos were better than the version served at our local Mexican restaurant so I will take that as a big old compliment. Now if I can just learn how to make pizza we’ll really be in business! So, anyone have any good pizza recipes?

Chicken Tacos

16 oz container salsa

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
15 oz can black beans
1 package of 6" corn tortillas
Sliced Pepper Jack cheese
Tomatoes, chopped
Avocado, chopped

Place chicken, salsa and black beans in crockpot. Cook on low for about 8 hours or on high for about 5 hours (adjusting temperature as needed for frozen chicken).
Using a gas stovetop, char the tortillas slightly by placing each one individually on a burner for a few seconds until it's slightly blackened around the edges. Please use caution when doing this and watch your tortillas closely to make sure they don't go up in flames!
Make the tacos by layering the tortillas with the cheese on the bottom, followed by the chicken mixture with the tomatoes and avocado on top.

Emeril’s Fish Provencal – My Favorite Summer Dish

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 03:24:00 +0000

A few years ago I was browsing through Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food Magazine and found this recipe for Emeril’s Fish Provencal.

Photo via Martha Stewart
Note: mine never looks this pretty, it's okay though, it still tastes delicious!

The recipe doesn’t look like anything special, but I have to tell you the taste is absolutely amazing and the recipe quickly became a favorite. It’s so perfect for a summer day, and the big bonus is that it’s also super healthy – high in heart healthy omega-3 fatty acid, lycopene filled tomatoes and cancer fighting dietary fiber in the zucchini.

Now that I’ve made this about a zillion times, I’ve made a few changes to the original recipe:

1. When I don't feel like dealing with the grill, I cook mine under the broiler for 20 minutes instead.

2. Instead of haddock or cod, I used bluefish this time……….but only because it was on sale at the store.

3. I love Penzy’s Northwoods seasoning so I always use it instead of the Italian seasoning and anise seeds. Plus that saves me from having to buy a random ingredient like anise seeds.

4. If I have an open bottle of wine in the fridge, I usually add a little splash of wine to the packet.

5. I used thinly sliced shallots instead of Vidalia onion.

Totally delicious with a glass of white wine, out on the patio!

How about you? Do you have a go-to summer favorite

Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Whiskey Gravy

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:47:00 +0000

We just returned from the absolute best vacation ever in Disney World. Everyone say yay for Disney World! Who knew that Disney was so much fun for adults? We were like two big kids running around to all the rides, picking out which things we wanted to do next…..plus now we have the added bonus of being old enough to fully experience the Epcot World Showcase (a.k.a. the international beers and snacks of the world). Huge score.

Photographic evidence of us finishing our vacation with French champagne & crepes

Now we’re back to reality, sigh. I think we’re both feeling a little bummed to be back to the real world so I decided we needed a little comfort food pick-me-up to start the week. That and I had a pot roast in the freezer that was starting to feel a little neglected. Hence, slow cooked pot roast with whiskey gravy! Which, by the way, to add to the huge list of reasons why I love my slow cooker…..did I mention that we don’t have air conditioning here and that the thought of using the oven in 90 degree weather is not so appealing? I’m just saying, expect lots of slow cooked love this summer.

Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Whiskey Gravy

1 1/2 pound beef roast

10.25 oz can beef gravy

10.25 oz warm water

A few handfuls of baby carrots

1 onion, cut up

3 small russet potatoes, cut up

2 tsp flour

1/4 cup whiskey

salt & pepper to taste

1. Place beef roast in slow cooker and surround with vegetables. Pour the can of gravy over top, and add one can full of warm water to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 10 to 12 hours.

2. At the end of the cooking time, remove roast and veggies from the slow cooker and strain the juices into a saucepan on the stove.

3. Mix together the flour and whiskey (I usually shake mine in a mason jar to get out all of the lumps) and whisk the flour mixture into the juices in the saucepan to create a gravy. Add salt & pepper to taste and bring to a rolling boil, stirring or whisking frequently.

4. In the meantime, slice the beef and add it back to the slow cooker along with the cooked vegetables. When the gravy is done, pour it back into the slow cooker and put the cooker on warm until ready to eat.

*Note: I used a roast straight from my freezer, you may need to reduce the cooking time if you are using a piece of meat that is not frozen.

Yum - looks good enough to eat!

Memorial Day Cheeseburgers!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 31 May 2011 03:09:00 +0000

It’s officially summer in NYC, time for backyard BBQs, walks in the park and sweating it out in the subway stations.

It also means that the fleet is in for Fleet Week….well hello sailor!

Photo via NY Daily News

Photo via Gothamist

In honor of Memorial Day this year, I salute our devoted servicemen and women with the most American thing I can think of.....a cheeseburger! NYC loves you and thanks you for your devoted service. So up kick your feet, grab a beer and enjoy the guilty pleasure of a greasy burger because, baby, you've earned it.

1 lb ground beef

1 tbsp BBQ rub seasoning

1 tbsp Worchestershire Sauce

1 tsp dried parsley

1 avocado, sliced

1 beefsteak tomato, sliced

4 slices pepperjack cheese

4 hamburger buns

cooking spray

Directions

Mix together ground beef, BBQ rub, Worchestershire sauce and parsley. Form into 4 flat patties (about 1/4 inch each). Note: try not to overwork the meat because that will result in tough burgers.
Heat a frying pan coated with cooking spray over high heat. Add burgers and cook for 3 minutes.
Flip burgers and add cheese. Cover and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Assemble burgers on buns with avocado and tomato slices. Enjoy!

Memorial Day Cheeseburgers

Broccoli, Pea and Prosciutto Pasta Bake - recipe help needed!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 24 May 2011 23:09:00 +0000

I have a confession to make….I made a terrible dinner the other night. It didn’t taste like feet or anything, it was just kind of lame.

I was in the mood for a baked pasta dish but we’ve been trying to eat healthy. I figured it would be easy to whip up something good and low-fat. Wrong. Somehow in my zeal for low-fat deliciousness, I made a very boring dish. What can I say; sometimes the man of the house gets stuck with a big, steaming bowl of bland for dinner. Big bummer though, I was really hoping this one would work out because I wanted to love it.

Photo via tvtropes.org

Now, dear readers, I need your help because I still want this one to work. Take a look and let me know if you have any ideas on where this might have gone so wrong! The person that can tell me how to renovate it into something healthy, lowfat and satisfying gets a big, gold star.

Broccoli, Pea and Prosciutto Pasta Bake

1 10 oz bag frozen broccoli

¼ c frozen peas

8 oz large pasta shells

3 pieces prosciutto, chopped

1 15 oz container non-fat ricotta cheese

2 egg whites

½ c low-fat Italian cheese mix

½ c low-fat milk

¼ c grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried parsley

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Start a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta per the package directions.

2. Microwave the broccoli on high for 3 minutes, add the peas and microwave an additional 30 seconds.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Add the broccoli, peas and cooked pasta.

4. Pour the entire mixture into a 2 quart square baking dish and bake covered for 45 minutes.

Oven Fried Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 19 May 2011 23:29:00 +0000

Recently I’ve been trying to reduce our weekly grocery bill while finding ways to continue making tasty and healthy meals. My goal is to get our bill down to $60/week, but let me tell you folks it’s not so easy in NYC. Especially since I love, love, love shopping at the fancy grocery store. For some ridiculous reason it’s just relaxing to me… there are free samples of fancy cheese and the milk comes in pretty glass bottles. Speaking of which, big PSA for any readers in the NY metro area; I just found out that you can get $1.50 back for returning your Ronnybrook glass bottles to the grocery store. So there you have it, I’ve officially found an excuse to keep on buying fancy milk and sampling expensive cheese. What?! I get money back, it’s cost cutting!

Photo via: Ronnybrook Dairy

But back to the issue at hand, last week I swapped my usual boneless skinless chicken breasts for more budget friendly skin-on chicken legs. Originally I was going to make regular baked chicken, but I was feeling kind of meh about that as a dinner option so I decided to go for some oven fried chicken instead.

I’m not sure that this really classifies as “healthy” per se, but considering that it isn’t fried in three inches of oil, I’m okay with dubbing it a healthy alternative. However, I will caution you that if you are craving traditional fried chicken with a thick crust, this probably won’t do it for you but it is delicious and makes the house smell A-MA-ZING! Also it goes great with a little bourbon spiked iced tea…..go on with your bad self, I won’t tell J

Oven Fried Chicken

2 cups buttermilk
2 tsp hot sauce
3 tbsp shortening
1 1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks
2/3 cup Bisquick
1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
cooking spray

1. Place chicken, buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

2. Put the shortening in a glass baking dish, place the dish in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.

3. Mix together the Bisquick, poultry seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper. Dredge the chicken in the Bisquick mixture.

4. Place the chicken skin side down in the melted shortening coated baking dish, spritz with cooking spray and bake for 30 minutes. Flip chicken, spritz with cooking spray and bake for another 30 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Be sure to let the chicken rest for at least ten minutes so that the skin adheres to the meat.

*note: I didn't have any actual buttermilk at the time so I did the milk & lemon juice trick (1 tbsp lemon juice per cup of milk will give you buttermilk)

**second note: I live in Brooklyn and therefore everything takes forever to cook in my oven. If you have an oven that hasn't been around since the mid 70s, be sure to watch your chicken carefully.

***third note: lots of notes on this one, but a note about Bisquick. I happen to really like the slightly sweet, waffley taste that the Bisquick gives the chicken, but if this isn't your thing and you're more of a purest, feel free to substitute regular old flour.

Hey look! An actual picture of the finished product:

Just um, don’t mind the terrible lighting in our kitchen…..or the huge mayo finger smear in the tomato bowl.