Cook in the making...

After getting married and trying to cook for my hungry husband, there have been many successes and failures to meals. Usually the failure comes when I follow a recipe exactly the way it says without tasting. Food Network has been such a wonderful channel to watch because its been great to learn how to hold a knife like a chef and guess what?!? You taste food!!

So last night I made my mom's chicken enchiladas and guess what I did not have!? A recipe! I made chicken enchiladas (though it is probably one of those recipes you can memorize easily) without looking at what or how much of a certain ingredient the recipe calls for. Instead of following the recipe to finish, I followed the recipe to taste; moreover, I tasted how much sour cream was needed or how much salt and pepper. I did not feel as stressed or hurried when I cooked that way. I took pictures to document the successful dinner!

p.s. Brady (ate it all) loved it!!!

Newton's Cradle

'Tis The Season...

As I was doing some dishes on Saturday morning, I couldn't help but notice all the Christmas and Thanksgiving commercials that were going on already. All I could hear was, "Celebrate the holidays with a new Lexus", as well as "For this holiday season, leave the mess of cooking to Reynolds Wrap!" I looked up momentarily to catch a glimpse of this commercial and what I saw astounded me. In one take of the commercials, they had a lady scrubbing the roasting rack so hard I thought she would break it. In the next scene, she smoothly takes the turkey out of the oven and simply tosses the aluminum foil away.

Are our holidays so horrible and dry that we need these things? Is cooking and having family over so much of a burden that I need a thin, 7" x 13" sheet of aluminum to help me get through it all? Of course not, but why try to make me believe that it is? It's true that cooking can be a hassle at the holidays, but why is this so? Perhaps we bite off a little more than we can chew. I have vivid memories of hearing pots and pans being banged around for the great day of Turkey. I would sleepily look at the alarm clock and try to make out the time. "4 am!?" I would think. "Who gets up at 4 am to cook a turkey!?" I would ask myself as I rolled over. It's not that I don't appreciate what my parents did, but I'm sure for them it would have been nice to sleep in a little longer, at least until 8 am.

With this memory in mind, perhaps we do need that sheet of aluminum to get us through. Our holidays, perhaps, have become so strenuous that we need all the help we can get. If that is the case, then I say, "Bring on the commercials" and I eagerly await for Christmas commercials to begin airing in July. The keys to a new Lexus would be nice too.

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween!!

Be safe and have fun!!

Digital Culture

Blogging...hmm...I don't know much about it, but I have come to a point where I have to learn. I'm currently taking a class entitled, The Digital Culture: Rhetoric Online. In order to pass this class, I have to write on a blog, twitter, facebook, or any other technological, online means of communication. So to all who view this blog, which may be some or none, I ask that you bear with me as I learn the wonders blogging.

Terminator Salvation

Brady and I just went and saw Terminator Salvation. Three words...Best Movie Ever.

Birthday Blast!!

It was another great birthday at the Mannett household. I had the day off and so I was able to sleep in (probably a little bit longer than I needed to). After Brady got back from rocking his BioChem test by getting a 100%; we went to see a movie, it seems to be a tradition of ours. Last year was Iron Man and this year X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

It was a good movie if you enjoy action movies. If you are a die hard X-Men comic book expert then don't spend your money because you will be disappointed. But I did enjoy it!!

After that we were able to go to an awesome restaurant called Tucano's. This place is heaven, All you can eat Brazilian meat. The only thing to remember is it is not a 100 yd dash it is a marathon so pace yourself.
I opened my presents there and to my surprise Brady gave me a netbook, two ps2 games, and flowers.

I'm think though that it was more of a present for Brady because now I can't bother him with his new laptop.
So after Brady spent too much money on his wife it was a wonderful day!