I heart Netflix!

I have to hand address 600+ envelopes for work this weekend. I am going to watch hours of my guilty pleasure shows (Secret Life is the definition of guilty pleasure. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I watch it in a public forum) and eat delicious things.

I just keep telling myself, "At least I get comp time. At least I get comp time."

Hopefully, I'll be able to fit a run (outside?!), spin class and pilates (first time ever!) in there somewhere.

The reason that I have 600+ envelopes to address is that we have our first big mailing of the year going out on Monday. And, apparently, potential donors are more likely to open a letter if the address is hand written. I also got to print out all 600+ letters today so our executive director could take them home to sign over the weekend, and, of course, our brand new fancy printer/copier/scanner decided to stop working. And the mail merge didn't work the first 6 times I did it. And the printer didn't have our letter head done until the afternoon. And my boss was gone, so there was no one to answer any of my questions.

It was a very stressful day, but I succeeded, all 600+ letters got printed and we're ready to go to the Executive Director by 4! So I let myself go early (benefit of the boss being gone) and made it to the gym in time to get a parking spot before the post work rush that always makes parking a fiasco.

Nothing too exciting at the gym, I just ran for 23 minutes (hill workout) and lifted focusing on my legs and back. I'm definitely getting stronger which is always exciting.

Tonight, 30 Rock on Hulu, tea in my mug, and brussel sprouts on my plate. Perfect Friday night?

I know what I did this summer part 2

I have had a pretty low key summer. Sometimes when I get bored, I cook things and then take pictures of them. Here are some delicious things that I have made:

Magical Veggie Pizza:

- Crust: whole wheat flour, yeast, sugar, water 

- Sauce: tomato puree, basil, garlic, oregano

- Toppings: mozzarella cheese, roma tomatoes, spinach, onions, green peppers, olives, fairy dust, and aritchokes

Peach Pie:

- I sadly did not take pictures of my wonderful, excellent, enticing peach pie. I think that it was so amazing that it would have broken my camera with its beauty.

- The peach pie making was an adventure. I rode the bike I was borrowing this summer to Albertson's, which is about two miles from my apartment. I bought enough groceries to completely stuff my backpack. When I got back to my bike, I noticed the tire was flat. I really did not want to walk two miles home pushing a bike with a flat tire and a twenty pound back pack. So I called my friend with a van to come pick me up. And he did. Making a friend who has a van was probably the second best thing I did this summer. Take it from me, everyone should have a friend with a van.

- The recipe called for 10 peaches. I only needed four. What kind of tiny peaches do you have, recipe author?

- My peach pie was phenomenal. It even had a fancy crissy-crossy crust.

Challah Bread:

- One Friday, I did not have very much work to do, so I made challah bread.

- I even completed making the bread before sundown. If I decide to convert to Judaism, I have one skill down.

- It was whole wheat challah. I don't know if it's supposed to be made out of whole wheat flower.

- Did you know that the plural of challah is challot? Of course you did, because you followed the Wikipedia link above and learned all about the bread and its related traditions.

- I did not sing songs from Fiddler on the Roof while baking this bread, but if I make it again, I will be sure to do so.

Green Bean and Tofu Curry:

- This picture is actually just a picture of regular cooked green beans, but I did make green bean and tofu curry.

- It had green beans, tofu, curry powder (duh), coconut milk, rice, green pepper, onions, pepper flakes, garlic, and then three times the amount of curry powder that the recipe recommended.

- The third most exciting thing that happened this summer (behind making friends with someone with a van and a mysterious event that will be further explained in a later blog) was the fact that I got over many of my vegetable aversions. I've always liked most vegetables raw. Raw carrots, raw broccoli, raw celery, raw peas, frozen corn,

 etc. The one major exception to this was tomatoes. I've always hated raw tomatoes. Cooked tomatoes, I'm fine with, but I hated raw tomatoes. I think it's the texture. This summer, however, I forced myself to get over the texture issue and discovered that I like raw tomatoes. As long as they don't surprise me.

- After my tomato success, I decided to attack my number one vegetable foe: green beans. I've always hated, hated, hated green beans. Just the smell made me gag. Turns out, I don't hate green beans. I hate canned green beans. Fresh green beans, blanched with olive oil and garlic and parmesan cheese are excellent. Green beans in Pad Thai or Curry are excellent.

- I still hate canned green beans.