Since posting about the survey companies I work for (you can see the original post here, if you're interested), I've received numerous inquiries as to what all it entails. So, I thought I'd give a brief run-down here on the blog in case there are others interested as well!
Up front, I must state that this is certainly not what I would label a "work from home position". The hourly wage is generally meager, at best, but on our snug medical school budget, every bit is valuable, making it worthwhile for me. Because I'm home with the boys anyway, if I have the opportunity to complete some surveys, I figure I may as well do it! Currently, I’m stocking up Amazon.Com cards that I plan to use to purchase some of our Christmas gifts this year. So, it really isn’t a source of income as much as it is helpful for something like that (Christmas) or an occasional night out for ice cream.
Payment for the surveys is quite varied. Occasionally, the surveys will be very short, translating to a better hourly wage. For example, maybe a survey takes me only 7 minutes or so to complete, and I earn $3, over $25 per hour! Other times, it will take 15-20 minutes for the same $3, which is only $9-12 per hour. Keep in mind that I'm not doing these for an hour straight, so it's not as though I sit down for an hour and then walk away with $20 in my pocket. The surveys come into my email inbox randomly, so it's a little bit here, a little bit there. The hourly translations are just to give you an idea.
The companies I use are Synovate Global, Pinecone Research, and MySurveys. All 3 companies are free to enroll. PineCone pays for each survey you do, whereas with Synovate and MySurveys, you earn points for each completed survey and then can redeem those for rewards or a check. At times, it can be frustrating, because if you start a survey but aren't in the data group they're looking for, you only earn 5 points or a sweepstakes entry (I have won a sweepstakes, so these aren't entirely bad). Overall, I'm pleased with my experiences.
In my opinion, two companies I would not recommend are Panda Research (I've heard it's a scam) and Toluna. Toluna is legitimate, but I felt like I was constantly going through lengthy questionnaires just to find out I didn't qualify. It also takes an enormous amount of points to actually earn any money, so it would have taken a terribly long time without any compensation and still going through the data questionnaires.
On a different note, I occasionally work as a ghost writer for Textbroker. I did this a lot before Charlie was born, but I haven't had a chance to do it much anymore. It's also free and easy to sign up! Again, not a freelance "career", but if you enjoy writing at all, it's definitely an easy way to earn a few extra bucks. The amount of money you earn here is entirely dependant upon how many articles you write; payment is per word written. I love that I can write at my convenience, depending on what I have time for in any given week. You do have to wait for the client to accept your article before you can start another, but this is usually a quick turn around.
I really enjoy writing and am fairly efficient, so I can crank out a decent article in anywhere from 10-30 minutes, depending on the research I have to do prior to actually writing. I've written about everything from fashion to furniture to tourism for various cities to medicine. After releasing the article, you surrender your rights to it as author and aren't told where it will be published.
A word of warning--I've found it very important to be extremely precise on grammar. Even if the audience you are writing to is more youthful or the tone of the article is more casual, continue to be a stickler about grammar. For example, I wrote one article about necessities for college freshman. Writing to an 18-year-old audience, I used ellipsis (...), parenthesis, and a bit of slang throughout the article. When it was reviewed, the editors came back stating, "great job pleasing the client, but unprofessional grammar throughout". As a result, they dropped my paygrade, making it more difficult to find articles to write. And it probably goes without saying, but watch for typos as well.
I think that sums it up. Do let me know if you have any additional questions. I'm happy to share!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Visitors
Last weekend we had visitors! Dusty, Erin, and Oliver came to visit, and we had so much fun! Ryan had a free weekend in terms of studying since he had just taken exams, so it worked perfectly! Here's a recap:
They arrived late Thursday evening and went straight to their hotel, so we didn't see them until Friday morning. They came over for breakfast and then headed out to the zoo. They took Abe along, and he had a blast. I was able to enjoy time with Charlie, get things done around the house, and sit down to read a while! It was wonderful!
At the zoo-I love this one! So cute of them together:
With his favorite animal:
(Oddly enough, they let the boys select a toy from the gift shop, and guess what Abe chose out of all the exotic zoo animals?? A sheep!! We found it rather humorous! Apparently, he wanted to expand his farm:)
On the train with Uncle Dusty:
After naps, they came back to our place for dinner and to hang out. It was so refreshing and fun to just spend time together! After Charlie went to bed, we dyed my hair. This was so much fun too--it caused me to remember so many memories from our college days (Erin and I were college roommates). We pulled so many shenanigans and did so many crazy things! Eventually, the evening winded down, and they headed back to their hotel for the night.
Saturday, Ryan went to work at the Bread of Healing Clinic, and the boys and I went to Dusty and Erin's hotel to swim. Abe was a bit of a scaredy cat and more content to sit along the edge, while Oliver was quite the daredevil, jumping right in to his daddy!
After swimming, we went out to lunch, then swung by our home to pick up Ryan before heading to the Miller Brewery Tour. Although we went last fall with Isaac, I was once again stunned by the magnitude of their production! Their warehouse is as big as 3 football fields, cases stacked 20 feet in the air, and it all turns over within 24 hours. It's just staggering!
After the tour, we had some samples in their beer garden. It was a beautiful afternoon, so we took our time sitting on the patio, laughing and chatting while Abe and Ollie got hyped up on Coca-Cola. It was a really fun afternoon!
At the brewery:
Saturday evening, our family headed back home while Dusty, Erin, and Oliver spent the evening to themselves, exploring downtown just a bit and going out to dinner.
Sunday morning, they met us at church, and afterward we let the boys play at the park for a while before they headed home.
At the park:
It was so much fun to be together! We missed Gia, who stayed home with Nana, but it was a great weekend. Thanks so much for visiting us!
They arrived late Thursday evening and went straight to their hotel, so we didn't see them until Friday morning. They came over for breakfast and then headed out to the zoo. They took Abe along, and he had a blast. I was able to enjoy time with Charlie, get things done around the house, and sit down to read a while! It was wonderful!
At the zoo-I love this one! So cute of them together:
With his favorite animal:
On the train with Uncle Dusty:
After naps, they came back to our place for dinner and to hang out. It was so refreshing and fun to just spend time together! After Charlie went to bed, we dyed my hair. This was so much fun too--it caused me to remember so many memories from our college days (Erin and I were college roommates). We pulled so many shenanigans and did so many crazy things! Eventually, the evening winded down, and they headed back to their hotel for the night.
Saturday, Ryan went to work at the Bread of Healing Clinic, and the boys and I went to Dusty and Erin's hotel to swim. Abe was a bit of a scaredy cat and more content to sit along the edge, while Oliver was quite the daredevil, jumping right in to his daddy!
After swimming, we went out to lunch, then swung by our home to pick up Ryan before heading to the Miller Brewery Tour. Although we went last fall with Isaac, I was once again stunned by the magnitude of their production! Their warehouse is as big as 3 football fields, cases stacked 20 feet in the air, and it all turns over within 24 hours. It's just staggering!
After the tour, we had some samples in their beer garden. It was a beautiful afternoon, so we took our time sitting on the patio, laughing and chatting while Abe and Ollie got hyped up on Coca-Cola. It was a really fun afternoon!
At the brewery:
Saturday evening, our family headed back home while Dusty, Erin, and Oliver spent the evening to themselves, exploring downtown just a bit and going out to dinner.
Sunday morning, they met us at church, and afterward we let the boys play at the park for a while before they headed home.
At the park:
It was so much fun to be together! We missed Gia, who stayed home with Nana, but it was a great weekend. Thanks so much for visiting us!
Friday, September 21, 2012
New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Last year, one of Ryan's classmates presented a challenge to his wife: to discover the perfect chocolate cookie. She served these cookies to us last winter, and after one bite I asked her for the recipe. So, this recipe has been on my "to try" list since then, and I'm so excited to share it today!
Back in 2008, the media raved about this cookie recipe, and for good reason. It's a perfect balance of all the things my husband and I don't agree about when it comes to the perfect chocolate chip cookie. He likes his cookies flat and crispy; I prefer mine soft and chewy. This cookie is both. The edges are buttery and crispy, the interior rich and chewy. At nearly 5 inches in diameter, these cookies are a special treat indeed!
New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate (semi-sweet chocolate chips may be substituted)
Sea salt, optional
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop 6, 3.5 ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt if desired and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day.
5. Eat warm, with a big napkin, or if you're like me, after they have completely cooled. Either way, they're great!
source: Tidy Mom
Monday, September 17, 2012
Since I'm Sure You're Just Dying to Know....
I dyed my hair!
The title was supposed to be a joke, by the way.
Yes, it's been done, and it looks pretty good!! Dusty and Erin came up to visit this past weekend, so Erin dyed it for me. I was so glad to have her--she was like a pro!
The product is Clairol Nice 'n Easy NonPermanent Hair Color. My shade was 82: Dark Brown. Applying the product:
I feel like I can't give a true review yet as it's only been a few days, but I'll go ahead and give a list of pros and cons that I can see thus far. Generally speaking, I think it's a pretty good product!
PROS
1. Easy to apply : However, this was in large part to Erin's help. I think it would have been difficult to thoroughly cover the back of my head, particularly the roots, without her.
2. Quick: It only takes 15 minutes to set.
3. Healthy looking color: Hair is not dry or damaged looking.
4. Finishing conditioner leaves hair soft and shiny.
5. Fairly fool-proof: Unless you don't read the directions, work with too much haste, or already have chemically treated hair, it would be unlikely that this product wouldn't work correctly.
6. Inexpensive: The dye costs $7-8 retail. Even if you applied it every month, you would pay about $90, on average around the same price of just one trip to the salon.
CONS
1. Hair is soft and shiny: Wait, wasn't this a pro?!?! Yes! But, I'm finding it almost too soft to hold my hairspray.
2. Not natural looking: Although the color looks okay, I can't say that I've ever seen someone with their own natural hair the color that mine is now.
3. Not that different/What the box portrayed: I thought I had really gone drastic in my shade selection! But as you can see in the photos, it really isn't that dark. Some of my red tints are still popping through. If you were seeking to cover gray or just freshen up your natural color though, I think this would do that well.
Now for the photos! I apologize these aren't the greatest pictures--we did take one right before we dyed it, but the way my hair was situated made it show mostly my face, so it was difficult to even see my hair and its color. So, the before picture is from a few months ago, but it shows my natural hair color well. And, the after picture is courtesy of Abe, since Ryan wasn't home the morning after we dyed it!
Before:
After, Washed Once:
As time goes on, I'll update on how I feel it performs!
Friday, September 14, 2012
Margherita Pizza
As cooler temperatures are setting in, I'm daydreaming about pumpkin, apples, hearty soups, and hot chocolate! But, with tomatoes and fresh basil still plentiful, I wanted to pay summer a good farewell by making my favorite pizza! It's definitely a tough call, because I love nearly all pizzas, but this one ranks at the top. It's light, fresh, flavorful, and is a perfect way to use up those extra tomatoes!
Margherita Pizza
For the dough:
Starter:
2 tsp. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Prepare the starter by dissolving the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water and allow it to stand for approximately 5 -10 minutes. Add the 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, and mix until the flour is absorbed (dough will be thick and dry). Cover the starter with a cotton towel and allow it to remain at room temperature for 1 hour.
Dough:
1 cup water, room temperature
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Mix the salt with the flour. Add the additional cup of water to the starter. Add the flour/salt mixture, and continue to mix the ingredients to the consistency of a soft dough. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough into 2-3 portions. Shape each into a ball and place on a flour-dusted baking sheet. Cover with a cotton or linen towel, and allow them to rise until double their original size. This usually takes approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours. *The risen portions can be wrapped individually in plastic wrap, placed in a plastic bag, and stored in the refrigerator for several days, or frozen for up to 2 months. If refrigerated or frozen prior to use, allow the portions to come to room temperature before they are rolled out.
As the dough is rising, place a baking stone in the oven and set the temperature to 500 F. Allow the oven to heat for 30 minutes.
When you're ready to shape your pizza, fold the edge of each portion of dough toward the center, kneading it gently, while maintaining a round shape. Place each portion onto a piece of parchment paper. Roll the dough into a circular shape of about 10-12 inches. Don't worry about perfection! That's one of the beauties of homemade pizza!
To top:
fresh mozzarella, sliced
fresh tomatoes, seeded and sliced very thinly
fresh garlic (I used about 3 cloves)
fresh basil, chopped
Ready to top!
Drizzle olive oil over the surface of the dough. Brush or spread evenly, leaving bare a narrow rim along the outer edge. Scatter garlic across the surface of the dough, then place remaining toppings.
Ready to Bake!
Using a thin cutting board or pizza peel, slide your pizza into the hot oven. Check after 3-4 minutes. Pizza should be done 5-6 minutes after placing in oven.
Sprinkle with course salt and cracked black pepper after removing from oven.
**A Few Pointers:
1. This is a very wet dough. I did add additional flour as I kneaded in order to make it easier to work with. This probably made it less authentic, but oh well. I saw no other way around it.
2. It will come together into a beautiful ball of dough! Just be patient with it.
3. I don't have a pizza stone, so I used a dark cookie sheet. It seemed to work just fine, though a pizza stone would probably result in an even crisper crust.
4. We baked ours with the basil on it, but I've had it several times in restaurants with fresh basil added after the pizza is removed from the oven. Both are delicious, but adding the basil at the end provides a much more robust flavor.
Source: Dough- The Artisan.Net; Pizza- Inspired by various restaurant pizzas
ENJOY!
Margherita Pizza
For the dough:
Starter:
2 tsp. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Prepare the starter by dissolving the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water and allow it to stand for approximately 5 -10 minutes. Add the 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, and mix until the flour is absorbed (dough will be thick and dry). Cover the starter with a cotton towel and allow it to remain at room temperature for 1 hour.
Dough:
1 cup water, room temperature
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Mix the salt with the flour. Add the additional cup of water to the starter. Add the flour/salt mixture, and continue to mix the ingredients to the consistency of a soft dough. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough into 2-3 portions. Shape each into a ball and place on a flour-dusted baking sheet. Cover with a cotton or linen towel, and allow them to rise until double their original size. This usually takes approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours. *The risen portions can be wrapped individually in plastic wrap, placed in a plastic bag, and stored in the refrigerator for several days, or frozen for up to 2 months. If refrigerated or frozen prior to use, allow the portions to come to room temperature before they are rolled out.
As the dough is rising, place a baking stone in the oven and set the temperature to 500 F. Allow the oven to heat for 30 minutes.
When you're ready to shape your pizza, fold the edge of each portion of dough toward the center, kneading it gently, while maintaining a round shape. Place each portion onto a piece of parchment paper. Roll the dough into a circular shape of about 10-12 inches. Don't worry about perfection! That's one of the beauties of homemade pizza!
To top:
fresh mozzarella, sliced
fresh tomatoes, seeded and sliced very thinly
fresh garlic (I used about 3 cloves)
fresh basil, chopped
Ready to top!
Drizzle olive oil over the surface of the dough. Brush or spread evenly, leaving bare a narrow rim along the outer edge. Scatter garlic across the surface of the dough, then place remaining toppings.
Ready to Bake!
Using a thin cutting board or pizza peel, slide your pizza into the hot oven. Check after 3-4 minutes. Pizza should be done 5-6 minutes after placing in oven.
Sprinkle with course salt and cracked black pepper after removing from oven.
**A Few Pointers:
1. This is a very wet dough. I did add additional flour as I kneaded in order to make it easier to work with. This probably made it less authentic, but oh well. I saw no other way around it.
2. It will come together into a beautiful ball of dough! Just be patient with it.
3. I don't have a pizza stone, so I used a dark cookie sheet. It seemed to work just fine, though a pizza stone would probably result in an even crisper crust.
4. We baked ours with the basil on it, but I've had it several times in restaurants with fresh basil added after the pizza is removed from the oven. Both are delicious, but adding the basil at the end provides a much more robust flavor.
Source: Dough- The Artisan.Net; Pizza- Inspired by various restaurant pizzas
ENJOY!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Labor Day Weekend
Over Labor Day weekend, we headed over to the Wisconsin Dells with my dad's side of the family. As usual, it was a wonderful time!
Each year, my dad and his three siblings take turns planning a weekend. It's always fun to see what adventure we'll take each year--we've discovered so many fun places! This year, Paul and Jean planned to go to the Wisconsin Dells. We stayed in a house, large enough to easily accommodate all 23 of us!
We rode over to the Dells with much thanks to Uncle Jerry, Aunt Doreen, Kaylin, and Teryn, who gave us a lift since our car was out of commission. It was great to catch up with them a bit!
After getting to bed (late!) on Friday night, we woke up and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. After cleaning up, we headed to Circus World! Abe especially seemed to enjoy it and even mustered up enough courage to feed the goats (thanks Teryn and Andi!!). We watched a "big-top" performance, and while it certainly wasn't what I would call a "big-top" tent, some of the acts were very impressive! I hadn't been to a circus since I was just a little girl, so I really enjoyed it.
After an afternoon of napping, we had dinner at Sprecher's and then an enjoyed my favorite part of the weekend: an evening of chatting, laughing, and munching--I always look forward to the "treats"--candy, bars, snack mixes, etc., and once again, I was not disappointed!
Sunday we had breakfast haystacks (delicious!) and then listened to a sermon for our church service. While the rest of the family went to a ski show Sunday evening, we actually headed home, as Jerry and Doreen needed to get back to Indianapolis early; my parents brought Abe back to us on Monday.
It was so much fun to have the whole family together! It always takes me back to when I was younger, and all the cousins put on wild theatricals for our parents and grandparent to watch! These sorts of trips probably won't always be possible as the family continues to grow, so I like to savor the time we do have. Just a few photos to share:
Abe loves trains, so this was a highlight! Here he is in front of an old circus car--he couldn't believe how huge they were up close!
The circus!
Eating his corn dog at Sprecher's--I could NOT believe he left the hat on!
This was taken at home, but we can't leave out Charlie!
Thanks for reading!
Each year, my dad and his three siblings take turns planning a weekend. It's always fun to see what adventure we'll take each year--we've discovered so many fun places! This year, Paul and Jean planned to go to the Wisconsin Dells. We stayed in a house, large enough to easily accommodate all 23 of us!
We rode over to the Dells with much thanks to Uncle Jerry, Aunt Doreen, Kaylin, and Teryn, who gave us a lift since our car was out of commission. It was great to catch up with them a bit!
After getting to bed (late!) on Friday night, we woke up and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. After cleaning up, we headed to Circus World! Abe especially seemed to enjoy it and even mustered up enough courage to feed the goats (thanks Teryn and Andi!!). We watched a "big-top" performance, and while it certainly wasn't what I would call a "big-top" tent, some of the acts were very impressive! I hadn't been to a circus since I was just a little girl, so I really enjoyed it.
After an afternoon of napping, we had dinner at Sprecher's and then an enjoyed my favorite part of the weekend: an evening of chatting, laughing, and munching--I always look forward to the "treats"--candy, bars, snack mixes, etc., and once again, I was not disappointed!
Sunday we had breakfast haystacks (delicious!) and then listened to a sermon for our church service. While the rest of the family went to a ski show Sunday evening, we actually headed home, as Jerry and Doreen needed to get back to Indianapolis early; my parents brought Abe back to us on Monday.
It was so much fun to have the whole family together! It always takes me back to when I was younger, and all the cousins put on wild theatricals for our parents and grandparent to watch! These sorts of trips probably won't always be possible as the family continues to grow, so I like to savor the time we do have. Just a few photos to share:
Abe loves trains, so this was a highlight! Here he is in front of an old circus car--he couldn't believe how huge they were up close!
The circus!
Eating his corn dog at Sprecher's--I could NOT believe he left the hat on!
This was taken at home, but we can't leave out Charlie!
Thanks for reading!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Quinoa Cakes with Poached Egg
Have you tried quinoa? If not, you should! It cooks up as easily as rice (but more quickly!), and it's a rich source of protein, as well as calcium, magnesium, iron, and dietary fiber. While it's often found it salads and as a rice-like side, this recipe makes it into patties, transforming it into a wonderful meat-free main-dish.
The patties are a bit difficult to work with, as the quinoa is very delicate, but I chilled them before pan-frying, and after they cooked on one side, they firmed up and were very easy to turn. We thought the poached egg added a lot to the dish, but if you don't care for soft yolk, a fried egg would be delicious too.
Truth be told, I probably would have passed right by this recipe, had Emily not recommended it, but I'm so glad she did! We really enjoyed it!
Quinoa Cakes with Poached Egg
2 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature (1 cup dry yielded nearly 3 cups cooked)
2 large eggs, beaten
½ tsp. coarse salt
1/3 cup minced fresh chives
2 large shallots, finely chopped (I used onion, as I don't care for shallot)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed (I did need to add a bit more to help the patties hold together)
Olive oil, for frying
To serve,
Shaved Parmesan
6 poached eggs (one for each patty)
Salt and pepper
In a medium bowl, combine the quinoa, eggs, salt, chives, shallots, Parmesan, and garlic. Stir to combine. Mix in the bread crumbs and stir gently until evenly mixed, adding more if needed. Form the mixture into six evenly sized patties, about 3-4 inches in diameter.
Heat a bit of olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat and swirl to coat. Add the patties to the pan so that they are not touching. Let cook about 4 minutes or until the first side is lightly browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and let the second side cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining patties, using additional olive oil if needed. Top each patty with a bit of Parmesan, a poached egg, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Source: Annies's Eats
The patties are a bit difficult to work with, as the quinoa is very delicate, but I chilled them before pan-frying, and after they cooked on one side, they firmed up and were very easy to turn. We thought the poached egg added a lot to the dish, but if you don't care for soft yolk, a fried egg would be delicious too.
Truth be told, I probably would have passed right by this recipe, had Emily not recommended it, but I'm so glad she did! We really enjoyed it!
Quinoa Cakes with Poached Egg
2 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature (1 cup dry yielded nearly 3 cups cooked)
2 large eggs, beaten
½ tsp. coarse salt
1/3 cup minced fresh chives
2 large shallots, finely chopped (I used onion, as I don't care for shallot)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed (I did need to add a bit more to help the patties hold together)
Olive oil, for frying
To serve,
Shaved Parmesan
6 poached eggs (one for each patty)
Salt and pepper
In a medium bowl, combine the quinoa, eggs, salt, chives, shallots, Parmesan, and garlic. Stir to combine. Mix in the bread crumbs and stir gently until evenly mixed, adding more if needed. Form the mixture into six evenly sized patties, about 3-4 inches in diameter.
Heat a bit of olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat and swirl to coat. Add the patties to the pan so that they are not touching. Let cook about 4 minutes or until the first side is lightly browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and let the second side cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining patties, using additional olive oil if needed. Top each patty with a bit of Parmesan, a poached egg, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Source: Annies's Eats
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Car & Computer Calamities!
Despite the fun of our Labor Day weekend (more on that in a later post), we came home to a bit of discouragement! I've been trying to think about how to write this post, because there is extensive detail I could go into on both the car and the computer. In fact, I had typed quite a bit of dramatic detail about how the car broke down, and I realized that if I continued along the same vein for the computer woes as well, I would (A) end up with a very long post, and (B), take away from what I really want to convey.
That I am exceedingly blessed.
Long story short, our car wouldn't start and was stuck in the MCW parking lot (the fourth major repair in a year's time), and our computer got a bad, nasty, horrid virus. Ryan got no studying done as a result, making his already hectic week even more crazy.
Monday evening, I was feeling rather discouraged. It probably didn't help that I had a pounding headache, we had lost all of our photos from the computer, and I was nervous about my impending dentist appointment the following morning--I dread all dentist appointments, but for this one in particular, I was worried I might have to have my crown repaired, another costly and unwanted need.
Early in the day, we had been fairly optimistic about it all, but as the day progressed, it became very strange and surreal, as if this dark shroud had enveloped our home. It was as if Satan was just waiting, using these few small things to wear us down and open an opportunity to attack.
Anyway, after we put the boys to bed, Ryan pulled me on to his lap and said, "I'm thankful for you."
"I'm thankful for you, too," I replied.
"I'm thankful for our boys," he said. "Okay, your turn."
"What is this, some sort of thankfulness exercise?" I said, a bit rudely.
"Yeah, go ahead. It's still your turn."
"No, I don't want to play."
"You'd rather wallow, huh?" my husband lovingly, and knowingly, asked.
"Yes, I would," I stated bluntly. (I know, I sound just awful!! Not my proudest moment here...).
"No, babe, let's choose the better way. If you don't want to think about what you're thankful for, then tell me, what could have made this day worse?"
I thought a moment and then answered, "If my family and Abe had been in a car accident on their way here."
He said, "If we had received a terminal diagnosis."
We went on, taking turns, and though we weren't listing things we were thankful for, it worked in reverse. By thinking of all the things that could have happened that were so much worse than a car repair or computer virus, I realized the obvious, that I had little to be down about. My current "trials" were nothing more than bumps in the road that would soon be resolved. Unlike many other mothers around the globe, I didn't bury my children today for lack of adequate food.
It was a good lesson for me. God has given us so much. Perhaps sometimes He just wants to make sure we're holding on loosely.
I am exceedingly, abundantly blessed.
"...For unto whom much is given, of him shall be much required:..." Luke 12:48
That I am exceedingly blessed.
Long story short, our car wouldn't start and was stuck in the MCW parking lot (the fourth major repair in a year's time), and our computer got a bad, nasty, horrid virus. Ryan got no studying done as a result, making his already hectic week even more crazy.
Monday evening, I was feeling rather discouraged. It probably didn't help that I had a pounding headache, we had lost all of our photos from the computer, and I was nervous about my impending dentist appointment the following morning--I dread all dentist appointments, but for this one in particular, I was worried I might have to have my crown repaired, another costly and unwanted need.
Early in the day, we had been fairly optimistic about it all, but as the day progressed, it became very strange and surreal, as if this dark shroud had enveloped our home. It was as if Satan was just waiting, using these few small things to wear us down and open an opportunity to attack.
Anyway, after we put the boys to bed, Ryan pulled me on to his lap and said, "I'm thankful for you."
"I'm thankful for you, too," I replied.
"I'm thankful for our boys," he said. "Okay, your turn."
"What is this, some sort of thankfulness exercise?" I said, a bit rudely.
"Yeah, go ahead. It's still your turn."
"No, I don't want to play."
"You'd rather wallow, huh?" my husband lovingly, and knowingly, asked.
"Yes, I would," I stated bluntly. (I know, I sound just awful!! Not my proudest moment here...).
"No, babe, let's choose the better way. If you don't want to think about what you're thankful for, then tell me, what could have made this day worse?"
I thought a moment and then answered, "If my family and Abe had been in a car accident on their way here."
He said, "If we had received a terminal diagnosis."
We went on, taking turns, and though we weren't listing things we were thankful for, it worked in reverse. By thinking of all the things that could have happened that were so much worse than a car repair or computer virus, I realized the obvious, that I had little to be down about. My current "trials" were nothing more than bumps in the road that would soon be resolved. Unlike many other mothers around the globe, I didn't bury my children today for lack of adequate food.
It was a good lesson for me. God has given us so much. Perhaps sometimes He just wants to make sure we're holding on loosely.
I am exceedingly, abundantly blessed.
"...For unto whom much is given, of him shall be much required:..." Luke 12:48
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