The Scariest Day

Saturdays Are For The Flu?

So I know this is a little out of the norm for me to write about my daughter but I feel like this is something that needs to be talked about. A couple of weeks ago I had the most terrifying experience of my life. I'm a new mommy and my little is about 20 months old. A couple of weeks ago I came down with a pretty bad flu and I did my best to stay away from her but as you now that is nearly impossible. Needless to say she came down with the same thing. It was a Saturday night when it started and I went through my usual routine of checking her temperature and attempting to clear her nose with the aspirator.  She had a very low grade fever but as a precaution I gave her some Motrin and laid in bed with her while she tried to fall asleep through her stuffy nose. She fell asleep finally around 2 AM and I gently placed her in her crib and went to sleep. The next morning was just like any other morning with a sick baby...until it wasn't.

Sundays Are Not Always Fun Days

She woke up around 9:00 that morning which was really late for her but seemed ok since she had such a hard time falling asleep the night before. I had woken up with her at about 6:00 and she was half asleep crying so I had given her her dose of Motrin. I knew it was going to be time for more at about 10:00 AM so I was keeping an eye on the clock while going about my morning. She played a little bit and I cleaned out her nose again (she was not happy about that). I held her in my arms to calm her down and she started to drift off. At about 10:00 AM I was debating whether or not I should wake her up for her Motrin but her dad and I decided it would be better to let her get some rest. She slept in my arms on the couch until about 10:30 when she woke up, "Oh Good!" I thought, "I can give her the Motrin now." She had been fighting me all morning to take her Hyland's Cold and Cough so her dad had the great idea to just mix her Motrin in with her Pedialite. I gave her the bottle and she snuggled up with her dad and started to drink. I watched as she nearly finished and felt relaxed at that point to start getting ready to head to the grocery store. I was in the restroom when her dad yelled from the living room, "hey I think she's going to throw up". This was pretty typical for her as she tends to choke a bit on the post nasal drip and gags until she vomits. "Bring her in here!" I yelled. I figured if she was going to have an accident it would be better to have it in the restroom. Her dad carried her in and my heart sank.

And Then It Wasn't 

If you've read my blogs you know that I work primarily with adults with disabilities. A lot of those disabilities are very likely to bring on some medical issues and therefor I have a lot of special training that allows me to spot certain things right away. When her dad carried her in she was in the typical position with her bottom on his hip sitting straight up. Only something was wrong...really wrong. As I looked at her I realized that she was staring at the ceiling; only she wasn't looking at anything, and as her dad carried her into the room her gaze did not change at all. "What is she looking at!" I asked in a panic..."what the fuck is wrong?" At this point her dad went into rescue mode. I freaked and started yelling for him to bring her into the bedroom. Her lips were turning blue. "We need to do CPR!" I was screaming it felt like. I couldn't breath. Her dad laid her down and I tried to assess the situation. She appeared to be breathing again but she wasn't responding to anything. Her eyes were open but she wasn't there. Her dad started lightly slapping her face trying to get her to respond...nothing. "She got really hot while I was carrying her." Her dad was scared but calm. He was in fight mode. I reached across the dresser to grab the thermometer when I saw her arm and leg start to twitch. She was seizing. I had seen it a thousand times with clients. The glazed stare, the awkward jerks...my daughter was having a seizure. 

I Have To Call 911

I'm a worrier. Like a professional worrier. I always think the worst and I always overreact. Her dad is the calm one...the sane one. "I'm going to call 911!" I was shaking, I couldn't breath, I was having trouble seeing. My phone was in the living room. I had to get there. I think I ran but I'm not sure to be honest; it felt like I flew. My phone was plugged in. I ripped it off the wall and tried to dial through my blurred vision, "911 what's your emergency?" I couldn't breathe, "I...need...help" I was hyperventilating trying to speak, trying to talk so she could understand. I had called 911 for this exact thing a thousand times. I knew I needed to try to talk to her and not panic. "What's your address Hun? Where are you?" She could hear my desperation without me saying a word and skipped the formalities of making sure this wasn't a prank. I rattled off my address through heavy breathing. I was talking so fast. I was pacing around the room trying to will the ambulance to my living room. "OK Hun the ambulance is on the way...I need you to understand that your talking to me now is not going to slow that ambulance down so please tell me what's going on." She was calm, she was strong, I needed her to walk me through this because my training wasn't kicking in like it normally did. I was still breathing extremely heavy, "My daughter...she's 20 months...stopped breathing...she's having a seizure... I need you...to tell me what to do!" I ran back into the room. It was at that moment that I thought I would walk in and she would be ok and I would feel silly. I would tell the operator that I was sorry, that she was alright and I was overreacting again. She would be ok and I would be the worrier and her dad would be the sane one. But she wasn't ok....the world wasn't ok. 

Fish Out Of Water

I ran back into the room and there was my baby laying on her stomach on the bed...head to the side...arms limp at her sides...vomit around her face...gasping for air like a fish out of water. Her dad was desperately trying to make sure she didn't choke by keeping her head to the side. He was calm. He was loving. He was patting her back and being her dad. I start crying, "oh god...she threw up everywhere...she's barely breathing...I need help now!" My world was upside down. My daughter was dying. She was dying in our bed. "OK Hun what is she doing now? Is she breathing?" The 911 operator was a rock star. She was keeping me on task. Check her. Assess. Calm down. It was all coming back now. "She's breathing but she's having a hard time...she's not responding." "OK Hun breathing is good, I want you to count her breaths with me now ok. Every time you hear that baby breath I want you to say 'now,' got it?" I sat her up and started to listen. She gasped, "now................now.........now..........................now....now....that's not normal what's wrong with my baby?" I was panicking again. Her dad started taking off her pajamas...smart....she has a fever...bring it down...he's so on top of this. I felt calmer knowing he was there and I wasn't alone. I don't think I could have done it alone. "Ma'am? Does she have a heart condition?" "No." "Epilepsy?" "No." My daughter was healthy. As her dad would always say when I would freak out, she's fine. "She's healthy! Normal birth, no complications, no problems....I don't know what's wrong!" We heard sirens. The ambulance was here. Her dad scooped her up and ran to the living room toward the front door. We were going to meet them where they were. I ran after them, "they're here! I hear them!" "OK Hun I need you to stay on the..." "Oh my god what's happening?!" "Ma'am? what's going on Hun? Stay with me!" I was sobbing and screaming as I watched my daughter barely conscious start projectile vomiting all over her dad and the living room. "She's throwing up! It's bad...It's everywhere." Her dad looked at me with desperation, "where are they?" he pleaded with me looking for all the same answers I was. Only he didn't have the life line of the phone operator like I did. "Hun? I need you to lay her down on her side ok? We don't want her to choke." I told her dad and he got down on the floor with her. Every time he tried to lay her down she would go stiff and stand up straight. She was walking around the living room in a haze...vomiting...running into the walls. we couldn't get her to lay down...she didn't know what was going on.

Has This Ever Happened Before?

My head was spinning. Where are they? I heard them? They should be hear. "Ma'am? what's going on? Are you still with me?" My daughter was in her diaper plopped in the middle of the floor staring into space. There was vomit everywhere and I couldn't hear anything. It was like being under water. Everything was muffled. Too much adrenaline. Get it together. Focus damnit. "I'm here, she's sitting up. I hear them they're coming" it was then that the footsteps started. I could hear them coming, everything was going to be ok now. "Ma'am if you have any pets I nee you to lock them up so they don't hurt the resposnders ok? Ma'am? I want you to know that this can happen in babies. It might be nothing. Please know that." I thanked her and hung up. I wish I had thanked her more. I wish I knew who she was so I could send her flowers. I wish I knew her name. The paramedics got to work. They asked for her car seat to put her in the ambulance. They reminded me that it was ok for me to put shoes on before I walked to the ambulance in the rain in my bare feet. They held my daughter int heir arms like she was their own. They told me how beautiful she was and that she was going to be ok. I kept walking around the house trying to do too many things at once. I needed to put on some clothes, I needed shoes. "I'm sorry, I'm kind of in a fog"  I said to the paramedic, "It's ok" She said, "that's why we're here, take a breath, you can breathe now."

Febrile Seizures Are No Joke

Her dad couldn't come in the ambulance, there was only room for one. I felt like I was going to throw up the whole time. They had her hooked up to monitors. The paramedic cringed and told me she was going to have to test her blood sugar and in order to do it she would have to stab her foot. It was going to hurt. She apologized. I braced myself and she started but nothing. My daughter didn't even blink. She didn't cry. She didn't make a sound. She just stared into space. She hadn't made a sound in so long. I would have given anything just to hear her cry. They were asking me questions in the ambulance about how I knew it was a a seizure and what was happening. "Are you in this field?" one of them asked me, "no" I said, "I work in a facility, I call 911 a lot." We pulled into the ambulance bay and started for the door, "there's a code blue right there, do you see that a lot?" The paramedic asked me, gesturing to an elderly woman on a gurney outside going into full arrest. I still couldn't really see. "we'll have to wait, that women is in bad shape. Your daughter is stable. I'll get the doc to come out and talk to you when we get in." As we walked through the doors I saw another set of doors open up and in walked her dad's aunt and uncle. They are my daughter's babysitters, they are her second parents. They love her almost as much as I do.  They walked up to me and I fell into their arms. We all cried. I relaxed. It turned out that my daughters temperature had risen to over 104 degrees. By the time we had cooled her off a bit on the ambulance ride her temp was still 103.7. The doctors said she had had a febrile seizure caused by the fever. He said that 1 in three children have them and that they can occur up until age 6. He told me to watch her from now on if she starts to get hot. Cool showers, strip her clothes, whatever I have to do to get it down. She was only 20 minutes late on her Motrin when I sat down and did the math. I could have overlapped by an hour with Tylenol and Motrin. I could have put her in a cool bath. If I had known what could happen I could have avoided it. The doctor's say there is no long term damage and that she probably doesn't even remember it. I found out later that her dad and some of his siblings had the same issue when they were little. I urge you to check into your family history and determine if your child could be at risk. I encourage you to stay sharp and always be prepared. 

Champurrado

Champu what?

Chanmpurrado is a warm Mexican atole (ah-toh-le) prepared with chocolate, cinnamon, panela (dark brown sugar, masa (corn meal), milk or water, and sometimes other spices like anise seed or vanilla. An atole is a warm beverage made from dried ground corn. In other words it's delicious!

I learned about champurrado through my boyfriend's wonderful family. I have been introduced to a few new things since I've come to know them but I think this one is my favorite and is often a staple at the winter festivities that we attend. For Christmas last year I decided to figure out how to make it so we could enjoy it at home. I did some research and as in my true fashion put my own spin on it but I think this is the easiest way to prepare it. 

History

Champurrado dates all the way back to Mayan and Aztec cultures when they would mix atole with spices, honey, and even dried chiles. Cacao (chocolate) and Maize (corn) are very important in the Mayan culture and are portrayed in many drawings as Gods. Mixing these two was very common. “One is the basic, necessary staff [sic] of everyday life, the other the food most synonymous with luxury and status. But they both bore mythical associations with cosmic life cycles, and it is clear that the two were indeed combined in Maya cuisine” (Presilla 14). In Mexican culture these two are combined to create a beverage that is consumed around Christmas time.

Ingredients

6  cups water

1  cup heavy cream

2 tablets Mexican Chocolate

1/3 cup corn flour

1  piloncillo

1  cinnamon stick

1  tsp. ground cinnamon

3  whole cloves

1  tsp. vanilla

1  pinch salt

Directions

Pour 5 cups of the water into a large pot and place it over a medium flame. Add the piloncillo and cinnamon stick and allow the piloncillo to melt.

While that't happening grind your cloves manually or in a spice grinder. Once the piloncillo is dissolved scoop out the cinnamon stick (traditionally this is left in but I have found that as it cooks pieces will break off in the mixture).Add in the chocolate, cloves, ground cinnamon, and vanilla. Turn down the heat and allow this to simmer for a bit until the chocolate has melted. In a glass measuring cup mix the remaining water and corn flour with a whisk.

Be careful that there are no lumps. slowly poor the mixture into the pot as you whisk the sugar mixture. Continue to whisk the mixture to ensure that there are no lumps. Add in the heavy cream in the same way. Continue to whisk the mixture as it simmers until it begins to thicken. Now add in the pinch of salt and it is ready to serve. Remember this is not the traditional way to make this but the salt really brings out the flavor of the chocolate.

Reference:

Presilla, Maricel. The New Taste of Chocolate, Revised: A Cultural & Natural History of Cacao with Recipes. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2009.

Acing That Interview

Why Me?

So you might be wondering why someone who focuses so mush on cooking thinks they can help you with your interview right?

Well let me explain. I work in social services, specifically with adults with developmental disabilities and mental illness. This is the population with the highest unemployment rate bar none. To put it in perspective President Ford's average unemployment rate was 7.8%. That's the highest average unemployment rate in American history. The unemployment rate for adults in the population I work with is 75%! You read that right...75%. One of the programs I ran was a supported employment program and my job was to help people get and keep jobs. I taught a ton of classes on interviewing and I've coached a lot of people on the subject. I am also an active supervisor and a large part of my job includes interviewing and hiring prospective candidates so I see a lot of mistakes. I figured I should share the wealth.

Fear

I think one of the biggest problems people have with interviews is that they are scared to death of them. Don't worry you're not alone. According to Anxiety.org a recent study revealed that almost 92% of Americans have expressed some kind of interview anxiety. In fact some people will stay in a low paying job or worse a job they hate just to avoid an interview. The root of the fear lies in the possibility of rejection. People are terrified of being rejected but just think if you get turned down for a job you are no worse off then you were before the interview. However if you land the job you're leaps ahead. So the first step to a solid interview is actually going to it. I think that's half the battle. 

Be Prepared or Beware

One of the things I taught my clients was to always be prepared for an interview; even if you're not actively looking for a job. You never know when things may change. You may get laid off, you may suddenly want something new, or hey better yet you might be head hunted. So always be ready. So  how does one get prepared? Well the first part of preparation is to get a proper interview outfit. Now you need to regularly update this outfit (I would say annually) to ensure that it fits, that its appropriate for the job you're interviewing for (always dress one step above the dress code for the job), and that it isn't 20 years out of date. Remember interviewing is like dating. you wouldn't wear a 10 year old outfit to go out on a date. Don't wear this outfit for anything other than interviews; last thing you want is to spill something on your interview clothes.

The reality is that sometimes  you flip through Indeed like you flip through Tinder and click on everything and anything that looks good because you just need something now. 

 Last but not least this outfit must ALWAYS be ready for action. It will do you no good to have interview clothes if they are balled up on the floor in a corner of your room. They need to be clean, pressed, and hung in the closet always ready for use. This takes away that giant stressor of, "what am I going to wear?!"

The second part of being prepared comes in knowing what you're interviewing for. I can't tell you how many people I interviewed that didn't even know what the job was. In fact when I would ask some of these candidates why they wanted to work at said company they would say things like, "I need a job," or "I need money." Now remember interviewing is like dating. Would you want to go out on a date with someone that would date anybody and was just looking for a free meal? I don't think so. The reality is that sometimes yes you flip through Indeed like you flip through Tinder and click on everything and anything that looks good because you just need something now. But please! I beg you! Do no let the person interviewing you know that! You need to make them feel special. You need to make them feel like they're the only one and that you're destiny is to work at said company. Now this comes a lot easier if its true so I implore you to look for a job that you're passionate about. The best way to make this happen is to know what you're interviewing for. This is really easy with the internet. When you get a call from one of these numerous places make sure to not only jot down the date and time of the interview but make sure you know the name of the company. Immediately after you get off the phone do some research. Go to the company's website and (hopefully you already know what they do) look up their mission statement.

This will answer most of your interview questions for you so get familiar with it. Memorize it if you can. Also if the mission statement doesn't sit well with you or it sounds like something you couldn't get comfortable with call back and respectfully decline the interview. You're not going to change the company and if you feel you'll be unhappy there then you shouldn't go any further.

The third part of preparation is knowing what you're going to say. Now I know what you're thinking, "how do I know what they're going to ask?" Well that's pretty easy. All interviews are basically the same questions asked in different ways. Its just like going on a blind date. If you've gone on a lot of dates you know that its pretty much the same script right? They ask you questions and you ask them questions to determine if you're a good fit. The purpose is to see if there's a good foundation to grow a solid relationship. Well the same is true for a job interview. You both need to figure out if this will be a good employee employer relationship. Sometimes you can do everything right and this still isn't the case that's why I don't want you to get too hung up on getting rejected. So the questions are a lot like date questions. Who are you? What are you about? Why do you want to be in a relationship with me? What are your lifelong goals? Are you smart? Are you loyal? Can I trust you? This is basically what interviewers are trying to get out of you by asking you these questions. Now I'm going to make a list of typical questions and give you some answers but DON'T memorize these. In fact don't memorize any answers or you will sound like a robot when you interview, or even worse you'll forget your line and freeze up into a silent nightmare. Just have a general idea of these questions and what you would think of if someone asked you. Keep these things in your head and think about them regularly so that they become very organic. Also not only are interviews like dates, they're also like an interrogation with the police. Don't offer up information they didn't ask for if its not going to make out look good! To quote one of my favorite movies, don't fall into the "word vomit" trap. I like to do little mock interviews with myself during my commute to work daily. This keeps me fresh and ready to go. Now for the questions:

As Carrie Fisher once said, “Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.” 

• Tell me a little bit about yourself?
• This question always stumps everyone which is funny because if you don't overthink it its really easy. The interviewer just wants a little bio. Now they don't care about where you went on your summer vacation or how many dogs you have. They want to know things that are relevant to them. Like what is your level of education? What is your experience? What are you passionate about? What are you currently doing for work? Etc. Don't tell them how old you are, if you're married or not, or if you have children (this is none of their business and they can't ask you).
• What is your greatest weakness?
• Don't tell them that you oversleep or that you procrastinate it wont help your cause! Try to find something that can be considered both a weakness and a strength. Like perfectionism (perfectionism can be seen as a negative or a positive in certain contexts but its always a positive in the work context), extreme loyalty, or being a workaholic. 
• What is your greatest strength?
• See what I did there? Just revert back to your previous answer and explain that while it might not make you a stellar friend or mate it makes you an awesome employee! 
• Why do you want to work here?
• Now is where you're going to use that mission statement. Say something like, "well when I was looking for my next job I came across your mission statement and saw that it said that your ultimate goal is to help people live as independently as possible and I knew right then that this is where I needed to be." Wow! You just blew their minds! You just told them that you can drift off into their beautiful blue eyes forever. You just did the ultimate flirting! 
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• I was doing interviews for a social worker position once and I asked the candidate to which they replied, "hopefully in the jungles of Africa!" She was a primate anthropology major and wanted to study chimps...not exactly in line with helping families and children in a not so glamorous setting. So she told me two things, 1. She is not passionate about this work and 2. she wont be here long. Its OK to have other dreams but don't tell them. Simply say, "hopefully here in the (insert name of much higher position than your applying for here)position"
• Do you have any questions for me?
• Yes! Always have questions! You wouldn't go out on a date with someone and not ask them some questions would you? It would make you seem desperate. Same rule applies here. Now don't be the A-hole that asks how many paid holidays they have or what their sick policy looks like. Ask them questions that make you look like you're ambitious and interested, like: "is there room for growth within your company?" or "what does your ideal candidate look like?"

What to Expect

Sometimes there will be one person interviewing you and sometimes you will be in a panel interview, meaning that there will be multiple people asking you questions. Don't let this scare you. Their goal here is not to intimidate the shit out of you I promise. Most of the time you will be in a panel interview if multiple departments are trying to fill the same position. All the hiring managers will sit in to stream line the process. Another reason is that there may be multiple people that are going to make the decision, and sometimes people are in there to learn how to conduct an interview. Try to see this as an advantage for you. Now instead of being on a date with one person and relying solely on their impression of you, you get the chance to convince others as well. So maybe if one of them doesn't like you then one of the others might. Just make sure you make eye contact with all of them.

There might be written portions. Some places will require you to write a report in that second language you said you spoke (so don't lie about things like that). There might be a computer skills test. There may be some short answer scenario questions. Don't panic! Its better to take your time and do well on these things then to rush and do terribly. If they give you an option to do the written after the interview take it! That way the stress of the interview will be off and your work will look better.

The Don'ts 

1. Don't wear a lot of cologne or perfume. Something that smells great to you might smell awful to someone else and all they will think about when they see your resume again is how bad you stunk up the room. 
2. If you smoke do not do it before an interview. Like it or not most people think smoking is gross and they will automatically think less of you (and no the gum and perfume does not cover the smell trust me). 
3. Speaking of gum, do not have any in your mouth. Its distracting and you may blow a bubble out of habit which will not be good.
4. Don't put change or keys in your front pockets. Some people start jingling this stuff out or nervousness and can't stop.
5. Sit up straight and make eye contact. Even if you're nervous fake it till you make it. You need to look confident! As Carrie Fisher once said, “Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.” 
6. Oh and don't go in there with bright green hair. Take your self expression out of the equation for a minute. Don't miss out on a great opportunity because you wanted to stick it to the man and the hell with what they think of me! Interviews are solely based on a first impression so don't let the only thing they see be your defiance. There will be time for that later. Right now you want them to see you for you. 

The Scariest Interview I Ever Went To

The scariest interview I went to was an interview that I was going to mainly to get my feet wet. Sometimes I apply for jobs I know I'm not really qualified for so that I can get a feel of what they're looking for when I am qualified. I know I wont get the job but its a great opportunity to get your face out there and get some practice. So I went to this interview for the Executive Director position at a company that I thought worked with senior citizens (the companies had the same name and I had researched the wrong one). Turns out they worked with the mentally ill doing something I have wanted to do my whole life...my dream job! I was literally sitting there with these people in my dream interview just like that. Luckily I was prepared and able to adjust to the information and move forward. It turned out I wasn't qualified for the position I applied for but I gave a hell of an interview and made a great impression. So much so that they decided to give me another position in the company that I was qualified for that they hadn't opened up yet! If I hadn't gone then that never would have happened. 

For Missy

No Carbs No Sugar

So a friend of mine Melissa recently informed me that she is on a no carb (carbohydrates) no sugar diet and is looking for some recipes to help her along the way. Honestly this is the scariest thing anyone has asked me to do. I am Italian and I think by nature the foods I make and recipes I create are packed with carbs!! So I decided that this would be a great opportunity to broaden my horizons and learn something new. To start off I needed to do some research. What foods have carbs? What the heck is a carb? I have to admit it was a bit overwhelming but here's what I found.

The Skinny on Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are called carbohydrates because they contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen on a chemical level. Carbohydrates are our bodies main source of energy and are referred to as a macronutrient as the the human body does not produce them on its own. As you can see carbs are not all bad. The problem lies in the fact that most people eat much more carbs than they burn. According to LiveScience carb intake for most people should be between 45 and 65 percent of total calories. One gram of carbohydrates equals about 4 calories, so a diet of 1,800 calories per day would equal about 202 grams on the low end and 292 grams of carbs on the high end. However, people with diabetes should not eat more than 200 grams of carbs per day, while pregnant women need at least 175 grams. To put this in perspective I just looked up one of my favorite burgers and found out that one of those burgers would count as about half of my allotted carb intake for the entire day (with not much nutritional value)! The next problem is the fact that most foods with high carbs don't have much nutritional value and tend to be high in calories. Simple carbs are made with processed sugars and can be empty calories meaning that you're not getting any bang for your buck! 

So What Can I Eat if I Want to Go Low Carb?

• Any naturally occurring meat is going to be low carb, in fact most fish, poultry, and meat are carb free but packed with protein.
• Eggs (eggs only contain about .6 grams of carbs each)
• Zucchini, cauliflower, and chard are some examples of low carbs veggies (stay away from starchy vegetables like potatoes).
• Vegetable oil, butter, corn oil, sunflower oil, etc. 
• Most dairy, as long as its not processed
• Squash and gourds
• Apricots, avocados, strawberries, etc. 

Basically you want to stay away from anything processed, breads, starches, and high sugar foods.

Let's Get Away From Processed

A lot of things are available pre-made in the market these days and while it makes life easier it doesn't make it healthier. Some things are really easy to make at home. When you make these ingredients at home you can control the sodium and bypass all of the additives. For example chicken stock. This is really easy to make at home and you can use the chicken later in another recipe. Plus you can save some money which you know I love. For more information on how to make your own chicken stock see my post Chicken Stock.

So What Are We Cooking?

So it took a lot of thinking, a lot of research, and a lot of control. Everything happens so fast in the kitchen and this project slowed me down a lot. I had to stop myself from instinctively grabbing ingredients I normally would and thinking about each move. What I came up with is a Pan Roasted Pork Chop With Leek Pan Sauce on a Bed of Sauteed Spinach.

This isn't a zero carb meal but it is extremely close. I replaced my olive oil with coconut oil and skipped out on any breading or flour for the chops.

Ingredients

1  lb boneless pork chops

1  leek

1  bunch spinach

2  cups chicken stock (see recipe)

2  tbsps. Djon mustard

3  cloves garlic

2  tbsps. fresh rosemary

1  tbsp. fresh thyme

2  tbsps. coconut oil

1  tbsp. butter

1  pinch nutmeg

   sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

**You'll also need a high sided skillet with a lid

Get Cooking

Prep for this recipe is important as there is a lot of washing of vegetables. Leeks and spinach are both notorious for being full of sand so make sure you are very thorough with your rinsing! For the leeks it's a bit trickier to get all of the sand out as it hides down in the layers. Start by cutting almost all of the green tops off. Go ahead and discard these as you will not be using them and they are very tough.  Then slice the whole leek in half length wise. This is going to open up the leek and allow you to really get all of the sand out. Now rinse it very well. Bring it back to your board and chop both halves.

I've found that the easiest way to prep spinach is to leave the tie around the bunch and cut the stems off. Then remove the tie and rinse the spinach well. Don't chop the spinach as it will really shrink upon cooking. Chop all three garlic cloves but reserve 1/3 of the garlic.

Thyme and rosemary are both herbs that have tough stems. Remove the leaves from the stems by grabbing the top with one hand and with your other hand pinch the stem with your thumb and index finger. Now slide your fingers down the stem and the leaves will come off easily. Chop both the rosemary and the thyme and set aside.

Now its time to start cooking. Get your high sided skillet over a medium high flame and add one tablespoon of the coconut oil. While the pan is heating generously salt and pepper your chops (remember room temperature meat cooks more evenly so give it time out of the fridge). Once the pan is hot place both chops in and allow them to sear. This should take about 2 minutes on each side.

You want a golden brown crusty look on each chop. Once they are seared remove them from the pan with some tongs and set aside. Add another tablespoon of coconut oil to the pan and lower the heat to medium low.

Add the leek and saute until they start to become transparent. Now add in your garlic and cook off for about one minute. Once the garlic is fragrant add the rosemary and thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Add in your Dijon and  saute for one more minute. Be careful not to burn. Once the herbs have cooked down a bit add the stock to the pan to deglaze. Replace the chops into the pan and cover with a lid. Allow to simmer. 

While that's cooking start on your spinach. In a large saute pan or fry pan heat your butter over medium heat. Once the pan is hot add in your garlic. Allow the garlic about a minute to cook. Now add in your spinach. Begin moving the spinach around as it will wilt fast and you want to make sure it doesn't burn.

Add your nutmeg ( I know right?! Nutmeg? But really it goes great with spinach you'll see) and salt and pepper to taste.  By now your chops should be ready. Make sure they cook until the sauce has reduced and is a bit thicker. To plate lay a bed of spinach down, top with a chop and cover with the sauce from the pan. Enjoy! Please feel free to leave any recommendations in the comments!

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Chicken Stock

Chicken stock vs. Chicken Broth

So the difference between chicken broth and chicken stock is the bones. Chicken broth is made with only meat while stock incorporates bones and slow cooking times. The bones add a heavier mouth feel to the liquid due to the gelatinous properties that come out when you slow cook them. There's also a lot more flavor in stock then in broth. The fat is a little higher but not enough to worry about. I like to use chicken thighs for a couple of reasons. number one reason they are super cheap! You can get a four pack of chicken thighs for as low as $2.74. Another reason is they are full of flavor and I like to use the leftover meat for other things so the recipe does double duty. The ingredients are super simple for chicken stock.

Ingredients

8  cups water

4  chicken thighs (bone in, with skin)

2  bay leaf

5  peppercorns

3  cloves garlic

2  tsp. salt

What Do I Do With This?

Super simple! For your prep all you need to do is peel the garlic. I like to slam the garlic with the flat side of my knife against my cutting board. This makes it really easy to get the paper off and breaks up the garlic a bit which is great when you're trying to get flavor into liquids. 

Now just poor your water into a stock pot or large pot, add the peppercorns (you need to count them so you know how many you need to fish out), bay leaf, garlic, and salt and bring to a boil.

Once your pot comes to a boil turn down the flame until you get a slow simmer. Now leave it alone. In about an hour your stock will form a white foam on top.


Go ahead and skim this off with a spoon and discard. I like to simmer my stock for 2 hours. Once finished you will notice a layer of fat on the top. You can either skim it off now or pop the stock in the fridge. Once the stock is cold the fat will harden on the top and you can easily remove it. 

Once your stock is done you can strain it or fish out the bay leaf, peppercorns, and garlic. I like to fish mine out and leave the little bits in but its completely up to your preference. Now your stock is ready! You can use it right away or store in the freezer or fridge. You can keep stock in the freezer for 6 months to a year and in the fridge for up to four days. 

Mom's Pot Roast

The Perfect Roast

So my mom made a lot of really great dishes and I think the time I spent with her in the kitchen are some of my greatest memories. Although my mom didn't necessarily teach me how to cook she definitely inspired me to be in the kitchen by always cooking when I was little and letting me help and watch.

My older sister, me, mom.

 One of the things I remember her making was this mouth watering pot roast. Unfortunately my mom passed away far too soon and my sister and I have attempted to recreate some of her dishes based on memory and I think I came pretty close with this one.

The Meat

So typically with a roast you want a sturdy piece of meat that requires long cooking times. Traditionally a pot roast warrants the use of a chuck roast also known as a 7-bone roast or a braising steak.  This cut of meat tends to be fairly tough and contains a lot of cartilage and connective tissues which take a long time to break down. If treated correctly the finished product can be extremely flavorful and tender. My favorite thing about chuck roast is that it is fairly inexpensive compared to other cuts of beef and I can usually cut out a small section and cube for stew for the next day. Just choose a small section surrounded by fat/cartilage and trim it out, pop it in a zipper bag and your'e ready for the next day.  

What You'll Need

This recipe is really easy and doesn't require much to bring it all together. The most important thing you'll need is patience. A lot of cooking requires patience and the ability to step back and let things happen on their own. Just as in life things we force usually do not turn out well. The next thing you'll need is a slow cooker. I recommend anyone starting out on this adult journey invest in a good slow cooker and a large one so that you can do more with it. A large slow cooker at good quality will cost between 30 and 45 dollars. There are some that cost more but in my opinion this is not where you should splurge. Slow cookers have no moving parts and rarely break so its OK to get one that isn't considered high end. I've owned two my entire life and the only thing that has broken is the plastic handle on the lid. I also recommend an iron skillet. I lost mine in my last move and I am lost without it. It will be my next purchase for sure. As long as cast iron is properly seasoned it will last forever and is exceptional for searing meat.

One of the most important elements of a good roast is a hard sear which is much easier to achieve in cast iron. Last but not least you'll need a good knife (always invest in at least one good knife for your kitchen; I prefer a good utility knife as it can be used for almost anything), a good cutting board, and some sturdy tongs. 

Ingredients

1  2 -3- lb. chuck roast

5  medium size Russet Potatoes 

1  lb. carrots 

1  14.5 oz can beef broth

1  cup brewed coffee

1  large white onion

3  cloves garlic

2  tbsp. butter

1  tbsp. olive oil

2  tsp. dried rosemary

2  tsp. dried thyme

1  bay leaf

    Kosher Salt and Freshly 

    Ground 

    Black Pepper 

    to Taste

Getting Started

First off I know what you're thinking. Coffee in my pot roast?! Believe it or not the roasted qualities paired with the bitterness coffee go great with beef. Coffee grounds can even be used in dry rubs but for our purposes we'll need a brewed cup. Temperature doesn't matter so just set aside a cup from the morning pot. Its also a great idea to set your meet out about 45 minutes before you're ready to get cooking. Cold meat in a hot pan does not a good sear make. Room temperature meat will work best so give your meat some time. 

While your meat is coming to temperature its it good idea to prep your vegetables. Its a lot easier to cook when you're not constantly stopping to prep an ingredient. This is crucial when you're starting out in the kitchen because it will keep you from becoming frazzled and stressed. The onion is easy as it wont be eaten in the finished plate. Go ahead and cut it into quarters.

The carrots are simple as well. Cut them in half down the middle. The skinny end is ready to use. The thicker half that is left over should be cut in half length wise to create somewhat of a spear. Each carrot should yield 3 pieces. Two of the garlic cloves should be chopped and one will be cut into three slices. Give the potatoes a good wash and set aside. 

Once your meat has come to room temp you can prep it. Cut three small slits into the meat evenly spaced and press one slice of garlic into each slit. Make sure they are deep enough so that they will not fall out during the searing process. Generously salt and pepper both sides and evenly distribute the rosemary and time on both sides.

Now you're ready to start cooking. Add your butter and olive oil to your cast iron or high-sided skillet and place over medium high heat. While your skillet is heating up place the onion, remaining garlic, coffee, bay and half of the can of beef broth into the slow cooker and turn on to low. When your skillet is hot use your tongs to gently Place the prepped chuck roast on one side. You should hear a pretty loud sizzle, if you don't your pan is not hot enough and you will not get a hard sear.  Now is the time when you'll need o exercise patience. I often see people moving  meat around a lot in pans and on the grill and pressing it down.These are huge no nos!!! When you move the meat around you are disrupting the caramelization process and that's when you end up with grey weird looking meet. Grey doesn't tastes good, brown tastes good. The problem with pressing the meat down is you're squeezing out all of the juices. Now you have a dry and grey piece of meat. So set it in the skillet and leave it alone.

You will know when it is time to flip because the sound of the sizzle will change and the meat will let go of the skillet. If your meat is sticking its not ready to turn! This process usually takes about 3 minutes per side. Once you turn your meat it should be a caramel deep brown color with a nice crust.

This is what you want. When your meat is done transfer it to the slow cooker. Now you don't want to waist all of the drippings in th pan. This is a flavor bomb and should not be thrown out. Turn the heat down a bit and add the rest of the can of beef broth into the skillet. This is called deglazing.  The liquid will pull all of the bits off of the skillet.

Let this cook for about 2 minutes pull from the heat and poor into the slow cooker. Nice part about deglazing is it makes cleaning up a lot easier. Now pop the lid on your slow cooker and leave it alone for 5-6 hours. 

About an hour before you serve your're going to want to add your potatoes and carrots into the slow cooker and turn up to high. This will ensure that they do not over cook. 

Serve with butter and fresh ground black pepper for the vegetables. Left over meat can be seasoned the next day for tacos or burritos. Enjoy!

Living at Home as an Adult

Living at Home as an Adult

Ok so here's the deal

I have found recently that there are a lot of people out in the world today that haven't learned everything they need to know in order to adult. I myself am one of these people. I lived with my dad and step mom until I was 29 years old and I was in college for most of that time. It took me almost 8 years to finish my undergraduate studies while I was working full time jobs and completing internships. The parentals couldn't understand why I couldn't afford to move out. Their mortgage  was about 1000 dollars a month so as you can see they had no realistic idea of how much it cost to live on your own now days. If you're out of state to put it in prospective you can get a shit apartment in a shit neighborhood for about 1100 dollars a month (not including utilities, food, gas for your car, etc.). Before I finished school I was working entry level positions in my field which only paid minimum wage; so I basically made about 1500 dollars a month. I know I'm not alone in this just ask the  US Census. Anyhow because I lived at home I lived a very odd lifestyle. I had no sense of budgeting whatsoever. I ate out A LOT (my dad was really weird about me using the kitchen, the fridge, and basically the house in general). I didn't realize that it cost money to do laundry, and honestly I had no clue what to do at a laundry mat. 

"My dad was really weird about me using the kitchen, the fridge,
and basically the house in general".

Moving on

So at about the age of 29 and 6 months into my MA my boyfriend and I found out we were pregnant. Super exciting and also extremely terrifying. My boyfriend was exactly like me. He lived at home and was in school only he had only completed a couple years so far as he was in the Army for most of his 20s.  So anyway to make a long story short we had to move in together and figure this adult stuff out really fast. Flash forward to about 3 years later and I kind of feel like I wouldn't die out in the world, I still have a long way to go but I've figured some stuff out. Like: hey idiot you have to budget or you will have no money, laundry mats are not that scary, and eating out is extremely expensive (like stupid expensive don't do it), oh and the most important one is that the world will lie to you a lot about things that you "must have" and "skills you must master" (like credit, credit is not something you should master; it is something you should stay away from all together). So I thought I would share some of this stuff and hopefully it helps some of us out! I was also lucky to be blessed with some cooking skills and I will be sharing a lot of recipes and kitchen tips along the way (remember eating out is stupid expensive, seriously, don't do it...like ever).