Hopefully at least you'll be inspired to paint your nails - even if it's just so they look better than mine! =D
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Watermelon Nails
It's Health and Beauty Thursday. I recently tried painting my toe-nails like watermelons. I forgot that when I paint my nails I get bored about halfway through - which is sad because my nails never quite turn out the way I want them to. Anyway, here's a picture of my piggies:
Sorry that it's not an amazing picture - I snapped this while waiting to watch my sister's marching band performance. To get these watermelon nails, I painting my nails with a dark pink first, then added a green french tip. I wish I'd done better with this, but I got impatient at this point. I don't have any fancy nail tools, so I just used my liquid eyeliner to make the dots.
Hopefully at least you'll be inspired to paint your nails - even if it's just so they look better than mine! =D
Hopefully at least you'll be inspired to paint your nails - even if it's just so they look better than mine! =D
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Back Home Again by Melody Carlson
So my goal this year is to read one book a week. Am I a bit behind? Yes. But to be fair, I spent a bit of time re-reading book Harry Potter, but in Spanish. Which is harder than it sounds, at least for me. =) But anyways, here's the latest book I've read.
The main characters in this book are three sisters who have recently lost their dad (the sisters are in the sixties-ish) and are left wondering what to do with the house he left all three of them. They decide to turn it into a bed and breakfast- but there are many obstacles in their way, including resistance from the small town they live in. This is a cute Christian story about sisters working together to achieve their dreams.
While I enjoyed this book (it is by my favorite author) and I look forward to reading the next book in the series, it's a slower book, perhaps suited more for an older person with a cup of coffee on a cold day.
Here's a link to the book on amazon.
In other news, my birthday is next Monday. Which means - lots of free food! I signed up for a bunch of "birthday clubs" in July, and now I have plenty of coupons to use. Today I got a free meal from Rubios. It was deeelicious.
The main characters in this book are three sisters who have recently lost their dad (the sisters are in the sixties-ish) and are left wondering what to do with the house he left all three of them. They decide to turn it into a bed and breakfast- but there are many obstacles in their way, including resistance from the small town they live in. This is a cute Christian story about sisters working together to achieve their dreams.
While I enjoyed this book (it is by my favorite author) and I look forward to reading the next book in the series, it's a slower book, perhaps suited more for an older person with a cup of coffee on a cold day.
Here's a link to the book on amazon.
In other news, my birthday is next Monday. Which means - lots of free food! I signed up for a bunch of "birthday clubs" in July, and now I have plenty of coupons to use. Today I got a free meal from Rubios. It was deeelicious.
 |
| Pork carnitas anyone? |
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Gallo Pinto
Gallo pinto is a dish served in Costa Rica for any meal. It can be served with breakfast as a side dish with pancakes or eggs, made with the rice and beans of last night's meal. It can be served for breakfast with a fried egg on top (called "gallo pinto a caballo"). It can be served for lunch or dinner, as is or with sausage cooked in with it. But what is it? Translated literally, "gallo pinto" means "painted rooster". This rice and beans dish was a common dish served to Costa Rican (or Tican) farmers when they came home from work. Black beans on white rice looked like a spotted rooster, and the name stuck. (Some other Latin American countries claim fame to this dish as well, all under different names).
I made this dish in Costa Rica and in the United States, and I looove it. I plan on making a batch of it when I get up to college to eat for any other meal I don't feel like cooking for. Just tasting it brings me back to Costa Rica. This version can't replicate exactly what my Tican family made for me, but it's pretty darn close.
Gallo Pinto
Recipe by Jean Avila Valverde, Translated and Adapted by Annette Kolnitys
Ingredients for Rice:
1 1/2 cups of rice, already cooked
1 small onion, diced
1 small bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups of water
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Directions:
Boil the onion and bell pepper. Prepare chicken broth, if necessary. Then, combine all ingredients in a large pot and cook until most of the liquid has boiled off. (You can also use a rice cooker, but I don't have one). Cover and place in fridge overnight (or just leave in your rice cooker). Apparently, this is an important step - if you don't prepare the rice the day before, you just end up with soggy gallo pinto.
Ingredients for Gallo Pinto:
Rice (prepared as above)
2 cans of black beans
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce*
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 cup of chicken broth
1 pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1 small roll of cilantro, well chopped
Directions:
Saute the onion and bell pepper. (I skipped this step - I added too much the day before in the rice, and didn't feel like I needed any more for the beans). In a big pot, add the vegetables with the two cans of beans (including the liquid that comes with the beans) and the chicken broth. Mix well and heat at medium to medium high heat. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and sugar and stir. Cook until the broth has mostly cooked off. Then add the rice and lower the heat (medium-low) for about 10 minutes. Lastly, add the cilantro, mix well and cook for two more minutes. Serve hot.
*In Costa Rica they use a sauce called "salsa inglesa", which is produced by a Costa Rican family company. They use this sauce in many of their dishes, as it adds a lot of flavor. The closest substitute we have for it in America is Worcestershire sauce.*
I served this plain to my family the first time - they all had been "bleh" about the whole beans-and-rice-for-dinner thing, but were pleasantly surprised. It also makes a great next-day dish. Just put some mozzarella cheese on it, nuke it in the microwave and add cool sour cream. Yum. You can also serve this on tortillas, with cheese, with avocados - the possibilities are endless!
That weird white cheese is one of two main cheeses they had in Costa Rica - American cheese (you know, the processed stuff) and "queso blanco" or "white cheese". It was pretty close to mozzarella cheese, except maybe more spongy.
Linked up at flamingotoes.com
I made this dish in Costa Rica and in the United States, and I looove it. I plan on making a batch of it when I get up to college to eat for any other meal I don't feel like cooking for. Just tasting it brings me back to Costa Rica. This version can't replicate exactly what my Tican family made for me, but it's pretty darn close.
Gallo Pinto
Recipe by Jean Avila Valverde, Translated and Adapted by Annette Kolnitys
Ingredients for Rice:
1 1/2 cups of rice, already cooked
1 small onion, diced
1 small bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups of water
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Directions:
Boil the onion and bell pepper. Prepare chicken broth, if necessary. Then, combine all ingredients in a large pot and cook until most of the liquid has boiled off. (You can also use a rice cooker, but I don't have one). Cover and place in fridge overnight (or just leave in your rice cooker). Apparently, this is an important step - if you don't prepare the rice the day before, you just end up with soggy gallo pinto.
Ingredients for Gallo Pinto:
Rice (prepared as above)
2 cans of black beans
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce*
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 cup of chicken broth
1 pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1 small roll of cilantro, well chopped
Directions:
Saute the onion and bell pepper. (I skipped this step - I added too much the day before in the rice, and didn't feel like I needed any more for the beans). In a big pot, add the vegetables with the two cans of beans (including the liquid that comes with the beans) and the chicken broth. Mix well and heat at medium to medium high heat. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and sugar and stir. Cook until the broth has mostly cooked off. Then add the rice and lower the heat (medium-low) for about 10 minutes. Lastly, add the cilantro, mix well and cook for two more minutes. Serve hot.
*In Costa Rica they use a sauce called "salsa inglesa", which is produced by a Costa Rican family company. They use this sauce in many of their dishes, as it adds a lot of flavor. The closest substitute we have for it in America is Worcestershire sauce.*
I served this plain to my family the first time - they all had been "bleh" about the whole beans-and-rice-for-dinner thing, but were pleasantly surprised. It also makes a great next-day dish. Just put some mozzarella cheese on it, nuke it in the microwave and add cool sour cream. Yum. You can also serve this on tortillas, with cheese, with avocados - the possibilities are endless!
That weird white cheese is one of two main cheeses they had in Costa Rica - American cheese (you know, the processed stuff) and "queso blanco" or "white cheese". It was pretty close to mozzarella cheese, except maybe more spongy.
Linked up at flamingotoes.com
Monday, August 13, 2012
Musings from Costa Rica
After going to Zumba tonight, I am missing Costa Rica quite a bit. There's nothing quite like learning salsa, merengue and machada in the humid nights of Costa Rica. If you want to read my whole story, it's at http://jetsetannette.blogspot.com. But here are some of my travel experiences.
While there, I lived with a Costa Rican host family. This was a great experience as I got to practice speaking my Spanish in a casual setting. The family was really nice and we always had good food and good conversation. Here's (by my experience) what a typical Costa Rican meal may look like:
Breakfast:
Eggs with chopped hot dogs in them OR
Pancakes (thinner, as if they were made from waffle mix) OR
Sandwich with ham, mayo, ketchup and American cheese
And
Gallo Pinto (an amazingly good rice and beans combo they use for everything)
And
Plantains OR Pineapple OR banana OR apple
Lunch:
This is typically the biggest meal of the day. Their main dishes usually include rice and beans, plantains and some sort of meat main dish. Their food is well seasoned but never spicy.
Dinner:
Rice and beans, perhaps gallo pinto, soup, pasta (hamburger helper or something of the sort) and/or a meat main dish
And guess what? Tomorrow I'm going to post the recipe for gallo pinto! It sounds simple, but the taste is anything but.
Here are some pics from my trip. If you have any questions about life in Costa Rica, feel free to leave a comment. =)
The parrot who said "Lorita" all the time. I had fun trying to train her to speak English. All my roommate and I managed to do was get it to imitate laughter.
Spanish everywhere! I miss speaking and listening to Spanish.
Ziplining!
Biking with friends along the beach
Toucan!
While there, I lived with a Costa Rican host family. This was a great experience as I got to practice speaking my Spanish in a casual setting. The family was really nice and we always had good food and good conversation. Here's (by my experience) what a typical Costa Rican meal may look like:
Breakfast:
Eggs with chopped hot dogs in them OR
Pancakes (thinner, as if they were made from waffle mix) OR
Sandwich with ham, mayo, ketchup and American cheese
And
Gallo Pinto (an amazingly good rice and beans combo they use for everything)
And
Plantains OR Pineapple OR banana OR apple
Lunch:
This is typically the biggest meal of the day. Their main dishes usually include rice and beans, plantains and some sort of meat main dish. Their food is well seasoned but never spicy.
Dinner:
Rice and beans, perhaps gallo pinto, soup, pasta (hamburger helper or something of the sort) and/or a meat main dish
And guess what? Tomorrow I'm going to post the recipe for gallo pinto! It sounds simple, but the taste is anything but.
Here are some pics from my trip. If you have any questions about life in Costa Rica, feel free to leave a comment. =)
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Cloaked by Alex Flinn
Johnny, a shoemaker, works for his family business and lives a pretty mundane life. Then, a princess comes to stay in the hotel he works at and she brings with her a mission - find her little brother. The catch? He's been turned into a frog. This book was a great story of real-world meets fantasy. I loved this book. I read it all in one night - I couldn't put it down. (I stayed up to 3 am to finish it!) The story includes storylines from six or seven fairy tales that aren't commonly known. I would recommend this book to almost everyone.
Link to the book on amazon
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Pineapple Empanadas
It's Tasty Tuesday! And I have a super tasty recipe for you - all the way from Costa Rica.
Pineapple Empanadas
Recipe by Jeannette Avila Valverde, Translated and adapted by Annette Kolnitys
Ingredients for dough:
2 sticks of margarine or butter
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 box of cream cheese
Ingredients for filling:
3 cups of fresh pineapple (or or canned pineapple)
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of pineapple juice (or can juice)
1 tablespoon of butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/2 cup of raisins (optional)
Ingredients for prep:
2 egg whites
flour
Directions:
1. Combine flour, cream cheese and all-purposes flour. Mix well, using your hands if necessary. Form a ball and cover with saran-wrap. Refrigerate at least four hours, or overnight.
2. Cut pineapple into chunks and shred. In a medium pan, add the pineapple, sugar and salt. Dissolve the cornstarch in the pineapple juice and add to the mixture. (If using canned pineapple, you will have likely already added the "pineapple juice" - just dissolve in a bit of water before adding). On medium heat, heat mixture until it boils, stirring occasionally. When at a boil add raisins, if desired, butter and lemon juice. Mix well and continue cooking until filling has thickened. Cool a bit before using.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Roll out the dough on a clean, floured surface. With a medium circular cutter (I've used the top of a sour-cream tub and the opening of a very large cup), cut circles out of the dough. Work the dough a bit, stretching it a tad to form an oval. Add a spoonful of filling (you'll need less than you thought!) and fold dough over, pinching the ends closed with your fingers. Continue with all of the other circles of dough. Place empanadas on a greased cookie sheet. Brush empanadas with egg whites and use a fork to create decorative edging. Cook for about 15 minutes or until golden.
I hope you enjoy this recipe - it takes a bit of time but is worth it! Plus, the dough is so easy to make and the filling is so good (my mom kept sneaking some with a spoon when I made it at home). Depending on the size of your empanadas, you may have extra filling - you can use it for an ice cream topping or freeze it for the next time you make emapanadas. I learned this recipe while studying abroad in Costa Rica, and I love these empanadas- they make great snacks no matter what country you are in.
Pineapple Empanadas
Recipe by Jeannette Avila Valverde, Translated and adapted by Annette Kolnitys
Ingredients for dough:
2 sticks of margarine or butter
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 box of cream cheese
Ingredients for filling:
3 cups of fresh pineapple (or or canned pineapple)
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of pineapple juice (or can juice)
1 tablespoon of butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/2 cup of raisins (optional)
Ingredients for prep:
2 egg whites
flour
Directions:
1. Combine flour, cream cheese and all-purposes flour. Mix well, using your hands if necessary. Form a ball and cover with saran-wrap. Refrigerate at least four hours, or overnight.
2. Cut pineapple into chunks and shred. In a medium pan, add the pineapple, sugar and salt. Dissolve the cornstarch in the pineapple juice and add to the mixture. (If using canned pineapple, you will have likely already added the "pineapple juice" - just dissolve in a bit of water before adding). On medium heat, heat mixture until it boils, stirring occasionally. When at a boil add raisins, if desired, butter and lemon juice. Mix well and continue cooking until filling has thickened. Cool a bit before using.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Roll out the dough on a clean, floured surface. With a medium circular cutter (I've used the top of a sour-cream tub and the opening of a very large cup), cut circles out of the dough. Work the dough a bit, stretching it a tad to form an oval. Add a spoonful of filling (you'll need less than you thought!) and fold dough over, pinching the ends closed with your fingers. Continue with all of the other circles of dough. Place empanadas on a greased cookie sheet. Brush empanadas with egg whites and use a fork to create decorative edging. Cook for about 15 minutes or until golden.
I hope you enjoy this recipe - it takes a bit of time but is worth it! Plus, the dough is so easy to make and the filling is so good (my mom kept sneaking some with a spoon when I made it at home). Depending on the size of your empanadas, you may have extra filling - you can use it for an ice cream topping or freeze it for the next time you make emapanadas. I learned this recipe while studying abroad in Costa Rica, and I love these empanadas- they make great snacks no matter what country you are in.
Before they bake
Forming the empanadas
Yummmm
Linked to www.flamingotoes.com
Monday, July 30, 2012
I'm Back!
I'm back from all of my summer travels, which you can check out here. I spent six weeks in Costa Rica, a couple of days in San Diego and another three weeks travelling up the Oregon Coast. I don't have anything exciting for Miscellaneous Monday, but later this week I'll be posting a recipe or two from Costa Rica!
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