Let's Get into Debt!

Today we got new credit cards in the mail. Credit cards that we asked for, thank you. They are Southwest cards, so we get points toward airlines when we buy stuff.

We already had cards with points. But, wow! What lousy point systems. Like, spend $1,000,000 and we will give you a dirty sock.

I'd much rather have a round trip flight paid for.

Ancestral Traits

I never knew my paternal grandmother. She died when I was six, and the only time I ever met her I was a baby. With that said, though, I do know a few things about my paternal grandmother, and I think I'm at least a little bit like her.

There were couple of games she really enjoyed. I believe they were bridge and tennis. Then she taught the games to my grandpa, and he consistently beat her. My grandma no longer enjoyed playing those games.

I shan't elaborate, but I will say that I despise losing over and over and over again.

As Promised...

Carrot Soup ( 10 minutes prep, 50 minutes cook)

½ cup split lentils

5 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 cups peeled and sliced carrots

2 onions, chopped

1 14-oz can chopped tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 fresh green chili, seeded and chopped

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt

1 cup milk

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

plain yogurt

Place lentils in a large saucepan with 3 ½ cups of the vegetable broth, carrots, onions, tomatoes and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pan. Add the cumin, coriander, chili and turmeric and fry gently for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and salt to taste. When the soup is finished simmering, puree it in small batches in a food processer. Return it to the saucepan. Add the spice mixture and the rest of the vegetable broth. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro and reheat gently. Serve hot, with a swirl of yogurt.

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You don't really need to sautee the chili with the seasonings. Just stir them in. I actually use dried, red chilies that Matt and Michelle gave me. Last night I put in three, crushed. And then I stirred. Yet somehow I got a spoonful of hotness when I took a sample. My lips burned. Literally. The skin between my lips and my nose was on fire for about 2 hours. And when I kissed Eric, he recoiled from hotness and said I burned his lips. I wish I were joking. In the end, though, it was the right amount of spicy.

Also, lentils? They are amazing. One quarter of a cup gets you 60% of your daily fiber and THIRTEEN grams of protein. THIRTEEN, people! And, boy are they cheap. Two cups cost me $.59. That means for 7 cents you can have thirteen grams of fiber. They're not super tasty by themselves, but they are perfect in this soup because they are all blended in.

Let me know if you try it and like it.

Tortilla Soup

It's cooling down outside, and that means soup. I love, love, love soups. Tonight I made carrot soup, and we will eat it on Monday. I'm not sure why we are not having it on Sunday, but it was Eric's call. (I will give you the recipe for this when I have it in front of me, which I do not right now).

Earlier this week we had tortilla soup. It's my mom's recipe, and it's a family favorite. I don't know if I make it quite like my mom. It never seems quite the same, but I like it nonetheless. And I've never served it to anybody that didn't love it and think I was amazing. Here's the recipe. Sorry for the lack of accurate measurements. It's not really written down anywhere.

Tortilla Soup:

• Chicken (I usually use boneless, skinless because it is easier to work with, but if you find bone-in chicken on sale, you can use that too.)
• Chicken bullion cubes or powdered bullion
  
• 2 white onions, chopped finely
  
• Garlic- 1 clove, minced
  
• Jalapenos, chopped (2 or 3, depending on your preference of spicyness)
• Cilantro- one bunch, chopped
• Green onions- one bunch, chopped
• 4-5 tomatoes, chopped
• Corn tortillas
  

Boil the chicken with the onions and garlic. Cut up the chicken into bite-size pieces. (This is where it is easier if you use boneless chicken.) Add bullion cubes to the remaining liquid until it tastes strong and brothy. It should already taste like weak broth because you boiled the chicken in it. Add the jalapenos, cilantro, and tomatoes. Let simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Tear apart 1-2 tortillas per bowl, and spoon the soup on top. Don't store the tortillas in the soup or you will promptly have mush.

Easy. Cheap. And sooooo tasty. Let me know if you try it and love it. Don't let me know if you don't love it. I will disown you.

Also, there is usually powdered bullion (not cubed) in the Mexican section of the store. It's called "sabor de pollo," I think. It's generally cheaper than the American stuff, and it's just the same.

Mom, if I got any of this wrong, this is the perfect time to comment on my blog since I know you read it. :)

Saving Lives One Pint at a Time

In my home, turning 17 was a big deal in only way- it meant that Dad would take you to the blood donation clinic so you could donate blood for the first time.

I grew up wanting to donate blood. Needles don't bother me, and frankly I find it preposterous when people say they are terrified of getting shots. Of course nobody likes them, but really. It's a needle. Spend a few weeks with IVs in your veins, and I am sure you will get over it.

The first time I donated blood, I had absolutely no problems. I probably had a little bruise after; I always do. But, I worked a full shift at the grocery store with no problems. From there on out, I donated very frequently at our local blood donation clinic. I tried to donate as often as possible (every 56 days), but usually my busy schedule wouldn't allow that. Sometimes the clinic would call me and ask me to come in since my blood type is O-negative, which makes me a universal donor.

Every now and then I might have a negative reaction. Sometimes I would be just plumb exhausted after donating. Once I passed out. Smacked down on the hard floor without even a bend in the knees. Very embarrassing. Ask my brother, Steve, if you want more info. He certainly hasn't forgotten.

Yesterday I donated blood, and I did just fine, although I was feeling more tired than usual today. Frankly, though, it was worth it. Knowing that I can help sick people is very gratifying to me. I know that a lot of people just can't donate. Many bodies can't handle the loss of a pint of blood. I watched a girl yesterday who had a really hard time. Poor thing. I don't have a hard time, though, and I like knowing that I can save up to three lives with every whole-blood donation.

I hadn't donated in about three years. I had signed up a few times, but I always had some sort of complication when it came time to donate, and thus the lapse of time. It felt great to donate yesterday (in my heart, not my arm). I have to say I get that warm fuzzy feeling more from donating blood than any other type of service. When you donate blood, the blood can go to a variety of different patients- from emergency cases that require blood transfusions to cancer patients who need some healthy platelets to premie babies. You can read about some here.

If you can donate blood, you ought to. It's just a little bit of pain, and the knowledge that you are helping sick people is totally worth it.

Stop killing me!

I'm such a cool sister-in-law. Eric and I are babysitting Andrew this week. He's 16, which is why I like to call it babysitting.

Sometimes to entertain him I play the shoot 'em up game with him. Eric plays too. I used to get really frustrated because I didn't know how to use the controller, I'd get lost in the arena, and the boys kept killing me. I've gotten a lot better, though, and now I think it's fun.

Of course, the boys use pistols and I use an automatic machine gun. Only a slight advantage.