Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Best recipe for hard boiled eggs

Hard boiled eggs are not hard, but there are a few tricks that will help them come out perfectly every time.

Before you start, take your eggs out of the fridge and let them get up to room temp. Usually 15 minutes does the trick. After they've warmed up add them to your pot, in a single layer, along with 2Tbsp baking soda. Cover with water so there is one inch of water above the eggs. Bring water to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Allow eggs to simmer for 10-15 minutes; 10 for any number under 6 eggs, 15 for any number over 6 eggs. If you are doing more than 2 dozen eggs do them in batches of 12-24 (depending on what your pot can handle) to ensure even cooking. When time is up, remove pot for stove and run cold water into it until the water in the pot is cold, add a tray or 2 of ice to stop cooking process. Allow the eggs to sit in ice water until they are cool to the touch. Drain water, peel eggs and rinse to be sure no shell remains on eggs.

I know some of my suggestions seem useless, but they really do serve a purpose. Allowing the eggs to warm to room temperature lessens the chance of the eggs cracking. As does the single layer of eggs. The baking soda helps the shell release from the white of the egg, making peeling easier. The ice water retards the cooking process, eliminating the greenish tint on the yolk from over cooking. It doesn't effect the taste of the eggs, it's just the iron and sulfur oxidizing, but it does degrade the protein in the egg lessening it's nutritional value.

While not the most interesting of topics, these are tricks I've learned over the years. I love deviled eggs, so I hard boil eggs a lot. This has lead me to finding the best way to peel, cook, etc the eggs so they always look their best. The fastest way to ruin deviled eggs is having half the white be thrown out with the shell for it sticking or the color being off because of the green tint. Hope y'all found this a little helpful and have a great night. Next post, if you're all very good, I'll share some secrets for the perfect cup of tea (a true passion of mine), hot or iced.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Oh my gosh, I'm so tired.

I've been sick most of this week. Nothing to write home about, but no time to recoup. I'm still sick and was hoping to use the weekend to recover enough to handle 2 jobs, a house, a 2yr old and a husband. However, for some strange reason hubby has decided we need to do Easter this year. Why? I'm not sure, but it has totally ruined my recouping schedule-ya know, sleep, sleep some more, eat, pee, sleep again. Yeah, that's not going to happen.

Instead I've spent the day grocery shopping, cleaning house and directing hubby on what food to prepare today. I'm not handling any of the food thankfully, I just don't want to risk anyone getting sick as I am. This doesn't mean I'm out of the kitchen though. Hubby isn't the world's best cook so I need to be right there in case he has any questions and to redirect when he's about to add 1Tbsp baking soda instead of the 1tsp the recipe calls for, lol. Everything we can get done today is done, except for hard boiling eggs to dye. Oddly, I'm not looking forward to it. That used to be my favorite part of Easter as a kid, even more than the candy (well, almost).  It's probably just because I don't feel well, but all I can think is "even more to clean up".

There's still some clean up that needs done and we have to drag some chairs out of storage for guests. I'm just really not looking forward to tomorrow. Unless of course I miraculously get better overnight. Why anyone wants to come over and potentially catch my plague is beyond me.

To everyone else not sick this strange holiday, Happy Easter!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

New job

So, yeah I got a second job. We really need the money, but man it is a bad fit. The worst part is I'm apparently good at it.

This past November I completed a nurse aid course and then stupidly passed the state test. Now I work at Burger King half the day and as a Home Health Aid (HHA/HNA) the other half. I like BK much better. It's more stressful because everyone is a decade or two younger than me, even my boss. My age seems to make everyone defer to me on matters that aren't my job, like I'm the freakin' BK house mom. Very annoying. I still like it better.

Being an HHA isn't hard or stressful, I just don't like it. My clients are mostly nice people, easy going who just happen to need their brief or colostomy bag changed, help with bathing, etc. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but not difficult. I spend more time cleaning house and preparing meals in all honesty. Every client I've seen, except one, has asked that I come regularly. I just don't like the job. I don't know if it's the hours or driving or what, but it's a bad fit. It just doesn't make sense to me. I'm more stressed out at BK, exhausted after a few hours there-physically and mentally, but happier after a shift. With the HHA, it's not hard or unpleasant, but my anxiety is through the roof hours after my shift is over.

I keep telling myself, give it time you'll adjust. My plan is to give it a year, surely things will feel more in sync after a year. I can't even tell you how depressed it makes me to think of being a HHA for a whole year. Half that sounds like a death sentence in my head. I wish I could explain why this new job is not right for me, but I just don't know. If we didn't need the money, I'd quit today. It doesn't make any sense. I should like HHA much better than working fast food. Why am dreading seeing clients today who are the nicest people like I'm headed to my own execution!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Oh, before I forget again

My quest for a church has been slightly delayed. I got a second job and am trying to squeeze time to go to bible study or Sunday service. It'll happen eventually.

Hey there veiwers

What kind of stuff would you actually like to see on my blog? Leave a comment and I'll do my best to accommodate you.

Atheism, a brief explination

It's hard to explain, especially to a theist. It simply means no belief in deities. Nothing more, nothing less. It does not imply an act of rebellion against whatever god/s the theist I'm speaking to happens to believe in. It does not imply worship of their god/s antagonist-like satan to the xians. It doesn't imply anger or other emotions towards any god/s. Really, it just means we don't believe in your, or anybody else's, deity.

It also doesn't imply that all atheists think exactly the same thing. Lack of belief in a deity of some nature is about all most atheists have in common. Within the atheist community (if you can call it that) you will find pro-life and pro-choice supporters; some who support the death penalty and some who vehemently oppose it, skin color varies wildly, some are Democrat, some Republican, some 3rd party supporters. We live in all countries on this amazing planet, speak different languages, eat different foods. I hope my point is sinking in a little. You can no more lump all atheists together than you can theists.

Atheism is not the same thing as anti-religion. While some atheists may want to see an end to religion, that's not what the word means or what all atheists want. I for one think religion has a purpose for some people. No good can come from forcing people to give up their faith, than forcing faith on those who don't believe. It's a lose/lose scenario.

I'm not going to dispute the fact that there are some militant atheists. But let's face it, there are extremists in any group. Heck, even I find them annoying.*coughRichardDawkinscough*. They aren't any more annoying than a theistic group who tells atheists they should "get out" of a given country or they'll burn in a hell the atheist doesn't believe in. In a conversation like that, both sides end up looking like losers.

Theists have a hard time understanding atheism. It goes against a fundamental way of thinking for them-and I can respect that. I can't understand a belief in something that doesn't exist, I certainly don't expect anyone to try and understand my point of view, just respect it. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them. I'm not the fastest at responding, but I will get back to ya.