The Improvement Thread- Next Meeting on Thursday, March 18th- 1st & 3rd Thur Meetings

Regional Matchmaking Northwest
21

FutureGoals 2010:

I usually don’t post personal shit in here because I truly don’t care about the internet nor the facebook era, but It’s important to have personal goals, fuel for the soul.

Pickup/Seduction 101:

Very interested in the whole topic, I learned about the whole community awhile back in 2000 just by looking online because I wanted to get with hotter chicks. Now its become a marketing ploy and Im not sure whats real and a hoax. Regardless Im been reading and learning and practicing skills out in the field as they say. Personally being able to adjust and being social in every situation is extremely important and just shows a level of confidence thats attractive. I honestly want to be the best pickup artist and would like to give back to the community once I get better. Last year I started to learn how this whole topic of pickup can better your life in all areas and Im going to continue pushing forward, to my goal.

Skiing/Bmx:

I grew up doing both far better than the level of my street fighter skills may be. I stopped riding bikes when the scene dissolved in Seattle. Lame should have never done that, now some friends I use to ride with are pros and have graced magazine covers a few times over. I came back to bikes 2 years ago and broke by hand on a jump Ive easily have done thousands of times. This created a mental block and I sold my bike due to frustration. Not sure if Im done with the sport or what.
As for skiing I want to push that to the limit. I grew up skiing and dabbled in racing up at Ski Acres(Summit at Snoqualmie). Never really paid attention to my ski teachers and pretty much did my own thing but I did pass my courses so it worked out. I feel I can push the level of my skiing 10 fold if I moved to Colorado or some crazy ski town and enter backcountry contest, but I actually want to live in a major city with. . culture and stuff.

Moving:

Ya..okay I dont like Seattle all that much, this isnt a mystery. Its a small large city with a half ass nightlife and dumb politics. Very livable but right now at this point in my life Id take a chaotic city over a city that truly sleeps. Moving to say NYC would end things with my skiing so its a catch22. But its most likely going to happen, Id just travel to ski I suppose. Being a hour away from my home mountain will be missed for sure..along with my crew I ski with.

Job:

Another no-brainer but I need a change. I cant keep waking up to a job a truly dislike. Its one of the worst feeling ever to spend so much time at a job/career that you hate. I tried to avoid this whole situation while in school but somehow I miscalculated a few steps. At least I dont have to wear a suit and tie and sit in a cubicle all day but its equally as bad, in some ways. Getting paid okay money for a job you hate=unhappiness overall, Im working to get into IT field or marketing..something that fits more my personality/skills.

Car:

Ferrari 430, always wanted one, to official…future for sure.:wow:

22

So for Nathan, Frank, Elias, Alex and Jason, your next step is to choose two of the goals that you listed and start to timeline them and plan out the steps you are going to take to achieve them.

Choosing just two goals doesn?t mean that you can?t work on others at the same time, but choosing two and focusing on how you are going to achieve those goals specifically is important to ensure that you are actively working to achieve the things you want to do.

I would suggest following Mickey D?s example. Make a list of all your goals. Choose two (or three if necessary) and underline those as the goals you want to achieve. In the next part, outline the step you are going to take to make them happen. Go deeper than just listing, ?I will practice more,? or ?I will work harder.? Instead map out your progress and plan specifics about how and when you are going to take these steps.

For example, if your goal is to learn guitar, make goals like

?I will practice guitar for 45 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday when I get home from work. I will practice not muting strings on Monday, chord progression on Wednesday, and reading music on Friday. On top of this, I will learn one new chord every Monday, and focus on incorporating it that whole week. The last 15 minutes of each practice session, I will play for fun, while still focusing on what I practiced.?

Planning it out in that method lets you see how you have progressed, and will help you stay encouraged by allowing you to see real measurable results. You can get a calendar and map out what cords you plan to learn each week ahead of time, so you always know what is coming, and it will make it that much easier to get started every week. You should use a method like that for any goal you want to do.

I would suggest doing this all in one post, and making that post your reference for your methods and progress.

23

Well thanks to my job laying me off, getting into another job will be 1st priority. Also since I won’t be working fast food for the time being, now would be a fantastic time to start working out, so I guess those will be my two goals to attack first.

An update to the music stuff, here’s the song that I came up with (keep in mind it took me like an hour and a half to come up with this, and it’s still a work in progress). I’m sure that others can’t hear the imperfections like I can (just because I know how I want it to sound), but feedback would be much appreciated (mainly can you hear the vocals clearly).

Boom Jinx & Andrew Bayer vs. John O’Callaghan - Take It To The Six (Franco Scott’s Mash up Bootleg)

24

I searched for 10 recipes that I am going to make over the next 3 months. Found a few on CookingLight.com which has some pretty great recipes without being loaded up on butter, cheese and oil.

The list is still subject to change for a few recipes, but I am pretty happy with most of it and looking to get started soon. If they turn out right, I will bring some to TW if people want to try some when I make them (since I will be cooking Thursday’s and Friday mornings).

So, here are the dishes, though not fully in order of when I will cook them.

Mushroom and Roasted Pepper Tarts

Recipe

[details=Spoiler]Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 tart)
Ingredients
Chive Piecrust dough
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 1/2 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons Madeira wine
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat evaporated milk
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/3 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Divide Chive Piecrust dough into 5 equal portions. Place each portion between two sheets of plastic wrap; roll into a 6-inch circle. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Place each dough circle, plastic wrap side up, into a 4-inch round tart pan coated with cooking spray. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Press dough into bottom and up sides of pan; fold excess crust back in, and press. Pierce bottom and sides of dough lightly with a fork; freeze 10 minutes. Line bottoms of dough with foil; top with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove weights and foil. Brush crusts with mustard.
  3. Reduce oven temperature to 375.
  4. Combine 1 cup boiling water and porcini mushrooms in a bowl; cover and let stand 20 minutes. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl, reserving mushrooms and 1/4 cup liquid. Finely chop mushrooms.
  5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; cook 1 minute. Add cremini and shiitake mushrooms; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in porcini mushrooms, wine, and thyme; cook 1 minute. Add reserved 1/4 cup soaking liquid, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat; cook 3 minutes. Stir in parsley, juice, pepper, and salt.
  6. Divide mushroom mixture evenly among prepared crusts. Combine 2 tablespoons cheese and next 4 ingredients (through egg white), stirring with a whisk; divide mixture evenly among tarts. Sprinkle tops evenly with bell peppers and remaining cheese. Place tarts on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chives.
    Nutritional Information
    Calories: 332
    Fat: 17.2g (sat 6.3g,mono 7.4g,poly 2.1g)
    Protein: 10.6g
    Carbohydrate: 31.1g
    Fiber: 2.5g
    Cholesterol: 57mg
    Iron: 2.9mg
    Sodium: 708mg
    Calcium: 165mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1941004 [/details]

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Recipe

[details=Spoiler]“I came up with this dish to satisfy my cravings for the tamales I had at Mexican restaurants when I was growing up in Houston. Homemade tamales are too time-consuming to prepare for weeknight meals, but I discovered a corn bread mix approximates the flavor.” ?Ris Minton, Smyrna, GA
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9?inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
  3. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.
    Nutritional Information
    Calories: 354 (36% from fat)
    Fat: 14.1g (sat 7.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.2g)
    Protein: 18.9g
    Carbohydrate: 36.3g
    Fiber: 2.5g
    Cholesterol: 58mg
    Iron: 1.7mg
    Sodium: 620mg
    Calcium: 179mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1854020 [/details]

Rainier Cherry Crumble

Recipe

[details=Spoiler]Rainier cherries are the very sweet offspring of sweet-tart Bing cherries. If you can’t find Rainier cherries, you can substitute the Bing variety, but you’ll likely need to add a little sugar to the filling to balance the tartness.
Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup)
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Dash of salt
3 pounds very sweet cherries, such as Rainier, pitted
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped almonds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet in preheated oven; heat 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
  3. Combine cornstarch, juice, dash of salt, and cherries in a large bowl, tossing well to coat. Pour cherry mixture into prepared pan.
  4. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through 1/8 teaspoon salt) in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle flour mixture over cherries. Place skillet on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400 for 35 minutes or until filling is thick and bubbly and topping is browned. Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Serve warm.
    Nutritional Information
    Calories: 298
    Fat: 8.9g (sat 5.1g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.4g)
    Protein: 3.5g
    Carbohydrate: 54.5g
    Fiber: 3.4g
    Cholesterol: 21mg
    Iron: 1.4mg
    Sodium: 110mg
    Calcium: 45mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1906357 [/details]

Curried Beef Short Ribs

Recipe

[details=Spoiler] Finishing this dish with lime zest and juice brightens its rich flavors.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 3 ounces ribs, 2/3 cup rice, and about 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce)
Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 pounds beef short ribs, trimmed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/3 cup minced shallots
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1/4 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
4 cups hot cooked basmati rice
Preparation

  1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle ribs with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add half of ribs to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Place ribs in an electric slow cooker. Repeat procedure with remaining ribs.
  2. Add shallots, garlic, and ginger to pan; saut 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup water and curry paste; cook 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk, sugar, and fish sauce. Add coconut milk mixture to cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 6 hours.
  3. Remove ribs from cooker; keep warm. Strain cooking liquid through a colander over a bowl; discard solids. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour cooking liquid into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a small bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Stir in remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, rind, and juice. Shred rib meat with 2 forks; discard bones. Serve sauce over ribs and rice.
    Wine note: The intense flavor of Curried Beef Short Ribs will overwhelm most wines. Reach for a fruit-forward red like Planeta La Segreta Rosso 2007 ($15). This Sicilian blend has big flavors that can handle rich curry sauce, while the wine adds its own complementary peppery, Asian spice note. ?Jeffery Lindenmuth
    Nutritional Information
    Calories: 410
    Fat: 16.1g (sat 6.5g,mono 7g,poly 0.9g)
    Protein: 27g
    Carbohydrate: 37.1g
    Fiber: 0.7g
    Cholesterol: 70mg
    Iron: 4.1mg
    Sodium: 841mg
    Calcium: 24mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1879978
[/details]

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup

Recipe

[details=Spoiler] If the broccoli florets are large, break into smaller pieces at the stalk instead of chopping them; they’ll cook more quickly. Count on having dinner on the table in about 40 minutes, and serve this soup the moment it’s done for the best results. In fact, if you wait, you’ll find it gets thicker with time. If you have leftovers, you will want to thin the soup with a little chicken broth or milk to the desired consistency.
Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup presliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)
4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces uncooked vermicelli, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded light processed cheese (such as Velveeta Light)
4 cups (1-inch) cubed cooked chicken breast
3 cups small broccoli florets (8 ounces)
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation

  1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan; saut 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; add butter to mushroom mixture, stirring until butter melts. Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gradually add milk and broth, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add pasta to pan; cook 10 minutes. Add cheese to pan, and stir until cheese melts. Add chicken and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender and soup is thoroughly heated.
    Nutritional Information
    Calories: 317
    Fat: 12.3g (sat 6.8g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.9g)
    Protein: 27.5g
    Carbohydrate: 23.8g
    Fiber: 1.9g
    Cholesterol: 74mg
    Iron: 1.6mg
    Sodium: 723mg
    Calcium: 179mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1880025[/details]

Heirloom Tomato and Herb Pappardelle

Recipe

[details=Spoiler]This simple-to-prepare vegetarian entre may become your summertime standby. Use any combination of heirloom tomatoes you like?a variety of colors and tastes is ideal. The tasty sauce can double as a bruschetta topping for an easy appetizer. Add grilled shrimp for a heartier dish.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
12 ounces uncooked pappardelle (wide ribbon pasta)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups thinly sliced shallots (about 2 large)
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pounds heirloom tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved pecorino cheese
Preparation

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.
  2. While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots to pan; saut 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; saut 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add oregano and next 5 ingredients (through tomatoes); cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Arrange 1 cup pasta onto each of 6 plates. Top each serving with about 1 1/3 cups tomato mixture; drizzle with 1 teaspoon remaining oil. Divide cheese evenly among servings.
    Wine note: The burst of fresh tomato flavor in this pasta dish calls for a super fresh, snappy wine. Pinot grigio fills the bill. Choose one from the Alpine region of northern Italy called the Alto Adige. The cool climate results in the best, impeccably fresh pinot grigios in Italy. My favorite producer: J. Hofsttter. The 2007 is about $22. ?Karen MacNeil
    Nutritional Information
    Calories: 397
    Fat: 13g (sat 3.2g,mono 7.4g,poly 1.3g)
    Protein: 14g
    Carbohydrate: 59.1g
    Fiber: 5.5g
    Cholesterol: 10mg
    Iron: 3.2mg
    Sodium: 448mg
    Calcium: 158mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1898527
[/details]

Herbed Cheese Pizza (Lahmacun)

Recipe

[details=Spoiler]Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 6-inch pizza)
Ingredients
DOUGH:
2 cups bread flour, divided
1 teaspoon sugar
2 packages dry yeast (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
2 cups warm water (100 to 110), divided
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
Cooking spray

TOPPING:
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot paprika
3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
10 ounce thinly sliced kasseri cheese
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Preparation
To prepare dough, lightly spoon bread flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 cup bread flour, sugar, yeast, and 1 cup warm water in a bowl; let stand 15 minutes.
Lightly spoon all-purpose flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup bread flour, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add yeast mixture, 1 cup warm water, and 2 teaspoons oil to flour mixture; stir well. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; divide dough into 8 equal portions. Cover and let rest 20 minutes.
To prepare topping, combine oregano, cumin, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; saut 3 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic, bay leaf, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 15 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.
Preheat oven to 450.
Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), roll each portion into a 6-inch circle on a lightly floured surface; place circle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining dough portions.
Top each crust with 1/4 cup tomato mixture, 1 1/4 ounces cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon oregano mixture. Bake at 450 for 12 minutes or until crusts are lightly browned. Sprinkle evenly with minced parsley.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 434 (28% from fat)
Fat: 13.4g (sat 6.6g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.2g)
Protein: 19.7g
Carbohydrate: 62.6g
Fiber: 4.6g
Cholesterol: 35mg
Iron: 5.6mg
Sodium: 934mg
Calcium: 308mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=333213
[/details]

Tomato-Basil Lasagna with Prosciutto

Recipe

[details=Spoiler]Freezing instructions: After assembling the lasagna, cover and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator; bake as directed.
Yield: 9 servings
Ingredients
5 garlic cloves
1 (16-ounce) carton 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Romano cheese, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large egg
1 (26-ounce) bottle fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce (such as Muir Glen)
Cooking spray
12 cooked lasagna noodles
1 cup (4 ounces) chopped prosciutto or ham
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375.
Drop garlic through food chute with food processor on, and process until minced. Add cottage cheese; process 2 minutes or until smooth. Add cream cheese, 2 tablespoons Romano, basil, pepper, and egg; process until well-blended.
Spread 1/2 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over the pasta sauce; top with 1 cup cheese mixture, 1/3 cup prosciutto, and 3/4 cup pasta sauce. Repeat the layers two times, ending with noodles. Spread remaining pasta sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Romano and mozzarella.
Cover and bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let lasagna stand 5 minutes.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 272 (19% from fat)
Fat: 5.6g (sat 2.8g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.6g)
Protein: 20.8g
Carbohydrate: 33g
Fiber: 2.1g
Cholesterol: 47mg
Iron: 2.3mg
Sodium: 775mg
Calcium: 213mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=225903
[/details]

Marinara Magnifica

Recipe

[details=Spoiler]Dry red wine intensifies the well-blended flavors in this lusciously seasoned tomato sauce–magnifico!Serve over your favorite pasta.
Yield: 9 cups (serving size: 1 cup)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups chopped onion (about 3 medium)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, undrained
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
Preparation
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion and sugar. Cook 30 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in wine; cook 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 169 (20% from fat)
Fat: 3.8g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.6g)
Protein: 5.3g
Carbohydrate: 30.9g
Fiber: 6.5g
Cholesterol: 0.0mg
Iron: 2.9mg
Sodium: 960mg
Calcium: 131mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=686171
[/details]

Paraguayan Corn Bread (Sopa Paraguaya)

Recipe

[details=Spoiler]Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears), divided
1/2 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Muenster or sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400.
Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and set aside.
Heat butter and oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook 5 minutes or until soft. Place onion mixture in a food processor. Add 1 1/2 cups corn and cottage cheese; process until almost smooth, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Place pureed mixture in a large bowl. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup corn, cornmeal, Muenster cheese, milk, salt, and black pepper.
Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into batter; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spoon into prepared pan.
Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean (cover loosely with foil if it becomes too brown). Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Place a plate upside down on top of bread; invert onto plate. Cut into wedges.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 235 (30% from fat)
Fat: 7.9g (sat 3.7g,mono 2.2g,poly 1.5g)
Protein: 10.9g
Carbohydrate: 31g
Fiber: 3.4g
Cholesterol: 16mg
Iron: 0.7mg
Sodium: 503mg
Calcium: 133mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=234957
[/details]

Homemade White Bread

Recipe

[details=Spoiler]Yield: 1 loaf, 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
Ingredients
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 2/3 cups warm fat-free milk (100 to 110)
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Cooking spray
Preparation
Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm milk in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in butter. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 4 1/4 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture; stir until blended. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down; let rest 5 minutes. Roll into a 14 x 7-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Roll up rectangle tightly, starting with a short edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Place roll, seam side down, in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 350.
Uncover dough. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until loaf is browned on the bottom and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove loaf from pan, and cool on a wire rack.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 162 (11% from fat)
Fat: 1.9g (sat 0.4g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.6g)
Protein: 4.9g
Carbohydrate: 30.5g
Fiber: 1.1g
Cholesterol: 1mg
Iron: 1.8mg
Sodium: 219mg
Calcium: 38mg

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=222910
[/details]

25

What I want…

-Learn how to box. I’ve always wanted to since I was little. Never got the chance. That way I can do jab jab short headbutt irl.

-Get better at Pool and at Bowling. I’m tired of sucking ass in both. I’m too competitive to be that bad.

-Get better at cooking.

-Go to school.

-Get a girlfriend (this probably should’ve been the first thing I listed).

-Place very high at Evo 2010/help put Seattle on the map.

-Travel somewhere out of town besides Evo. Preferably SoCal. TDP was planning a trip to Japan, but dunno if that’ll formulate this year.

That’s about it. All I can think of right now.

EDIT-Forgot a very important one…FIND A NEW FUCKIN JOB BECAUSE I HATE THE ONE I HAVE WITH A PASSION.

26

Boxing’s the shit! I teach privately in Seattle at the UW ima if you’re interested… been doing it for almost 4 years now (not teaching) and I work with a couple of UW/non-uw students. PM me if you’re interested… the gyms in Seattle are ridiculously expensive.

27

I love this thread!!

goals.

  1. Break throws in tekken at close to 100% ratio.
  2. start exercising again in april. (i have to take 6 months off due to feet arch problems)
  3. try out one of the street walkers at best western.
  4. buy a good vaporizer.
  5. learn how to play ssf4 and be in the top 10 of pnw in ssf4.
28

I quit smoking after 10 years of smoking. I used a perscription drug called chantix. this stuff has some weird ass side effects, and fucks with your brain. please google chantix if u are gonna try it. Dont trust doctors to be 100% knowledgeable on side effects on all pharma products. do your own research.

the drugs worked for me, and a few others i know. it ended 1 of my friends marrage, and 1 enganged couple. but we all quit smoking lol.

29

Hmmm, I did kickboxing for a little bit, but right now I’m kinda thinking about checking into Krav Maga. There is a gym here in bellevue, but it’s bellevue, so it might be too expensive. I love learning fighting stuff, so if the Krav Maga doesn’t work out I’m gonna have to hit you up on that boxing.

Hmm I haven’t listed any goals of my own.

The only one I can think of atm is that I’m kinda starting to get out of shape. I’m pretty average, but I’m not satisfied with average.
I’m working off a back injury, but I bet I could do some simple stuff like push ups and stuff like that, before going back to my kettle bell and weight lifting.
So starting tonight I will do some calisthenics to try and ease myself back into working out without re-injuring my back.

30
  1. Education. Mission: GET DAT PHD

Methods: Well, I added a physiology major on top of my psych so that getting into a graduate program will be easier, on top of allowing me some extra time to pick up my GPA to where it needs to be. Ideally, I would like to get into the UW’s psych department for graduate school because they have a physiology division in it or something along those lines.

  • Attend more class: this a no brainer really, I’m doing pretty well at it so far compared to the past but I’d like to get this up to 95% in the near future.
  • Make connections: This is probably the hardest thing for me, since I dont like going to school events or office hours too much. I definitely need to work on this big time, and plan to talk to a few people about creating academic connections.
  • I can’t think of anything else at the moment for this, I’m tired!
  1. Write a book!!!

Methods: I think this is gonna be the hard bitch to stick it to, but we’ll see. I’ve been thinking about writing a book, or series of books for a couple years now, and went so far as to form out a basic idea for a plot, characters, and some other stuff. This is hard work

  • Draw!: drawing helps me to realize some of the traits of the characters and work out the dimensions of some of the cities or whatever I plan on tossing into the story. The problem is that I suck balls at drawing. So, in order to not suck at drawing and eventually aim to make my own cover art because I’m a badass, I need to draw frequently. Maybe like 1 sketch a day minimum.
  • Milestones: I’m aiming to have most, hopefully all, of the initial draft done before the end of 2011 (since we’re all gonna die in 2012 anyways). That’s a pretty lofty goal for a first timer I think, because this shit is hard. The first goal I’m aiming for is to have the prologue done by the end of the summer.

No, you can’t see it.

31

Good thread, I read somewhere writting goals down makes them more probable, I think that is very possibly BS but who knows, mise well dont lose anything by it.

-Lose 35 lbs. I am at 185 now, I want to get down to 150.
-How am I going to do this? Ideally start swimming again soon, I used to be competative and I am always way happier comming off a long practice.
Also I plan to cheat :wgrin: I have ephedra pills, not that fake shit, the stuff I have to import over seas. Ephedra outside of helping lose weight make workouts way better (Ephedra Caffine Stacks b4 the ban were popular with body builders.) I want to get educated about other supplements too.
I also need to find more good Korean speed rap. This gets me mad hype when I run, srk has that asian music awareness, any suggestions? Shit like Outsider- Like a Man [media=youtube]uBJBUtACDmc[/media]

-Get a good job

-So the economy really fucked me on this one. I feel I made all the right moves, good Undergrad, good law school, but no one my year is getting jobs (around 35% have market paying firm jobs, usually 80%+ get them). How am I going to do this? Im going to go to more class and keep the GPA up. Also, Im ideally ACTUALLY going to look for jobs. I’ve been paralyzed by fear a little on this one since, Im just so fucked if I fail (huge debt).

-Also I want to get a job in a place with a good competative scene for SF and other games. This Ideally means Cali, WA, or maybe Hong Kong (I think this is the future financial center and you make shit loads with cost of living stipends given.) With that I want to be at the top of US scene, yeah thats pretty fucking lofty, but I feel I have a great competative mentality and feel I am a smart player, what I need to work on is clearly my execution, post more on SRK, and be more analytical post match, and just getting more hours in, also travelling more to events which dovetails in getting my fucking licsence. It was sorta funny/endearing not having it at like…19 at 24 its just hella fucking sad.

-Get my Chinese Fluent. I have taken around 7 years of this shit I have no excuses, I stayed with my friend in Beijing from UG who only had 3 years and he made me look like a joke, although he is smarter than me and living there, but yeah, How am I going to do this? No clue no real place to practice here and although I could take more class through the UG here, I am not about to fuck my GPA right now, languages classes are crazy time consuming.

-Realationship shit. Meaning get in a good one. How am I going to do this? No fucking clue I guess be more assertive. I recently found out my big crush in UG, also was interested in me, and neither of us did anything, thats crazy frusterating. I’ve always had that passive become friends let shit happen naturally approach, but I need to stop watching shit like the Lakehouse/Korean Dramas, that mentality just aint working. The dating pool at Durham NC is fucking limited though, and I hate law students as a whole with a passion, I guess get out there more with maybe UG students although this could be a bad idea, maybe join groups with the other professional schools, getting with a future doctor would solve alot of my problems, I am** SO** down to gold dig.

So anyways thats it for now, shit is a little scattered with more than 2 core goals, will clean up later.

32

Damn, I haven’t been on SRK in a while. Nice thread, Brent, I’ll be throwing something up here soon.

33

Shoot under 80! This is the year I get my handicap down to the 10s.

34

I emphatically agree, as an asthmatic smokin’ weed.

I want to think twice about my social decisions and make sure that I am doing them because I want them. So if I even catch myself once a day, that’s good to me. I’m catching myself enough that it’s becoming second nature. You can focus on yourself without being selfish. :china:

I also want to play pool once a week. I played yesterday. On shitty tables, but I played nonetheless. Starting to figure out how to break. I’ve got the angle but I can’t quite put the power behind it (while still hitting at the right angle). Need more training room.

35

I’ve also been picking up the cue and trying my hand at pool…since it’s a recurring theme in here, we should all go shoot sometime. I need practice, all I can do is break and shoot (moderately) straight. The leave has me stumped.

36

My goals:

  1. Get back on video/film production shit!
  2. Compete in amateur Muay Thai.
  3. Finish college

What I’m doing to achieve it:

  1. Summer Hollywood internship (hopefully).
  2. Get up earlier and better discipline
  3. Study/stay on campus every weekday and some weekends… less distractions

If anyone wants to collaborate for video/film production, there’s power in numbers.

37

I’ve always wanted to shoot a movie. About myself.

38

Hmmm My current goals are

-gain 20 lbs of muscle mass, while reducing my bodyfat%

  • Improve at streetfighter, so I can at least hold my own vs the lower tier players around here and work from there.

How-

-Been hitting the gym for the last month 4-5 days a week, taking some supplements and drinking hella shakes/eating lots of good food.
-Strretfighter, been working on my execution, watching tutorials to try and learn the basics of 2d game systems, hosting weeklies at my house so I get exposed to more players.

What I would like to do with other SRK members-

I can teach cooking, not the lame recipe kind either. I’m talking I can give you tools that will allow you to make a hundred dishes instead of learning how to make just 1. And it will be hella good, using whatever you have around(as long as you stock certain basic ingredients). Traditional American/Italian/Asian(chinese/korean mainly)/Mexi and bad-ass combos of those or just completely random new stuff. Essentially I can teach you how to make great food with whatever is available without relying on recipes.

I can help peeps who want to get in shape, with basic diet and exercise plans. Even better if you are willing to join 24 hours fitness and drive to west seattle once or twice a week so we can work on a few things together, then you could do you own thing where ever you live at a 24 hour fitness closer to where you live.

And yeah, in exchange for my services I’ll take some streetfighter training. Hit me up here or on facebook - just search for jonathan frost, I have a bunch of srk guys already as friends so it shoudl be easy to find me.

39

Myspace is so 2004…

Anywho about the pool stuff…Yeah we should throw down on some Billiards. A friend of mine in HS plays competitively, so maybe I can get her to come out and give some pointers? Remember we have Nolan, Kyle, and RedBul Chris that kinda know how to play pool too.

40

Yeah, I actually meant facebook, sorry :frowning: