"Resolving to Renew a Return"

I've been thinking of late just how much I've missed writing.  Whether it's a simple entry or an hour-long disclosure of free-flowing emotions, it's an activity that carries me away from reality and into a world full of imagination and endless limits.  Having realized that my last blog entry was posted back in February (insert now a quick gasp and shameful shaking of the head), it has taken me nearly that long to even venture back to the site. Guilt.  I admit it.  Once I finally mustered up the courage to return I found it there waiting, staring back at me like a a dusty old book on the shelf that one day hopes to see its pages open once again.  

In addition to sharing in my own guilt, discussing the neglected blog with friends and coworkers only seems to add to the remorse.  Thus, I have decided to begin blogging on a routine basis as one of my New Year Resolutions for the upcoming year.  There shall be no excuses, and, as always, what I write about.  This is the one place where I have the freedom to be opinionated, subjective, and willfully crazy about any and everything.  So, here's to new resolutions and a fresh start in the coming year!

"My Sound of Silence"

As I sit here now in my sound of silence I take a moment to pause- simply sit and breathe;
Today has given me many challenges, tasks, and frustration, this I can assuredly believe.
And while I cannot yet glimpse past the hazy mist of this barrier and mysterious wall,
There is only the drive, determination, and trust that one day we will all together stand tall.

With every ounce of effort my mission each day is to care, love, and heal
But some days no matter how hard one tries it's can be so hard to avidly deal.
The questions, the trials, the tests, the endless "what can it be" never seem to end,
And every moment that passes I watch, listen, and wait for a way I can actively mend.

The realness, the hardship, the tears- I never thought I'd see it in this age,
But it's here, it's now, and it's in our young ones.  It's their battling stage.

It's not always easy to bring home the struggles and sadness from the passing day,
Yet I know it's something that comes with this profession- no, I must selflessly relay.
There is nothing more powerful than reflection and peaceful silence in all my life,
And as long as I live there will always and forever be a still time to rid painful strife.

Give me strength, give me hope- let me pause, reflect, simply sit in my own sound of silence,
For our days are numbered one by one; and let no one ever show any other false pretense.
From our saddest moments and greatest frustrations a new light will one day shine through
And make the lives of those living around us bountiful and prosperous, awakened and anew.

Go forth and do good- make each day count with encouragement and action.
Know that even the smallest ounce of kindness and care are a commendable fraction.

-dedicated to my brave patients and their ever-endearing parents & loved ones-

"Chocolate Mint Frenzy"

And yes, it tastes even better than it looks!

Quick post tonight- since I'm about to make ANOTHER chocolate mint cake tonight!  I have started another unofficial baking challenge, this time called the "Holidaze




Bake-Off Challenge" where I try new recipes every week and have testers (AKA roommates, friends, and creepy-strange-hobo-regulars who sit on our corner) decide on what is the best/their favorite/the richest, biggest tummy-ache-inducing concoction.  I sure hope the ones following this insanely delicious and tantalizing chocolate cake can do fair Justice up against this beast.  I stole the recipe and tweeked to my liking from a traditional Southern Living recipe.  Consisting of warm chocolate cake (made especially divine by using a secret ingredient- sour cream), minty buttercream frosting with Andes Peppermints, and a glazed Chocolate Ganache to complete the presentation, I have never tasted anything so rich in my life.  Pops even exclaimed after tasting the cake, "Mmmm, Carrie, now this is some good cake.  Now how much of it did you make yourself?", and I had to laugh out loud... it is that good, y'all!  To impress any family member, disbelieving Father or just yourself, I highly suggest making this cake.  Here's to chocolate, mint, and pure decadence!

Our tree!

PS, kick your diets out the door, ladies.

"Giardino Vegetarian Lasagna"

  I'm not sure what attributes to strange food cravings when I work night shifts, but it never seems to dissipate until I have satisfied such cravings.  This past Friday, while working a most-exciting night shift, I started to think about how great a vegetarian lasagna would taste right around the three o'clock hour.  Since I do not eat red meat, and since I had no lasagna recipes other than ones that contain beef (sorry Mom and my entire Southern-cultured family), I decided to bake the dish that Saturday.  It quickly became apparent that I did not want to follow any to an exact "T" so I thought it'd be best to get original, toss all twelve recipes together, and create my own "hodgepodge" vegetarian lasagna.

"Project Turkey: Here's to a Most Successful Bountiful Goodness"

Mission accomplished!  After an encouraging mental kick in the butt and, yes, help from Brad (thank you!) I went onto "Veni, Vidi, Vici" that turkey and get it in the oven prepped and ready to go early Sunday morning.  I was not quite sure how to properly "stuff" it, but I thought, hmm, anything seasoned would taste fine, so in/on went an onion, rosemary, thyme, parsley, extra virgin olive oil (that would later attribute to a FAIL'ed gravy attempt), salt/pepper/oregano, carrots, and lots of chicken broth.  Oh, and did I mention that I honestly had no idea what a turkey baster was used for besides collegiate activities involving gin and buckets; I think I'm growing up... 

Every thirty minutes I would check in on my bird.  This would also call for me basting it, and I have to be honest, Brad and our friend Alex (who were spending the afternoon in the living room practicing physical therapy lab skills) enjoyed basting the turkey too (it's a catchy activity, not going to lie).  Finally, exactly six hours after I had put the turkey in the oven we took it out.  I have to say, that bird did not look as scary cooked to a crisp golden brown as it did in the raw.  Around 7:00, with everyone present we carved the turkey and gave some sweet thanks.  

So to recap...

Goal: A Cooked, Tender 22-lb Domesticated 1st-Class Turkey

Time frame: One week

Project Leader: Me

Project "Guinea Pigs": Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Attendees (AKA my amazing friends & family)

End Result: Unknown

Casualties: Minus my fat turkey, None (as of yet)

In conclusion... 

Goal: A Cooked, Tender 22-lb Domesticated 1st-Class Turkey

Time Frame: One week, one prep night, six hours to cook

Project Leader: Me

Project Participants/Supporters: Everyone

End Results:  SUCCESS!

Casualties: Minus my fat turkey, none (phew)

I could not have done this project without the help from my roommates, Nikki, my grandmother, and my mom.  Y'all withstood many nights of complaints and even a near-crying moment (Brad, I'm no longer afraid of the insides, I promise).  I'm not sure if I will do this turkey challenge Part II next year, since I will be honest and say it took a great deal of preparation, time, energy, and research.  However, the end results were perfect, and it tasted as good as it looked!  So, in conclusion, I guess the only thing that I can say is that I'm, well, thankful.  Thankful for my friends, family, and prepared turkeys from Boston Market for future thanksgiving meals.  Here's to a successful thanksgiving, and in the words of my father, I suggest that everyone partake in the following action with their loved ones this week, "Let's give some thanks for the good food, great meat, and now great God let's eat."