Healthier Choices

"He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything."

(Arabic Proverb)

Some people ask if I'll go on a wedding diet... As far as I'm concerned, d--t is a four-letter word. I don't really want to lose weight, although I'm sure I gained some over the holidays! Like women everywhere, my actual weight is likely to be in constant flux, so I wouldn't be surprised if I go up and down a few pounds within any given month. I don't have a scale, and weight doesn't mean much to me since every body is different, so why focus on a number?

Could I eat more healthfully? Yes. But I'm for moderation, not deprivation.

Should I start to exercise? Definitely. I want to incorporate more physical activity as a way of life, not for a one-day event. Health means a lot to my fiancé Sam, who says that from the time he met me over 8 years ago, he hasn't heard of me working out. He has a hard time believing that I used to be able to do real pull-ups and chin-ups, and that I'm naturally gifted at video games; both true.

As a kid I was athletic and tomboyish, rode my bike and played kickball with the boys in the neighborhood, played tennis and soccer, swam and skied; in fact, it wasn't until I got older that I realized my skin is actually on the pale side, because growing up I was always tan from running around outdoors! In high school, there was volleyball and a little lacrosse and track (alright, I confess: I only managed the winter track team one year to get out of gym class). In college and graduate school I was active here and there.

But as a working adult I don't do these things, and I don't belong to a gym, so where does that leave me? I'm not a fan of gyms; I'd rather do some sporty activity, but it seems most grown-ups -- aside from paid professionals -- don't do much of that. Some day when my bank account feels a little more flush, I'll probably join a health club or take a fitness class. Until then, maybe I can just play Dance Central with my friend Leslie, or use the Shake Weight she gave me a while back!

Image: Shake Weight Women

To improve my overall body wellness, I will make a conscious effort to regularly do the following:

• Drink more water
• Sleep 8 hours a night
• Take a daily women's multivitamin
• Do simple exercises

Do you have any health or fitness tips, taking into account that I don't have access to a gym? Push-ups and lunges are basic moves that target multiple muscles and don't require equipment, space, or a TV/DVD.

Casual Cooking

"I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate."

(Julia Child)

Although I still primarily not-cook-just-eat, I've found that when I do cook, what I enjoy making most is what I enjoy eating most -- comforting homestyle meals over haute cuisine. This is not surprising because I am, after all, cooking to eat. And eating's my favorite. The famous chef, author, and TV personality also said, "You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces -- just good food from fresh ingredients." That reminds me, I'd like to watch Julie & Julia.

Below is a snapshot of my recently cooked foodstuffs, with some recipe links. The soup and butternut squash spaghetti are from the October 2011 issue of Everyday Food, and the pie is from the November 2010 issue of Everyday Food.

Savories

3-cheese baked ziti with extra cheese

Chicken barley soup with spinach

Brown butter spaghetti with butternut squash and escarole

Spaghetti alla puttanesca

Sweets

Poached pears in red wine sauce from Easy French Food and About.com

Salted maple caramels

Emeril's pecan-chocolate chip pie

Chocolate-dipped pretzel twists with holiday sprinkles

Chocolate cookies with chocolate and icing drizzle

Although I'll always love my go-to basics like pizza, Korean bap and banchan, and chocolate chip cookies, I do want to try making fancier fare one of these days, like French macarons... Look how pretty and colorful they are!

Recent visit to Ladurée New York

Happy Friday! Tonight I become a city-dweller again for 9 nights while my friends are in Europe. I haven't watched TV in over 5 1/2 months so I am super excited.

Cherishing Friendships and My 1st Blogiversary

"I don't care what dress we choose, I just need to get off this white carpet."
(Rita, Bridesmaids)

Image: IMDb

I've seen the movie Bridesmaids a few times, most recently on New Year's Eve. I think it's fun and silly, but one of my own bridesmaids feels that it's actually very sad in some ways. Albeit through crude jokes and shenanigans, it depicts the ups and downs of friendships, how they and people change over time, how a woman's place in life shifts over time, and how that affects relationships.

Part of our premarital counseling has involved reading and discussing A Good Beginning by Peter L. Velander. In the chapter called "Crossing the Bridge to Married Life," he states the following:

As you prepare to cross that bridge you should know that significant life changes -- like marriage -- do not take place without accompanying losses of some kind... As you make the transition to marriage, many changes will involve some form of loss. You feel positive and excited about what you are moving toward, and that is good. But it is okay to grieve the things you are leaving behind... You want to enter your new marriage with both feet, not leaving one foot behind in your single life. Recognizing the losses and changes that happen with your marriage and grieving them in a healthy way will help you bring your whole self into your new marriage.

No doubt friendships are affected by marriage. You have a spouse to consider and cannot spend all your time with friends anymore. If or when children come into the picture, you have more people to consider and even less time to spend with friends. As Velander says, it's good to "cherish the relationship you have had and look forward to your relationship in the future, knowing that it will be different in some ways" -- I hope perhaps in better and even deeper ways.

On a less serious note -- and inspired by the movie Bridesmaids -- I want to give a shout-out to the best bridesmaids ever, who:

1. Took the initiative to coordinate all schedules months ago (for 7 ladies, including me), even though there are still months to go before the wedding.
2. Are planning a bachelorette party weekend in Miami, and 6 weeks ago went ahead and booked my airfare and hotel stay (I might have to do the awkward hide-money-somewhere-so-they-find-it-later trick).
3. Asked me what type of massage I prefer so they could book me a Miami spa service.
4. Made the bridesmaid dress selection process not only a breeze for me (I basically had to do nothing), but also fun.
5. Agreed on a bridal shower date months in advance and apparently have some very interesting ideas but won't tell me a thing.

• Bottom line: They are totally awesome!

I feel really blessed to have such wonderful and supportive women in my corner, and honored to be able to stand next to them on my wedding day. The 6 bridesmaids are in varying stages: 2 are not married, 2 are married, and 2 are married with one child each. I'm excited to see where our paths will take us and hopeful that our friendships will continue to grow over time. I'm looking forward to grieving the loss of my single life in Miami.

Also, it's my 1st blogiversary (almost)! My initial post was on January 27, 2011. So if you are reading now, or have ever read or commented, thank you!

A Not So After-Christmas Christmas

"I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes.
Christmas is all around me, and so the feeling grows."

(Billy Mack)

Merry 6th day of Christmas! I hope everyone was able to spend quality time with loved ones over the holiday weekend. In the Christian tradition, Christmas is a mini season -- preceded by Advent -- that continues after the first day on December 25. I love not feeling like Christmas is over immediately after Christmas Day. This year, my family celebrated my mother's birthday on Christmas Eve, and most of us got together again on Christmas Day, but we didn't have our surf and turf Christmas dinner until Monday, December 26.

Christmas Dinner Menu

Manchego Cheese, Olive Oil Torta, Marcona Almonds,
Grapes, Fig Spread, and Salami

Shrimp Cocktail

 

Steamed Lobster

Roast Prime Rib with Dijon and Peppercorn Crust

Creamed Spinach Gratin

Roasted Baby Red Potatoes with Oregano

Biscuits

Brussels Sprout Hash

Sautéed Mushrooms

Corn on the Cob

 

Bûche de Noël

Iced Ginger Spice Spritz Cookies

Peppermint Candy Cane Fudge

Rainbow and Sugar Cookies

 

Italian Prosecco

Sparkling Cider

Coffee and Green Tea

 

Manchego Cheese, Olive Oil Torta, Marcona Almonds,
Grapes, Fig Spread, and Salami

  This appetizing Spanish spread consisted of Manchego cheese, Ines Rosales Torta de Aceite -- sweet olive oil torta with sugar, salt, and anise -- broken into small pieces, Marcona almonds, red grapes, Dalmatia fig spread, and salami. I could definitely make a meal of this (minus the salami).

Shrimp Cocktail

Always a crowd-pleaser, shrimp cocktail is pretty standard fare so there isn't much else to say about this appetizer.

Steamed Lobster

I bought fresh lobsters at Stew Leonard's that morning, along with a cut of bone-in prime rib to serve 8 adults and one toddler. If you plan on preparing a large surf and turf dinner with lobster and prime rib, note that it will be quite expensive; but this was a special occasion.
 

Roast Prime Rib with Dijon and Peppercorn Crust

I don't have the recipe for this, but it's becoming my sister's specialty. She first served this prime rib last Christmas at her place, when it got rave reviews, so she wanted to make it again this year. Again, everyone loved it. It is crusted with dijon, peppercorns, and garlic, and served with au jus and horseradish cream sauce.

 

Creamed Spinach Gratin

For one of the side dishes, we made Ina Garten's Spinach Gratin (pictured in the photo above and in the first photo). Even after I felt completely full, I wanted to somehow eat more of this. Add butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan and Gruyère cheeses to something green and you can't go wrong in my book.

Roasted Baby Red Potatoes with Oregano

We thought about making mashed potatoes or another gratin, but I had my mind set on roasting potatoes -- I love the ease and flavor of roasted vegetables, as I mentioned in my Thanksgiving post -- and found an easy Tyler Florence Roasted New Potatoes recipe. Simply roast on a baking sheet after coating with olive oil and sprinkling with oregano, salt, and pepper.

Biscuits

I love biscuits. Most of the time, I roll out the dough and cut it with round biscuit cutters, but I wanted to skip a couple of steps so I used the Allrecipes.com Easy Baking Powder Drop Biscuits recipe, which turned out really tasty. Sam helped by spooning the batter onto the baking sheet, and this was one of my father's favorite things to eat that night, along with the prime rib. I can imagine a lot of additions and variations to this recipe, which I will surely try in the future.

Brussels Sprout Hash, Sautéed Mushrooms, and Corn on the Cob

 

My sister made the Brussels sprout hash -- it was really good so I'll have to get the recipe -- and the sautéed mushrooms. I forgot about the corn on the cob until right before dinner so it didn't turn out very well; plus I had purchased them 2 days earlier but should have gotten them the same day at Stew Leonard's. (There are photos of these sides in the plated pictures above.)
 

Bûche de Noël

On the day of our Christmas dinner, I began to think that my desire to create a Bûche de Noël for dessert -- a traditional French Christmas cake shaped like a yule log -- was overly ambitious and not going to happen, since I had never tried it before and would have people other than myself tasting it. I decided to go for it, since I had a well-reviewed Allrecipes.com Bûche de Noël recipe and all the necessary ingredients for this flourless chocolate version. I'm so glad I did, because it turned out really well -- rich and chocolatey, but light and fluffy -- and was completely finished that night! I picked berries and leaves off of the bush right outside our front door, and dusted the cake with powdered sugar "snow."

 

Iced Ginger Spice Spritz Cookies, Peppermint Candy Cane Fudge,
and Rainbow and Sugar Cookies

Last but not least are the cookies that we snacked on throughout the day and night. I repeated recipes I've used in Christmases past, such as the Ginger Spice Cookies I made with my cookie press and iced with drizzles of red and green, and Peppermint Fudge from an old Martha Stewart Kids magazine issue. (The recipe is available online, although the magazine is no longer published.) Finally, we enjoyed rainbow cookies from Stew Leonard's -- so much better than the ones from Zaro's Bakery in Grand Central Terminal -- and sugar cookies made by my brother's girlfriend Tina.

 

 

Tomorrow is already New Year's Eve! I'm going to see The Rockettes' Magical Journey at Radio City Music Hall in the afternoon -- and hopefully squeeze in a viewing of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree -- have a casual pizza dinner, and then cross the East River to Roosevelt Island for a low-key party hosted by my friend Christine. Does anyone else have exciting plans? Be safe, and have a happy and healthy new year!

Craft Supplies and Books, Books, Books!

"Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough."

(Author Unknown)

Moving is the ultimate chore. After I moved back into my parents' house in August, my room was full of boxes, bags, and clothes that needed to be put away. By the time September rolled around (when the first set of photos were taken, below), I was able to have stored some items in the attic, donated bags of clothing, shoes, and accessories, and had my space fairly well-situated.

Now it's December and I regret to inform you that I've retrogressed. It's difficult to organize when there's little time during the week to get anything done at home, and when weekends are always full and hectic, especially this time of year! However, I can share the progress I've made on craft supplies and books.

Craft Supplies

I successfully organized my craft supplies in one area. I haven't used them in quite a while, but hope to soon. I won't have time for any Christmas craftiness, but I have some DIY wedding projects in the future which I cannot even begin to think about right now. Some day, I'd love to have an arts and crafts room or mini ceramics studio... or how about 3 gift-wrapping rooms like Spelling Manor?

Let's call this the Creative Center

Cart with drawers under desk

Close-up of cart

Craft tools

Yarncrafting supplies

Felt/polyfill

Smaller desktop drawers

Glitter/glue

Stamps/ink

Books

It's easy for me to let go of clothing, which I do at least once a season; but I contend that keeping books I'm not currently reading is not the same as keeping clothes I haven't been wearing. But for the sake of space and the love of knowledge and storytelling, I have decided to let go. I've been giving books to friends based on requests* -- Christmas gifts, anyone? -- and will donate the rest to a library, book drive, or one of the organizations I work for. I'll hold on to a very small collection, mostly cookbooks, so that I'll have room to grow again.

Reader #1

Reader #2

Reader #3

Reader #4

Reader #5 and Reader #6

In several months I'm going to have to move again, and I want to take a pared down number of possessions from this place, especially since there will be (and are already) many new things to bring along... and I might be living in a shoebox in Brooklyn.

I can't believe Christmas is almost here. Tomorrow, Thursday, December 22, is the Winter Solstice -- the shortest day and longest night of the year -- and also the first day of winter. Although it means that the coldest, seemingly longest season is only starting, after tomorrow the days will get longer and the nights shorter!

*If you're interested in free books, please let me know and I'll provide you with a list to choose from.

Fall 2011 Events

"So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it."

(Willy Wonka)

I have been quite busy this season with special events for work. In September, I had a young professionals cocktail reception; in October, a 125th anniversary celebration and a donor cultivation event; and in November, a ribbon cutting ceremony. But no rest for the weary, because there are big plans underway for the annual fine wine dinner and auction, coming up in just a few months. And somewhere in the midst of this is a wedding.

I've previously shared about Thanksgiving, The Black Eyed Peas concert, and apple picking, but more activities that kept me occupied this fall are described below.

Fall Bridal Extravaganza

The Fall Bridal Extravaganza, held at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown on Monday, September 19, was my first and only bridal show. I was not that impressed -- with "extravaganza" in the name I had expected more -- but at least I came home with a bag full of complimentary magazines.

Florists

Photographers

Wedding accessory vendors

Free bridal magazines and tote bag

Chloe's 1st Birthday

We celebrated the first birthday of Chloe, my friend Michelle's daughter, at Kum Gang San in Flushing on Saturday, October 15. In the Korean dol custom, the birthday baby wears a traditional hanbok and hat, and is placed in front of a selection of items. The item the baby chooses is said to predict her future. Chloe picked a golf club and a stethoscope. A golfing doctor? Highly probable.

Chloe with Peter and me in background (Image: Angela R.)

Crate & Barrel Wedding Party

I attended a Crate & Barrel Wedding Party at The Westchester in White Plains on Sunday, October 23. I just love Crate & Barrel; I went for fun since I had already created a registry. They served an appetizing spread as I meandered around the store which was closed to the public. Before I left, they gifted me with a lovely glass vase.

Eggs, panini, freshly squeezed juice, and more

Gift bag

Pretty pink peonies on box

Hope for New York Happy Hour

On Thursday, October 27, I went to the Hope for New York Young Supporters Happy Hour at BAK with a few friends. HFNY serves the poor and marginalized of NYC. It began with seed money from Redeemer Presbyterian Church, and is now funded by individual and corporate gifts, special events, and Easter offerings received at partner churches.

BAK's Korean spicy chicken tacos

The Space Tour Starring Team StarKid

I stayed for the opening of the Space Tour show at Irving Plaza on Saturday, November 26. I wish I could have stayed for StarKid, but I had a post-Thanksgiving dinner to rush to at my sister's place. I'm not a Gleek, but I'm glad I got to see Darren Criss (aka Blaine) perform!

Darren Criss performing with Charlene Kaye

Now the holiday season is in full swing. I've started to write Christmas cards, but still have gifts to buy, cookies to bake, and places to go. I love this time of year; I just wish I had more time to enjoy it!

Giving Thanks

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."

(1 Chronicles 16:34)

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. We have so many things to be thankful for, not only on one day of the year, but at all times! One of the things I'm thankful for is my family. My father actually had to go to the ER on Thanksgiving Day for eye problems, but he'll be fine. I suppose I should be thankful that I was the one tasked to plan and cook everything this year!

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Roasted Rosemary Turkey

Brussels Sprouts with Maple and Cayenne

Carrots with Thyme

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Jalapeño-Cheddar Cornbread

Kim Classic Stuffing

Turkey Gravy

Cranberry-Pomegranate Relish

Pumpkin Pie

Cherry Pie & Mini Cupcakes 

 

Argentine Torrontés

Sparkling Cider

Coffee

Roasted Rosemary Turkey

I've been involved with cooking Thanksgiving dinner for many years, but mostly as a sous chef to my father and sister, or pastry chef. This year was the first time I really dealt with a turkey head-on (not literally), by myself. I bought a 12-13 pound fresh turkey a few days before Thanksgiving and kept it in the refrigerator. I thought about brining it the night before, but didn't. It was, after all, my first time with the bird and I wanted to take things slowly. 

I took in various recommendations and read a few recipes before deciding ultimately to just wing it. As suggested by Esther of Ambitious Deliciousness, I placed carrot, onion, celery, orange, and rosemary inside the cavity after stuffing it. I massaged the turkey with my own rosemary-garlic-orange-oil I had infused on the stove and then cooled, an idea I got from the November 2010 issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, which featured a roasted turkey brushed with rosemary-lemon oil. Then I roasted it in a 325°F oven with a timer set to go off every 60 minutes so that I could baste and rotate. The turkey was well-done after 3 3/4 hours, which I confirmed with a handy dandy digital thermometer, and then it rested at room temperature while I cranked up the heat and baked cornbread.

 

Brussels Sprouts with Maple and Cayenne & Carrots with Thyme

Roasting is such a wonderful and easy way to prepare vegetables. For the Brussels sprouts, I used a recipe from the October 2011 Everyday Food. After roasting them in a 400°F oven with extra-virgin olive oil and coarse salt, I added a little pure maple syrup mixed with cayenne pepper for a sweet but subtle kick. For the carrots, I simply roasted them with extra-virgin olive oil, coarse salt, and freshly ground pepper, and then tossed them with finely chopped fresh thyme.

 

 

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I enlisted my brother David and his girlfriend Tina to help make the mashed potatoes using an Alton Brown recipe. I had purchased red and gold potatoes for this dish. They peeled the Yukons, and kept the skin on the red potatoes for color. If you don't like garlic or creaminess, this recipe is not for you: it calls for several cloves of garlic, heated in a pint of half-and-half, mixed with Parmesan cheese.

 

Jalapeño-Cheddar Cornbread

The cornbread was the last item to be cooked, after the turkey was done. When I took it out of the oven, I thought it was a disaster, but it just hadn't finished baking so I put it back in the oven and we started eating dinner. After 10 minutes, it was done and delicious! I used the Classic Cornbread recipe from Everyday Food, and stirred in 3/4 cup fresh corn kernels, 1/3 cup chopped pickled jalapeño peppers, and 1 1/4 cups grated cheddar to the batter, and then topped it off with more cheddar before baking.

 

Kim Classic Stuffing & Turkey Gravy

These are special Kim recipes. Even as my father was getting ready to go to the hospital on Thanksgiving, he was chopping onions since I had assigned him the stuffing. He also made the gravy from the turkey neck and giblets.

Cranberry-Pomegranate Relish

This is a cranberry sauce recipe I began using last year, when I brought it to a Thanksgiving potluck and also made it for our family dinner. It's from the November 2010 issue of Everyday Food, made with fresh cranberries, pomegranate juice and seeds, brown sugar, and shallot. It has a great combination of sweet, tart, and savory flavors.

 

Pumpkin Pie

For dessert, I baked a Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie with a homemade pie crust. Super yummy, even though I was stuffed! I also had some cherry pie that my cousin bought from Crumbs, along with mini cupcakes. I had thought about making something other than pumpkin pie, since it's ubiquitous this time of year, but then again so is turkey. Both are synonymous with Thanksgiving, so I knew I had to make a pumpkin pie.

Ready for pie and coffee

Wishbone

I almost forgot about the wish bone. I had broken off the larger half, but forgot to make a wish! I'll make a wish right now...

Happy Thanksgiving! Whether you were surrounded by dozens of people, had a small dinner like we did, or were alone or in another part of the world, I hope you were able to count your blessings.