On an even hotter day....

Today, I checked the weather on my phone to see what the temperature damage was to be today. It hit over 100 degrees. You probably have understood by now that I don't deal well with heat. Sometimes I get cranky, mostly I just get lazy. It's like I can't seem to drink enough water, and I wouldn't dream of turning on the stove. For days like this, it's kinda fun to break out some cheese, meats, slice up a baguette, a handful of kalamata olives, and some carrots or tomato slices and make yourself a party platter. Usually, I only eat these things while holding a fancy cocktail and I'm in the company of friends - but the simplicity of this is almost romantic and is really nice to do just for yourself. I notice that I slow down while eating this, I play around with pairing the foods, I pour some cheap wine, and turn on some music and enjoy the food.

Speaking of music, I've toyed around with how to write about this topic. I listen to music wherever I'm at. I have music that I've heard in movies and commercials, I've walked up to registers at stores asking what is playing on the speakers, I've asked to see Ipod playlists at food cart windows, and I have a growing Itunes list that has over 3,000 songs and a CD library that takes up 4 large plastic boxes. I listen to music when waking up, while cooking, while I was figuring out what to write in proposal responses, while putting together presentations, driving, reading, running, and sleeping. During this last 'bout of job searching and cover letter editing, I have made many playlists, and my Itunes DJ has gotten a serious workout. I figure, the best way right now to write about music is to at least tell you what I'm listening to.

Right now, the breeze has kicked up, and outside I can hear blues music playing at a nearby party. I just popped in a piece of bread that was soaked in olive oil with just the right amount of tangy bite from the balsamic vinegar, finished with a salty piece of salami and crumbly sharp cheddar, and besides what I can hear outside - these are the sounds that are filling my apartment. If you want to sample them, try Itunes or Amazon.com. Also, for those of you trying to find out what was playing during a TV show or on an advertisement, go here: www.adtunes.com. I have found TONS of music on this chat forum.

The Magnetic Fields - Never Make You Stay
Kruder and Dorfmeister - One and Only
Coldplay - Yellow
Tori Amos - A Sorta Fairytale
Beck - Broken Drum
Fatboy Slim - Rockafeller Skank
Count Basie - Lester Leaps In
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Is This Love?
Prince - Take Me With You
Norah Jones - Sunrise
The Dining Rooms - Dreamy Smiles
Benny Goodman - King Porter Stomp
Modest Mouse - The Good Times are Killing Me
The Busy Signals - Futon Hopper
Cat Power - Metal Heart
Doves - Melody Calls
Bjork - Wanderlust
Gotan Project - Epoca
Ani DiFranco - Akimbo
The Republic Tigers - Fight Song
Magic Bullets - Heatstroke
The Clash - Straight to Hell
Working for a Nuclear Free City - 88
Mr. Scruff - Get a Move On
Girl Talk - Can't Stop
The New Pornographers - All for Swinging You Around
The Sound Providers - Autumn's Evening Breeze
Deerhunter - Never Stops

Black Beans on a Hot Day

Another potluck in the park was held, and I made my Black Beans. Surprisingly, everyone who ate it asked for the recipe, so here it is! This is by far one of the simplest recipes you can make, and either you can make it by soaking the beans overnight or straight out of the can (because yes, sometimes bulk can be a little more expensive!) I have made this once when I was sick, twice for a couple hungry friends (Cat, who lovingly calls it "Bean juice soup"), and sometimes when I need a really quick lunch.

A key ingredient in this dish is Braggs Liquid Aminos. You need this in your pantry. It tastes salty (a natural occurance - there is no added sodium), and it goes well with everything. The downfall is that a 16 Fl. oz bottle will cost you around $5. However, it's a wonderful seasoning and it should last you a few months. Worth the investment if you ask me. You can get Braggs usually in the natural foods section, or at a local Co-Op.

The Simplest Black Beans Ever
2 Cans Black Beans (try to find ones without salt added)
4 T of Braggs Liquid Aminos
2 t garlic powder
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t sage (or a sprig of fresh sage)
2 bay leaves
freshly ground pepper

Bring beans (and their juices) and all seasonings to a boil, then let simmer for about 15 minutes. If you taste it towards the end, and it's not "salty" enough, don't go for the table salt, put in a dash or two more of the Braggs. Also, leave in the bay leaves.

Another thing I have tried was throwing in about a can and a half of water, and turning it into a soup. All you have to do is double up the seasonings. In the end, grate some pepper jack cheese over it.

I told you it was simple....

Cost: Black beans - anywhere from $.80 to $1.00 a can, Braggs - $5
Time from prep to mouth: 30 minutes
Tips: If you have a red bell pepper on hand, dice it up and toss in a 1/2 cup of it while it simmers.

A Lasagna that will get you through anything

I have an old blue folder that I bought my freshman year of college, originally intended to keep information on a place I used to volunteer at. This folder eventually started to store collected recipes that I found online, in magazines, and clippings that my mother would send me. Some of these recipes have scrawled notes next to them, ones have oil splatters, some are torn, and all are yellowing with age. This folder has grown over the years to contain over 80 saved and found recipes, mostly vegetarian as during college I was one of those "I do it because I care" vegetarians (man, I used to think I was SO cool)...who broke the rules and ate fish once in a while.
The recipes contain risottos, quesadillas, pie crusts (use cold water!), hearty bakes, soups, sauces, stews, cookies, and one particular lasagna recipe. I found this recipe when I was going through that whole self-discovery phase, where suddenly being a cook and experimenting with food sounded better than writing and reading and waxing philosophical on the Empirical Therories of Communication Phenomena.
This was a Black Bean Lasagna recipe, pulled off of the allrecipes.com website. I've made this lasagna during finals week, after a long day of being an Orientation Leader, after long days that included 16 credits worth of classes, when I was having a good or a bad day, one time for an unimpressed guy I was dating (he was an avid meat-eater), for many friends, and of course - while I was unemployed after college. I think what I liked about it mostly was the process. Cooking the lasagna noodles, simmering the beans, mixing the Ricotta and eggs all while listening to Death Cab for Cutie and figuring out how to expound upon my thoughts on whatever thesis it was I was working on. It serves well for a dinner party, gives you about a week of leftovers if you are by yourself, and you can make this for under $10!
I've made this so many times, that I've given it my own twist, but since this is from a website, and an original poster had to post this - I guess I should give "Carol" a nod. Cheers, Carol.


Black Bean Lasagna

9 Lasagna noodles
1 Pint part skim ricotta cheese
1 Egg
1/2 chopped red onion
1/4 chopped green bell pepper
1/4 chopped red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans (or try kidney beans!)
1 can tomato sauce
1 large tomato (try heirloom), diced
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, boil the lasagna noodles until al dente (trust me!) and drain

In a bowl, blend ricotta cheese and egg - set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and coat a 3 Quart baking dish with cooking spray

In large skillet, saute onion, both bell peppers, and garlic until tender. Mash 1 can of black beans. Stir in mashed black beans, whole beans, and tomato sauce into skillet, and cook until heated through.

Arrange 3 lasagna noodles in bottom of of the baking dish, and layer with 1/3 each of the ricotta mixture, black bean mixture, diced tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat twice. (Tip: keep the bottom heavy, the top lean. Therefore you won't have that crater in the middle of lava-hot cheese/lasagna mixture).

Bake 40-45 minutes in preheated oven. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with any leftover diced tomatoes.

Time from prep to mouth - about 1 hour, 20 minutes
Cost - Lasagna noodles - $1.50-$3, cans of black beans - $1.00-2.50, Tomato sauce - $.85, mozzarella - $3.50, Bell peppers (depending on season) $1.50 each, Ricotta - $2.50-$3.00

Car tripping, potlucks, and catching up...in no particular order.

It has been almost ten days since the last post. For those of you who have been checking this blog regularly (I know there are a few of you, and to those of you - hello!), the last week has been quite the whirlwind of activity. For starters, a group of us kids got together for a Friday evening potluck and featured food that was made (or store-bought!) on the creatively cheap! Above is a picture of my Kale (please see previous post for the recipe), Kyle's Quesadillas, Lindsay's fritattas, and Brenna's deviled eggs. I am hoping to get my hands on these recipes and more to share with you as this blog continues to grow.
The next day I turned right around and hopped in a car for a road trip adventure that involved four National Parks (Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Wind Caves, the Badlands) one National Monument (Devil's Tower) and one National Memorial (Mount Rushmore). I also visited a former gold mine, and toured around probably one of the most interesting rest stops which had a small hike around lava rock. Never....EVER in my life did I think I would do a trip such as this one. I've spent most of my life driving up and down the West Coast, pretty much memorizing the terrain of Eastern Washington, Central Oregon, the Willamette Valley, and Northern and Southern California, with the occasional flight to other U.S. cities peppered in. But there isn't a single excerpt from a book or any picture that prepares you for what you see while sitting in a car and driving through America. The above picture is what I saw right after we turned around a curve outside of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I ask for forgiveness on the photo quality, as this picture (as is most of the pictures on this blog) was taken from my Iphone. But you get the idea that those mountains, which are the Grand Tetons - are enormous while driving by. That, and they feel like they are right next to you.

I cannot put down in one blog post or several paragraphs what this entire trip meant to me. A picture can't express what it feels like to climb and run around the pinnacles and feel the prehistoric rock at the Badlands, or the smell of sulfur and feeling the waves of warm steam on your face from roiling hot springs at Yellowstone. Open prarie fields during the late afternoon have the most pleasant silence.

If you get the opportunity to drive across the country or visit a National park by all means fill up the tank and go. If it's not one more notch in your belt of things to do before you die, it's surprising how much more you get out of such an adventure.

Oh, and for those of you who are already asking - we obeyed the advertisements in South Dakota and drank the ice water at Wall Drug.....

Road Trip

I will be driving towards Chicago with my boyfriend until the 17th. I'll have some content when I get back, involving the trip, a recession potluck (held yesterday, thanks to all who came!), and a post on the best singer/oboeist in the world.

Take care,
Vanessa

Unemployed Tip #3: Dough

For me, I got laid off on a Monday. It went like this: got meeting call from boss, walked into conference room, saw blue folder and my HR representative, was told my position was eliminated. It took about 30 seconds.

What followed though was a 45 minute recap of severance, benefit enrollment with COBRA, job hunting sites, and a literal walk-through of my agreement to termination which included enrolling for unemployment.

I don't know what your experience of being laid off was like, but if you were like me - I couldn't understand a word my HR rep was saying. The only things you are thinking about is "What am I going to do" and "Oh (well, I'm not going to say this on here, but the word I'm thinking of rhymes closely with 'Duck' )"

After you get home and set your box of belongings down, don't head straight to the bar, don't start immediately looking for jobs, don't pick up the phone and sob to your mom. File for your unemployment because the clock starts ticking the day you sign your termination agreement.

For those living in Oregon, go here:

http://www.employment.oregon.gov/EMPLOY/UI/index.shtml

If you have either been laid off, or been given temporary leave without a concrete start date, you qualify for Unemployment benefits. Because this is the State system (Oregon), there are a lot of things you need to know about filing for unemployment. My first suggestion is this: be patient.

1.) On the page, there is a link to fill out your new claim online. This is faster, more accurate, and easier than doing it by phone.
2.) Your employer should have given you your last paycheck. Make sure you have this with you as you will need to enter what your salary and yearly earnings were.
3.) If you have questions about what your weekly (yes, I said weekly) check will be, there is also a benefits calculator, which gives an estimate of what your benefit will be.
4.) It will also ask you which week you want to start your benefits. Keep this tip in mind: You want your benefits as soon as possible. Consider that there will also be a waiting week after you file your claim.
5.) It will ask you if you want to deduct State and Federal taxes from each check. This is up to you, but if you do elect to not withhold taxes, I also suggest setting aside about 10-15% of each check for end of year taxes.
6.) When you file your claim expect to wait about one week to hear from the state. If you do have a question though, or you feel you are getting impatient, call this number: 503.451.2400
7.) KEEP EACH AND EVERY DOCUMENT THE STATE MAILS YOU. This is a pain, but you need to do it in the event of if something happens (such as your check doesn't come)
8.) WRITE DOWN YOUR CONFIRMATION AFTER YOU HAVE FILED. Duh
9.) It will ask you for a Pin code. Don't want to lose this number
10.) Your very first check is going to be a paper check that you need to get cashed. From there on out it will come via a USBank Reliacard. It acts as a debit card, and each week the state directly deposits to that card. Another option is to have the money directly deposited into your account. If you choose to do this, you have to fill out the Direct Deposit form on the employment website and physically mail it in.
11.) When you do recieve your confirmation letter that you are eligible for a set amount of weekly unemployment pay - it's your job to make sure that at the end of every week (say it with me - SATURDAY) you either call or file online. In my experience - it takes you literally 15 minutes to get through the damn phone call (it's because they have to repeat everything that you enter - makes sense). It is easier to do it online: http://www.workinginoregon.org/ocs (one tip - make double sure that you have completed your claim! It will tell you at the end that your claim is complete).

Your unemployment benefits are based on your past work history of the last 18 months. Don't get your hopes up, chances are the benefits will help you a little with your mortgage, car payment, student loans, bills, rent, credit cards, etc. After you get all of this done though (it takes about 45 minutes) THEN you can have your friends buy you some beer, get on the phone and let it out to your mom, and after you've let all that emotion and fear and anger out - start getting excited about the rest of your life.


Again: here are the relevant numbers/links.

http://www.employment.oregon.gov/EMPLOY/UI/index.shtml - this is where you file for unemployment as soon as you get home

503.451.2400 - Employment in Oregon main number, call this if you have a general question

http://www.workinginoregon.org/ocs - this is where you file your weekly claim

(503).224.0405 - weekly claim hotline (for those in Portland/Metro)

A healthy and cheap addiction

I just ate an entire bunch of kale in one sitting. No fancy cut of meat to go with it, no exotic type of fish, no bread. No $10 bottle of wine to wash it down. I love kale that much. In fact I think there's something wrong with me.

I could eat this stuff every day if I wanted to. This is as healthy as it gets - packed with Beta Carotene, Vitamin A and C, Lutein, and B6. Toss it with some garlic - Also rich in B6, C, Calcium, Zinc, and Iron. If you are feeling dragged down from all the Carbohydrate-rich foods that are quick to cook and appeal to those of us with thin wallets, this one will get you back up to speed in no time. Perfect for a Sunday dinner while watching re-runs on TV and folding laundry.

Warning - addictive therefore giving possibility to no leftovers. I suggest that you cook this only for yourself, and that if you intend on having leftovers, to refrain yourself on grabbing seconds. Also, keep away from hungry roommates, curious kids, boyfriends, and girlfriends.


Selfish Helping Sauteed Kale

Olive oil
1 bunch Kale (there are different types of kale, any type works although I am partial to Lacinto Kale)
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
Red pepper flakes
Water (keep some in a glass by the stove)
Salt and pepper to taste


*In large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Toss in garlic and saute until slightly fragrant.
*Toss in Kale, making sure to coat in olive oil/garlic mix.
*once Kale is completely coated, bring heat down to medium and toss in water (a little goes a long way. This is to prevent the kale/garlic from sticking and burning). Partially cover and let it steam for about 7-10 minutes.
*Add in red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Time from Prep to Mouth: 20 minutes
Cost: depending on the season and where you buy the Kale - anywhere from $1.50 to $2.00 a bunch. Garlic - $1.00 a head

Extra tip: if you have it on hand, toss in some pinenuts or slivered almonds at the end when the water has evaporated.

Unemployed Tip #2: Prepare yourself for Monday

I hate looking for jobs. I really do. I hate the time that it takes to create every cover letter for each and every job and making sure that it exemplifies all the requirements that the position holds.

However, I love that feeling of accomplishment when you have completed your last spellcheck, have attached the final version of your cover letter and resume, have given your email a digital blessing, and have hit the "Send" button.

I have done massive job searches now four times in my life. In the last three years. Although this might seem odd on paper, I consider this another huge gain for me. I have been through enough crappy versions of resumes, enough mistakes that HR representatives have pointed out to me, and many, many applications to obscure companies that don't list their name on Craigslist. Be careful of those companies that give small one-liners about the job. Be especially wary of those who say you can gain anywhere from $300-$3,000 a month. Also, don't be careful but just plainly don't apply for those where they ask you to pay or sign up before you apply. You are desperate for a job, but you aren't that desperate. Pull back a bit and try out some research about the company before you apply.

1.) If they list a phone number or fax number - type it into a Google search along with the State that the job is in. It will turn out in the search results and from there you can dig in a bit deeper about the company.

2.) Sometimes the job poster wants you to email a certain person at the company. Look up that person. Although this person might not be your boss you might find a couple good tips to help you through your interview or email, such as you both might belong to the same co-op or that the person is really into those detailed Edward Gorey drawings. Try not just a Google search, but look them up on Facebook, Twitter, and professional networking sites such as Linked In. You also might find out more about the position that you are applying for, and what role that person will be playing in your possible career.

3.) No matter what, keep your resume to one page. Keep detailed information on the cover letter, keep the relevant information on your resume.

4.) Get as much input on your resume as possible. Check out the resources that Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com have on resume feedback. It will take some time to complete, but it's valuable! Also, shed the shame and post your resume on headhunter sites such as Filtertalent.com and Boly Welch (for those in Oregon). Look around on the internet for other headhunter places that are more specialized. There are ones that are focused on sportswear, others that are focused on office jobs, and ones that specialize in placing people in higher positions such as executive and CEO levels.

5.) There are other places to search for jobs other than Craigslist.
*www.idealist.org
Non-Profit and volunteer opportunities. Also, it's a great networking tool, as you can create your own profile and list what your interests are and post your resume.

*www.indeed.com
This lists posts from both Monster and Careerbuilder and several other 3rd party sites. One thing is you can always be assured that you know exactly who you are applying to.

*Your local newspaper
Bringing it back old-school. You never know what you will find

*Your State employment website
It's one of the first resources given to you while you are being laid off.
In Oregon: www.employment.oregon.gov/EMPLOY/ES/seeker/index.shtml

*Make a list of companies that you've wanted to work for. Look them up online, go to their About Us section and more than likely they will have a "Career Opportunities" section. You don't know what you'll find

So there you have it. 5 tips to keep in mind for tomorrow when you spend three hours of job applying/searching after your long, leisurely coffee you'll enjoy after waking up!

A celebration....

Once in a while instead of ending the week (and starting a holiday weekend) with a beer in each hand and about three shots of tequila in to the evening, it's nice to pull back and relax instead. I have the prospect of an interview (fingers crossed!), and I had some saved cash to throw towards something celebratory, so I opted for an evening with a glass of Moscato and a sparkly tart shared with this girl.

All you need to know about her is that her real name is Kathleen (her W. Virginia name), we all called her Katie (her W. coast name) but she likes to be called Kate (ultimately given to her by a certain Jr. High Honor Band name tag, and it just kinda stuck). She has visited all 50 states, knows a thing or two about trees, knows even more about dogs and cats, flew with me to L.A. , has gone through some of the hardest experiences a kid could go through, and is as tough as nails.

If there is one meal that will ever stand out from this girl it's the one I had with her a few Thanksgiving's ago. That was my first year out of college, and my first year that I worked on a holiday (and had a morning shift the day after so I couldn't go home). She and her mom were kind enough to let me come over and just watch movies and eat a thanksgiving dinner and let my mind settle all the day's stress over taking care of other people's thanksgiving plans. No big table, no needing to get to know other family members, no serious prep work. It was easy, on paper plates, and I had a coke sitting next to me. I missed my family and I felt guilty for not going down to see them, but I was in a time bind and I hoped that my parents were at least giving thanks in their own way.

Then I took a bite of the mashed potatoes.

You know that feeling of biting into something and without even chewing you go "oh now this is special". I raved about it the entire night. In fact, I think that's all I even ate that night.

(Before I go on I'll admit that when I explained this fact to my mother it broke her heart. Please understand, she admits frequently that she hates to cook, but when she does she shines. So mom, I'm still deciding on which recipe of your's that I will share!!!!!)

As I started in on my second helping, Kate with her mouth full said "half and half!"

I'm not kidding you, these potatoes don't require extra salt, extra butter, or the need to turn it into a gravy-lava volcano. It will certainly set off your 5K Turkey Trot that you completed earlier, or your game of family football, but it's worth it. I would advise that if you make this, that it be for a small celebration such as your first interview, your first unemployment paycheck, a rainy day in the middle of summer, or because you have a few other unemployed friends who are hungry. Potatoes got this nation through the depression of the 1920's, so bring the spuds back to get us through the recession of the first part of the 21st century.

Glass of Moscato optional.



Moneyhun-Freeland mashed potatoes

1 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 pint half and half

I'm not giving strict cooking directions. Reason why is this: you will not make this as good as the original cook: Kate's mother - Patty Moneyhun. However you can try.

Boil potatoes until soft enough to mash with fork.
Add half and half until creamy consistency
Add butter, salt, and pepper to taste.

Time from prep to mouth: about 30-40 minutes
cost: potatoes - $3-5 depending on season, Half and Half - $1.50, Butter - $2.00
Remember, this is for a celebration so get friends to pitch in to help out. Also, you will feel guilty if you just ate this by yourself for days.....

When life hands you lemons, throw them in pasta

In California today, it was 108 degrees. In Oregon, it's creeping up to 90 degrees tomorrow. For those of us who don't like Oregon's rather humid heat, 90 degrees is near hell. The last thing I want to do is slave over a stove, so it is a good thing that angel hair cooks fast.

I'm not a huge fan of cold pasta, but this is one that is satisfying and will go well with that bag of near-wilting spinach sitting in the back of your fridge.


Seriously lemon-y herb pasta

12 ounces Angel Hair pasta
Juice of one entire lemon
1 tsp lemon zest
2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
2 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

While Angel hair is cooking, in frying pan saute garlic slices in olive oil for a few minutes on low heat (be careful not to go overboard or else they will get bitter, therefore making your already sticky summer day suck that much more!)

Once pasta is finished, rinse off with cold water and immediately toss it with the garlic and olive oil

Add both lemon juice and lemon zest, basil, oregano, and rosemary

Season with salt and pepper

Time from prep to your mouth: approximately 15 minutes

Cost: Angel hair, lemon, garlic, - roughly $5 (add another $10 if you don't have dried herbs on hand)

Other options for if you have extra $$$ - throw in diced tomatoes if you have them on hand, or throw in some of that near wilting spinach while sauteing the garlic. Or use summer squash, asparagus, a little onion, or even artichoke hearts.

Found on a lightpost

I saved this paper bag taped to a lightpost and from what was already taped/painted on to it I turned it into a consistent reminder. You can't see it, but I had written down the day and time of when I found it on the back: 10/10/06 at 10:10 PM.

First post on my fourth round of unemployment

It is my intention that this blog will make you feel happy. I am terribly surprised that I am doing this, considering that there are hundreds of blogs out there, many of which go unnoticed. I am facing my fourth round of being unemployed within the last three years. Unlike the other three times, this time I was laid off from a job I never felt comfortable in, am able to qualify for State unemployment benefits, and enough food stamps to at least buy soy milk and bread for the month. I'm in the state with the second highest unemployment rate, the highest minimum wage rate, one of the highest homelessness rates and a state that can barely live without sales tax.

I have a resume that ranks up there with about 10,000 other graduates with Communication Studies degrees. It lists things like my former boss's cell phone number, my first job out of college as a hotel concierge (where I could lift suitcases above my head and where I met Stephen King), that I know both ACT and CRM sales databases, and that yes indeed I am organized, good at communication, a proven people person, and I can handle the toughest situation with ease.
What it doesn't show is that I have more creativity, ideas, interests, and goals than what 8.5x11 inches won't allow me to fit in.

So, to those of you who are scrambling to find change in your winter coat pockets (I just found $5 in one of mine so in celebration I bought some lime popsicles) and creating spreadsheets on every penny spent - this blog will be geared towards creative outlets, job searching tips, and cooking on the terribly cheap all while exemplifying fabulousness and ultimately giving you hope and something positive to look at and consider.

I mean shit, I have to do something.....