April Vignettes {2015 Edition}

HAPPY LAST DAY OF APRIL! I am so happy and excited and even a little bit sad as we say goodbye to April! We will be moving out of our loft one month from today (*tear*) and we will be moving to Nashville two months from today (*cheer*). 

SO... it's just one of those times that bittersweet in Horton-world. I love these Vignettes posts because they're a great way to catch y'all up on my personal life + an OC review, in case you missed anything! 

(plus they're a great excuse to empty my camera of a bunch of photos!) #winwin

My Post It Calendar System. You can read all about it here! 

I recently posted this photo of the Post-It Calendar system, which we have been successfully been using for a year this month! I have always wanted an accurate and editable way to keep up with the month ahead, and this has been so perfect! 

My current planner system. You can read all about it here! 

I share some looks at my current planner setup as well as give you an outline of questions to see if your planner is setup in the best possible way for you! 

The Metter, GA Petting Zoo. Early in April, we took a family road trip to Savannah, GA for a friend's wedding! On the way, we stopped in this precious little Georgia town that had a petting zoo next door to its gas station. 

Please. Just try to keep me away from access to cute animals for $1! 

Savannah Bee Company. My mom is really into bees. Like, really. She keeps bees in her backyard (yes, complete with that silly white suit which makes it really easy for me to make fun of her), writes a blog about bees, runs an Instagram account about bees. So we spent a lot of time in SBC.

Savannah, GA. I love Savannah. LOVE. IT. History is my favorite. And architecture. And charming southern towns. Did you know it was voted the 2nd-friendliest city the US (right behind its neighbor, Charleston)? Plus warm weather, palm trees, spanish moss, and a beach? 

Yes, yes, yes, and yes!  

Paris Market. And speaking of Savannah, no trip to it would be complete without lusting over every single item in Paris Market. Which we did. I even got a new planner (obviously, just what I need)! And a perfectly delicious vegetarian lunch complete with macarons! 

Favorite quote of the month inspired by an Instagram photo: 

"How did you write on the car door like that?"

-My husband

Q: What the heck is going on in this photo? 

A: We were stuck in traffic on the Georgia interstate and found a stash of bubbles left over from the wedding reception, so we started blowing them out the window to try to make people happy about sitting still for 45 minutes.

How to Get Better Grades. Ok, so let's talk April posts! Do you see all of those checkboxes on the "write" page? Those are y'all's requested posts! I am SO happy and SO excited about them! In fact, this post was one of them! 

Other posts from the past month included:

Jumpstart Your Day in 15 Minutes

How to Let Go of Perfectionism

How to Get Better Grades in College

Create a Planner System that Works Best for YOU

Top Lessons I Learned About Procrastination in College

Plus the addition of "Study Tip Sunday", which are just tiny bite-sized posts that you can collect on your Pinterest Study Tips board (you do have one, right?) so you can review them quickly without even have to click through a link! (hey, efficiency is everything.)

Study Tip Sunday: Use Your Goals as Motivation

Study Tip Sunday: Meditate

Job Searching. I have literally applied to 30+ teaching jobs in Nashville. And I am really learning that job searching takes a lot of organization! So, this month, I've created job search folders, portfolios, spreadsheets, and of course...

a board full of career advice that you're more than welcome to steal everything from! 

Oh, yeah. And our Memphis Grizzlies are in the playoffs! :D

Also, here's a photo of Justin Timberlake's baby in a Grizz gear to brighten your day!

What was your April like? Did you do any traveling? Prep for finals? Are you job searching as well? (bless both of our hearts) 

Share your highlights in the comment section below! 

More about → April Vignettes {2015 Edition}

Forno Pizza Kitchen

If you haven't been to Forno yet in the Short North, what are you waiting for?!  After the success of Pint House, the owners opened this restaurant down the street.  Many of the menu items are local, and as the name suggests (forno=oven in Italian), many of the dishes are cooked in a wood-fired oven.  Tons of daylight streaming in the large windows with fancy light fixtures and nice seating, but the prices are certainly reasonable.  At around $11 for an appetizer and $14 for a pizza, dinner for two is just $25.

Now that I have been to Forno a few times, I have yet to try something that wasn't excellent.  The warm ricotta with baked peaches was delicious, almost sweet enough to be a dessert.  The arancini (risotto balls) were a lighter take on fried mozzarella.  And every time we get the forno chicken pizza, because if it's good enough to put their name on it, it's good enough for me!  :)

So, now that you're ready for pizza night at Forno, don't let the doors trick you... there are three doors, but use the one on the left (most southern)... the others do not open and you'll look kind of silly tugging on them.

 

  

More about → Forno Pizza Kitchen

Sapin-sapin

Ang sapin-sapin ay isa sa mga masasarap na kakaning Pinoy na gawa sa giniling na malagkit. Mula noong bata pa ako ay paborito ko na ito, gusto kong maging perfect ang sapin-sapin kapag gumawa ako kaya kahit may idea na ako paano ang paggawa di ko pa rin sinubukan at gusto ko talagang masaksihan ng aking dalawang mata kung paano ito gawin at tamang tama naman dahil birthday ng mahal naming bata na si Niel,  gumawa ang kaibigan kong si Melissa Martines ng sapin-sapin at ito ang  kanyang version, tiyak pong magugustuhan nyo, simple at madali lang po. Gagawin ko ito bukas, sabay tayo? :-).

Mga Sangkap:
1/2 kilo giniling na malagkit
1 lata gatas na condensada
1/2 litro fresh milk or evaporated milk
1 cup pure coconut milk
1/2 kutsarita yellow food coloring
1/2 kutsarita purple food 
1 tasa ng latik ( pangbudbud)

Procedure:
1. Paghaluin ang giniling na malagkit, at mga gatas, kapag nahalo ng maigi hatiin sa tatlong bahagi, at lagyan ng food coloring ang dalawang bahagi na magkabukod, haluing maigi.

2. Iisteam ang unang bahagi, kapag luto na ibuhos ang ikalawang patong at hintaying maluto saka ibuhos ang panghuling bahagi at takpang maigi hanggang sa maluto.
3. Kapag luto na ay hanguin ito, palamigin bago alisin sa hulmahan. Hiwain ayon sa laki na ibig mo, budburan ng latik, at ihain ng may pagmamahal :-).

Paalala; Pahiran ng mantika mula sa langis ng pinaglatikan ang hulmahan na gagamitin para hindi dumikit ang sapin-sapin.

Around 10 minutes lang ang pag steam ng bawat layer, pero depende rin kung gaano ka kapal ang layers nyo.

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Weekly Menu

Can't get enough of these beautiful blue skies!  What a pretty day, despite being somewhat cold.  Just had to take the Snoop to Pine Quarry for a nice walk... love that it is so close to my house.  :)

 

Saturday was quite cold and rainy, so we headed down to IKEA for the first time ever!  Finally got some adult dressers after using hand-me-downs for so long.  IKEA is definitely an experience... I'm not used to spending that much time in one store.  The way that it snakes around, you probably walk at least a mile while shopping... well, I was gimping around with my ankle contusion.  :(  

After spending a few hours hobbling around, we made a pit stop at the Cincinnati Premium outlets (as if I hadn't had enough outlet shopping from two weeks ago)... but we did get some great deals at Columbia.  Can't wait to have our National Park road trip vacay, now I'm getting into the vacation research too.  

And now for this week's meal plan...

sausage stuffed baby peppers

spaghetti and meatballs 

grilled chicken caesar salad 

pizza night

Then prepping some food for an overnight hike this weekend!  Those winter clearance items from Columbia will come in handy.  :)

More about → Weekly Menu

Study Tip Sunday: Meditate

More about → Study Tip Sunday: Meditate

Top Lessons I Learned About Procrastination During College

This will probably be the dumbest question you'll read all day: Do you struggle with procrastination? Like, literally able to do ANYTHING except for the one thing that you're supposed to be doing? 

Oh, I'm sorry, would it have been easier to ask: "Are you human"? 

If you answered "yes" then welcome, you've found the perfect place where you belong! 

I recently read that we're supposed to "read what we need to learn". And if you've taken a look around this blog for more that 4 seconds, you've probably seen the word "productivity" aaaaabout 42 times. 

Go ahead. Take a look around. Crazy, huh? 

I've obviously been working on learning how to get rid of procrastination for a while now! 

(5 Anti-Procrastination Strategies to Help you Get Through Finals Week)

Here are the biggest lessons I learned about procrastination in college! 

Procrastination is one of those things that is just so difficult to overcome! The worst for me was in undergrad because there were just so many other things to do: parties, friends, work, moving. You name it and it could distract me from schoolwork. Here are some of the things I learned that helped me balance out my social life and school work! 

5 helpful lessons you need to learn to kick procrastination to the curb!

1. Procrastination is a form of fear.

Last year, my super nice professor gave us a take home midterm. "Awesome!" I thought. "She is just the coolest person ever for doing that!" And she was. But did the fact that I had this thing in my house all of spring break make me want to take it? Absolutely not. 

It sat on my desk until the day before. Why? Fear. Fear of failing. Or maybe just fear that I would start it and realize how hard it was and that I hadn't actually learned anything so far. It even prompted me to write this post! So, what' s procrastinating college student to do?! 

2. In order to accomplish things, you have to face that fear. 

Choose an "Anti-Procrastination" Day. Back in the day, I used to try to use the FlyLady system for keeping our house clean. My attempt at those routines ha been long gone for a few years now, but there are a few things of hers that I do still use. 

One of them is "anti-procrastination" day. 

Choose one day a week to just get those tasks you've been dreading over with! I promise, you will feel so much better once you do! Most of the time, once I start a task, I realize that it's much easier than I expected. Just jump right in!

3. A good plan is worth a million minutes. 

I'm a planner. No doubt about it. But even if you're more of a "free spirit" than I am (in which case this entire blog looks like pure insanity to you) it's still helpful to make a productivity plan! A productivity plan is exactly what it sounds like! Make a list of your stuff! The tough stuff that you've been avoiding or the tediously boring mind-numbing stuff that you hate to do. Then get started on it! Here are some tips to help you get going! 

4. It's easy to get distracted (especially when you'd literally rather be doing anything else). 

Back to undergrad and midterms (and finals): When I came home from class in the afternoon, I just wanted to relax by doing nothing. Which is fine, as long as "nothing" doesn't turn into all afternoon (like it often does). 

If this is a problem for you, too, try this: Give yourself a "reminder". For example, place your study guide near your computer, so that when you're thinking about heading over to Pinterest, you remember that you've got an exam to study for. 

Or set a reminder on your phone, so that 10 minutes into that Insta-binge, you remember you still have reading to do! 

5. Bribing yourself is definitely okay. 

There are a lot of times in life that bribing is frowned upon. Luckily, college is not one of them! I would use whatever it was that I was just DYING to do against myself. Like, If you finish your rough draft in time, you can go to brunch on Saturday or watch that new Netflix.

Set up a reward plan for yourself and really stick to it! You are the boss of yourself and you are not about to be stopped by some weak little distraction or lack of self-discipline, right? If all else fails, designate a hiding spot for your phone/computer until you get your work done!

Organized Study Time

What lessons have you learned while in college? Are there any specific "anti-procrastination" tips that really help you out? Share them with our readers below! 

{Never miss an OC productivity tip again! Follow us on BLOGLOVIN'!}

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How To Make Kwek Kwek

Kwek kwek is a popular street food in the Philippines. It is made with quail's eggs, coated with a batter and fried then serve with a sauce. Today I was able to interview a kwek-kwek vendor and I witnessed how he made it. He even allowed me to post this. I hope it can help you, specially if you want to start a good business. Soon I will ask him for the sauce recipe.


Ingredients:
 quail's eggs
flour
water
orange food coloring 
oil for frying




For Batter:
Mix the flour , water and food coloring until you reached the thick consistency of a good batter for kwek-kwek.

Procedure:
1. Dust the eggs with flour because if you put it directly to the batter, it will not stick to the egg.

2. After dusting it with flour put in the batter mixture, coating it one by one.

3. Heat the oil then deep fry until  it is cooked.

4. Serve it with your favorite sauce.

More about → How To Make Kwek Kwek

Cauliflower Tacos - total time 30 minutes

I have read a couple articles that have stated that cauliflower is going to be the next big food trend. I don't think they are going to call it a superfood, but as people are turning to more meatless meals, they are looking for "meaty" vegetables so they don't miss it. I feel like I saw cauliflower start trending the middle of last year in the foodie/food blogger world, so it's only a matter of I time before it is on every menu!

I used to actually hate cauliflower. I think it have a weird texture and not a ton of flavor. But then I tried it roasted! Put a little spice on these white nuggets and they are delicious!

So I ordered some cauliflower in my GreenBEAN bins and started trying some different things. My favorite so far has definitely been the tacos (probably no surprise there). I have made them a couple times now and each time my husband asks me to put chicken in his (I tell him no). He begrudging eats it and really likes it! I don't know how many times we will have to go through the process until he admits that he likes it anytime other than when he is scarfing them down.

These are kind of kitchen sink tacos. I basically looked in my fridge (and freezer) to see what I had to add to the cauliflower. Frozen corn from the summer, salsa, and some pepper jack cheese... And I have made it the same way since! But don't feel like you need to stick to these ingredients. The cauliflower is definitely the star of this taco and packs some spicy, nutty flavor. Other roasted veggies would be great... saut�ed onions... eggplant... even some shredded chicken. Make it your own, but make sure to include lots of super trendy roasted cauliflower!

Read more �

More about → Cauliflower Tacos - total time 30 minutes

What to look for when Using Sushi Knives

What to look for when using sushi knives

When it comes to using sushi knives, there is absolutely no

 rocket science involved. Just a few basic tips that have to 

be kept in mind while making the right choice warrant a bit of logic. They may be summed up as follows:

Cutting:

 The original sushi knife was aimed at cutting. Its job is to make sure that there are fine incisions at intended areas. However, the sushi knives aren�t going to walk out of their shelves by themselves and start cutting. They need to be hand-picked. The most basic tip to be kept in mind when choosing the sushi knife, is to determine the type of cut that is going to be made. A sushi, may require to be cut delicately and finely, so that its shapes can be used to make fine dressings for the dish that they are intended for.

Most complicated dishes that have their recipes explained in cookbooks will supply all the information needed with regard to using the most relevant knives. A number of people have already shared articles and blogs on their websites, explaining in detail the type of sushi knife that is required for a particular dish.

Slicing: 

Just as cutting, the slicing technique also follows the same principles. There are deep cuts and fine cuts. The fine cuts require a sort of sharp knife, one that can be used precisely. A deep cut, is the one that doesn�t require much precision.

Absorption:

 Most people believe that the knife on which a certain meat or fish is cut, is the main factor that results in the texture and taste of it. It is primarily for this reason that a lot of people nowadays have started using wooden or ceramide sushi knives.

However, using these knives is not all that easy. Take a 

knife and cut it. That�s what the general person sees as the real deal. If things were that simple, the whole debate over using the appropriate sushi knife would be completely invalid. A recent trend that has been seen nowadays is the fact that people use wooden sushi knives in order to cut their raw meat or raw sushi.

At first, it may seem absolutely confusing as to why someone would do something like this. But the rationality behind it is actually very simple. There are a number of ways it can be cut, a fine sushi knife being the best possible choice, the second next choice being a fillet knife. However, traditionally, it is perceived that the wooden knife, lends its texture and fragrance to the dish that is being used.

Therefore, it may be safe to say that the sushi knives are 

not used simply as a method to cut and slice as if it is some sort of apparatus, but an integral portion of the cooking procedure.

When it comes to paying attention to the sushi knives that 

are going to be used, and the manner in which they are going to be used, determining the end objectives is a better rationale when it comes to choosing and using sushi knives.

Contributed by: Mr. Steven Larson 

Steven is an avid food enthusiast who loves everything about cooking and especially using modern tech in cooking that can make even a novice cook look like an expert chef. He occasionally shares his opinion about the latest and craziest kitchen gadgets on the Kitchen Gadgets Wars blog.

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