Poem #2

Poem#2

Though their table may look like a divine creation

The "d" is lower case with each libation

You want your spread to be fit for a King

A Queen to sit along for the scene

Don't fret over what appears to be spectacular 

Because despite all appearances your table will be interstellar

You will not need to compare your feast to theirs

You will only need to thank God for answered prayers

So, sadness must flee to make room for promised joy

Your walk is quite different, it's one you'll enjoy

Because it's Divinely God-ordered, capital "D" to employ

For you, your King, and three little boys.

-Amanda Gia

1/29/2015

Are You Ready For Some Football? Ahem...Food!?!?

Deflategate...Lynch's Fines (Why don't they just leave him alone!)...Puppy Mills....Drama!

None of the drama surrounding the Super Bowl will stop the game from being played on Sunday night. People have ordered their wings and pizza. Fans are flocking to Party City to purchase matching plates and napkins for their "favorite" team. Mind you, a lot of people are rooting for one side or the other by default because their team will be sitting at home watching on Sunday.  I am in that boat because I am a NY Giants fan. I will not speak on what I think needs to be done with the roster to make things better because that is for a different rant on a different day, but I will say that I am rooting for the Seattle SeaHawks. I am not a bandwagon jumper, I am just a proud supporter of Russell Wilson a Virginian who graduated from  Collegiate School in Richmond, VA. He is unapologetically Christian, devotes himself to community service, and can throw a mean Hail Mary!

Go 'Hawks!

With all of that said let's get the menu planned out for Sunday. Here are some yummy traditional and non-traditional ways to keep your guests' tummies happy no matter which way the ball bounces.

Wings
"I hate wings," said no one ever! So, if you don't want to order from Buffalo Wild Wings (if you do order try Jammin' Jalapeno, you'll thank me) you can make your own.

To prep frozen wings, leave them in the bag but place them in a pan or in a plastic container in the refrigerator Saturday to thaw. On Sunday, you'll need to rinse you wings in a colander and let them rest on paper towel to soak up the excess water.

Please buy a Fry Daddy. If you order one by tomorrow at noon from Amazon, you will have it Saturday!

You will need some cooking oil. Canola is what I use. About an hour before you guests arrive, heat your oil (8 minutes) and cook your chicken. Do not bread your chicken. If you'd like to bake your chicken, that will work too if you put a little olive oil on the bottom of the pan.

Cook your chicken until floating and golden. Set them to the side to drain. I like to use the microwave bacon cooker, but a colander lined with paper towel will work.  

Five minutes before your guest arrive, toss your chicken wings in a covered plastic container with a cup of your favorite wing sauce. You have your pick at the grocery store or your favorite wing place. Serve with plenty of ranch and blue cheese. Try this if dare: purchase ranch dressing, add blue cheese crumbles and red pepper flakes. Pow!

Nachos

A bag of tortilla chips, shredded cheese (Mexican blend), a can of nacho cheese, ground turkey, sour cream, Pace Picante Sauce (I prefer HOT). Done!

Brown the ground turkey and sprinkle in black pepper, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, and chili powder. 

Spread the chips on a cookie sheet and layer on the cheese and meat. 

Heat the nacho cheese (not cheez whiz) using directions on the can.

Cook chips on broil (500 degrees) until the cheese has melted. Pull the pan out the oven, drizzle with hot nacho cheese.

In separate containers put sour cream, picante sauce, and guac if you'd like. You can also add beans to the nachos before putting them in the oven, but please plug some Febreeze NOTICEables in the vicinity.

Chili

Since you have the Febreeze pumping, you might as well throw together a quick pot of chili.

If you buy a huge container of ground turkey, you'll be all set. Use a third for your nachos and the rest in your chili.

You'll need the Del Monte Chili-Ready Tomatoes (3 cans), Petite Diced Tomatoes (1 large can), red kidney beans (2 large cans), and browned ground turkey.

Cook the turkey the same as above. Dump all of your ingredients in a large crock pot.  You'll need to add a thickening agent. In a cup, add a cup of hot water from the tap and add 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir until smooth. Stir the flour mixture into the chili. Let the chili cook for no less than an hour. The longer you cook, the more people won't want to leave! That good!

Seafood

Wow your guest with a seafood spread. In honor of New England, include some lobster tacos (lobster meat, mayo, and Old Bay wrapped in a tortilla), crab cakes (lump crab meat, mayo, dijon mustard, Old Bay, egg, cracker meal and pan fry), fried oysters (milk/egg wash, cracker meal and deep fry), and spiced shrimp (frozen or fresh, STEAM after sprinkling with seafood seasoning) to your menu. Mussels, clams, and shrimp in white wine butter sauce over pasta can also be a tasty treat for the taste buds.

Finger Food

Lastly, take your favorite foods and make them finger foods. You love baked mac and cheese? Well prepare mini mac and cheesies in muffin pans. You love Chinese food? Go to your favorite spot and order egg rolls and your favorite meals. Cut the egg rolls in half and portion out a meat-based meal in fillo cups. Serve sticky rice in balls or sushi to complete the effect!  Get playful. Chips and dip...boring. Get a bunch of different flavored chips and mix them up!

Need more detailed recipes? Please ask in the comments below or on Twitter @akagia.

Career Soup: What's Your Brand

Image Credit: Business World from Vector.me (by vecteezy.com)

Workplace buzzwords often die off like "paradigm shifts" and "thinking outside of the box." However, there seems to be one that keeps hanging around: "personal branding." How important is personal branding to your career success? Very important! I realized this when I was speaking with a friend and she was asking for some social media design advice. I suggested that she needed to "get your brand popping!"  All roads should lead to your passion and what you want people to think of when they thing of you. If you are a widget counter, but your passion is financial planning, then you should read as much as you can about financial planning, blog about financial planning in your free time, offer gratis financial planning to family members, and suit up in all profiles pictures on your social networking pages.  If you are a teacher, but you'd ultimately like to be principal or move to higher education, expand your vocabulary to include graduate level education and administrative terminology. Shift your brand from a stellar teacher to a stellar school leader. Branding is about who you want to be using your strengths to guide you!

Take products for example. When you see a certain logo, there is an expectation of what you're going to get.  Your mind pulls up past experiences (good or bad), advertisement jingles, and the like.  What images and thoughts are retrieved when someone sees you or your online presence? Doing a quick Google search for images for "headshots" in your current or desired profession will give you plenty of ideas how to style your profile pictures.  I can offer you assistance in designing an industry-appropriate resume that will fit in AND more importantly stand out in the right way to get you noticed. Feel free to contact me for assistance!

Winter Wardrobe Reboot: Career Essentials

It is very easy to get stuck in a fashion rut during the winter months. The fun of fall fashion is over and you may be tempted to just throw on a thick (albeit warm) sweater and some comfy trousers. That look can get drab fast. If you have seven key pieces in your wardrobe, you can mix and match to avoid the frump that winter blues can bring. Let's take a look...

This ensemble allows you to wear your warm cardigan sweater, but keeps it classy and chic with an LBD. Paired with black tights and ankle boots, your look is complete. To dress it up more, nix the chapeau, wear a statement necklace or pearls, and black pumps or high heel knee boots. Dowdy girl avoided!!

A tailored grey pants suit is another necessity this winter.  It can simply be worn as a suit, but there is so much more you can do. You can where the jacket over a little black dress or wear the pants with a cardigan sweater or as shown above, with an animal print blouse and a bright colored jacket.

Now, to recap, you need a cardigan sweater, a little black dress, black tights, tailored pants suit, and a bright colored jacket. The last two items that will help you make it until spring are a cape and a pair of fresh black trousers (wide-leg or skinny).

I pretty much live in my cuffed black wide-leg trousers. I get a fresh pair of black pants each season.  There isn't much I don't do with these pants. I dress them up with a blouse or wear them with polka dot sweater and my Danskos for a more fun, casual look. I usually wear skinny black pants in the spring and summer months, but I've seen these cute cuts paired with boots both knee and ankle along with pumps like pictured below. Put on some statement socks for a cool look with pumps, but make sure they're office appropriate.

The appeal of the cape is the dramatic effect it has with the simplest of outfits. It's like you're a superhero about to save the world. The bow is such a lovely addition to this pale cape. And the camel color of the other cape pairs well with almost everything. Shop in your closet first and then go out and use those gift cards on the items you need. They'll be on sale for sure!

Update: Look what I found just today. Rachel Zoe never fails! We're on the same page! 1/7/15

Dog Days

The holidays are over! Some people are depressed. I'm actually ready for the spring. But, I realized that my dog is going to miss all of the attention he's been getting for the past 2 months. We've been home, going outside multiple times during the day, and making sure tummy rubs were never in short supply.  We'll soon be back to work and school leaving him to entertain himself for a few hours. Thank God my parents are retired, so he won't be all alone.  Yet, I know the change will affect him. Here are some tips to help your doggy adjust to business as usual.

1. Wake up 10 minutes early and get ready. Once you're dressed, spend 10 minutes with your dog doing his favorite activity. This activity does not include the morning restroom break. For my dog, this activity would include a few tummy rubs, a song, tossing the ball around, and treat.

2. Leave challenges around the house. Put chew toys around his designated area. This will give him something to do rather than tear up the couch or baseboards.  Cover his doggy bed with a blanket.  Hide a treat under his pet bed or a towel.

3.  Hire a pet sitter for an hour a day, 2 or 3 days a week. You can gradually wean your dog off these services or maintain the practice if you find that your pet is happier when you get home.

4.  Schedule dedicated doggy time each evening. As days get longer, you will have more time to play outside. Until then, you can have a scavenger hunt with your family including your furry pal.

Any ways that you can include your dog in family activities will be best during this transitional time. Separation anxiety is real for our beloved pets. To help them through this change, we must make a deliberate effort to include them in the smallest of activities to compensate for the lack of presence until it's time for Spring Break!