Hmm...

Some thoughts, as the year 2011 comes to a close:

1) I really like working with refugees

2) I love how much French I'm getting to speak this year

3) Canada me manques beaucoup...

4) I need a band to jam with on drum set

5) I need a group to jam with on vibraphone

6) If I could find a way to work with refugees in the nonprofit sector, while teaching percussion lessons and doing gigs on the side, and somehow spending summers in Québec...I would be very satisfied with my career and life choice.

7) I still don't like cold weather because I can't do as many awesome outdoor activities

Don't know where my life is heading, but I like the way all the puzzle pieces are slowly fitting together. My time in Alma, the summer vibraphone workshop, music education, percussion, the French language, my love for volunteering, my interest in different cultures, the trip to the United Nations and meeting Frankie from WorldFaith, my creativity, my passion for teaching...the pieces are beginning to fit a bit...

Apple Crisp...avec les pommes!

Healthier Apple Crisp:

Chop up a few apples (prob. around 3 or 4 normal-sized). Make half of them slices and layer the bottom of a sprayed 8x8 pan. Dice up the other half and mix them with a dash of flour, sugar, cinnamon, and applesauce. Then layer them on top of the slices.

Next, mix 1 cup of oats (NOT instant oatmeal), 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, a little applesauce, and a little vanilla extract. Even out the ingredients until it's crumbly and tastes like you want it. Spread that over the apples in the pan.

Cook at 325 F for half an hour and enjoy! Plop some frozen vanilla yogurt on top if you feel like it :)

Nouveau Recipe

Made two loaf cakes today: Orange and pear.

Simple to make. Combine 1 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup applesauce, 1/2 sugar, a little baking soda.

Plus...one cup orange juice for the orange cake, or one cup water for the pear. Plus some cut-up pears.

Mix, cook 1/2 hour at 350. Yum.

Arrrrgh

So...I've been trying to research grad schools, and decide what I want to major in, and where I want to go, and what I want to do with the rest of my life. But...I'm grasping at thin air.

Here's what I know:

• I LOVED being in Québec. So much.
• I've always enjoyed learning new languages.
• I've always enjoyed playing music.
• I always turn to my drum set when I need to let loose.
• I don't miss being in wind ensemble or orchestra at all.
• All my experiences in any jazz band have been awesome...and it's the only type of ensemble I miss.
• I love reading, especially aloud to kids.
• I hardly get homesick and love traveling places.
• I love warm weather and being outdoors.
• I love playing softball.
• I like doing research papers.
• I miss writing songs.
• I'm not the most social person.
• I love being active. Sitting around all day kills me.
• I like planning things and would rather oversee most things than participate.
• Improvisation is awesome...in all forms (like drama class at the library, L'Impro in Québec, jazz improv, etc.).
• I don't really like conducting.
• I like playing the saxophone.
• I like experimenting with foods and making things healthy.
• I like volunteering my time in meaningful ways and doing community service.
• There are a few places I've always wanted to go in my life: Vancouver, Canada; Australia; Ireland.

...so what does this mean? I've been trying to put it all together and figure out what the heck I want to do with my life. Do I go to grad school for ethnomusicology and do research for the next two years? Do I go for jazz and play a lot? Do I go for something completely different? Or not at all? And WHERE do I go? Canada? The South? Stay here? And then what comes next? Ughhhhh I have so much trouble every time I come to one of these important life-changing decisions. Every time, I feel so lost until something clicks and it all falls into place. But...this has to fall into place real soon since I have to have any audition materials or research papers submitted by December. And what about VISTA AmeriCorps? Am I going to love it? Would I want to sign on for another year? Who knows! And...do I want to be in Québec when it's not the summer? Or will it be too cold? I hardly have any ties right now, nothing is holding me back, but where am I going???????

Arrrrgh.

Also, I just made Jam Bars:

Mix 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 cup oats, pinch of salt in a bowl. Add a little water to make it crumbly. Spread it in a pan, spread any kind of jam on top (whatever amount you want). Add a few more crumbs on top, bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Yay.

Banananza!

What do you do when you find a whole bag of black bananas sitting in the freezer? Make stuff!!!

Here's the first installment in what will surely be a series of recipes I try for overripe bananas. Forget the usual banana bread or muffins, it's time to be adventurous!

Adventure #1: Banana Curry

Yes...you read that right, banana curry. I found a great page all about cool things to do with overripe bananas, and one of the options was curry! I wanted to use stuff that was on its way out in the fridge, so I changed the original recipe a bit and it turned out surprisingly awesome! Here's my concoction:

Ingredients

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3 small potatos, sliced

1/4 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup skim milk

a sprinkling of coconut flakes

curry powder to taste (I think I used around 1 tbsp)

1 overripe banana, sliced

-Sauté the mushrooms and potatoes in a pan (if you just use a tiny bit of water and stir often, you can get away with not using butter or oil!).

-After around 5 minutes, add the dates, milk, flakes, and powder. Stir, then cover and let simmer on low for 15 minutes.

-Add the banana and simmer another five minutes.

-Serve over rice, with bread, or however you want!

...I also added some chives when I did this, which didn't hurt it but wasn't necessary. I think if I did this again, I would leave out the coconut flakes. I was trying to go for a low-fat version of coconut milk, and it worked, but the flakes are kind-of annoying. In the future, I might let them sit in the milk for awhile and then take them out, or something...

Feel free to experiment as always! :)

PS: The word for banana in French is banane.

Not In Canada Anymore...

Well...I want to continue this blog even if I'm not in Canada anymore.

I'm reading a book about Canada though! It's called "The Life of Pi" by Yann Martel, and it's definitely worth a read.

In other news...just finished making corn casserole and cream of broccoli soup. Both are delicious. Here are the recipes:

Corn Casserole

1 box of Jiffy corn bread mix

1 egg

1 can of sweet corn

1 can of creamed corn

a bit of butter (if desired)

Half a cup of fat free sour cream OR plain yogurt

(originally this called for a full cup of sour cream and a stick of butter, but using less and substituting healthier stuff makes no difference)

Combine all in a mixing bowl, plop into a pan, bake for an hour at 350 degrees or until golden brown on top.

...You can also get creative and add peppers, spices, whatever you want! :)

Cream of Broccoli Soup

I found this recipe here and changed a few things...

Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• AT LEAST 1 cup chopped broccoli (I used around 3 cups)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• onion powder and black pepper to taste
• 
  

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water and salt to a boil. Cook broccoli in boiling water, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside. Drain, place broccoli in a small bowl, and mash.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Mix in flour, and then gradually whisk in milk. Drain the water from the broccoli into this saucepan and mix in. Stir continuously until liquid begins to boil. Mash up broccoli in its pot, then pour butter concoction back into pot with broccoli. Season with onion and pepper to taste.

Yay! Feel free to experiment as you wish; I always do! :)

PS: Just curious...does anyone actually read this blog anymore, or am I just writing it for myself?

Il y a une année...

Wow...il y a une année j'était à Alma (I was in Alma one year ago). C'est fou, ça! (that's crazy)

Oh mon Dieu...how did time pass so quickly? And still, a full year later, I miss it so much. I wish I could be reliving everything right now. I wish I could be there, living with Eva at Fabienne's house, going to potluck dinners chez Jon et Mike et Jean-Yves, playing les cuillieres, studying French, going swimming avec Heather, going on adventures all over the place, being with all those awesome people...

I miss everything so much. I'm going to visit Marlyse, Amanda, Eva, Iva, and anyone else who will be in Toronto in the fall. I miss them all. I'm going to apply to the University of Toronto for grad school (for ethnomusicology or jazz), and maybe if I decide to go there, my Canadian adventures will continuer! That would be amazing. Nous avons besoin du réunion...

BUT...I will not mope. It would be silly to be sitting around frowning and thinking about all the things I'm not doing in Canada right now. So instead, to make this worth the time of any readers actually still reading this, here's a new recipe I just succeeded at making. Summer is always my prime time for food experimentations, so here's the first experiment '11!

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup

• 1 cantaloupe - peeled, seeded and cubed
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Peel, seed, and cube the cantaloupe.
2. Place cantaloupe and 1/2 cup orange juice in a blender or food processor; cover, and process until smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in lime juice, cinnamon, and remaining orange juice. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Garnish with mint if desired.

...I found this recipe here and was surprised with how refreshing and tasty this was! I would have never thought of combining cinnamon, citrus, and melon, but the result was delicious! I'd definitely make this again...especially if I was in Québec preparing for another potluck...