Day 10: Starting a Book

Today was actually really fun and I was running on only 3 hours of sleep after a three and a half hour drive home from Bowling Green, KY last night.  I went to work and was super productive, but after that came the fun stuff.  I watched a bit of TV at home with I started a book.  I definitely did not start reading a book.  That would've really made me fall asleep.  I started creating my own cookbook!  My recipes are actually very good.  That horrible Chicken Cordon Eww from the Top Chef website I wrote about earlier in the week is definitely not going to be featured in the book.  I hope to have at least 10 recipes done by the time emy birthday rolls around on September 10th.  My first recipe is for Vodka-Lemon Infused Chicken with Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus.
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Ingredients and Recipe for Vodka-Lemon Infused Chicken:
1 lemon, sliced
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons EVOO
1 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup flour
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon of chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of chopped basil
Salt
Ground black pepper
2 ounces of vodka

1. Slice 1 large lemon in place the slices in a large saute pan on medium-high heat to char the lemon slices.  Once one side is charred, flip lemon slices to opposing side to char.  Remove the slices and place them on a plate to be used later.  Pour EVOO into pan and return to stove on medium heat.

2. Place flour in one bowl, then place the egg and milk together in a seperate bowl.  Whisk egg and milk.  Dip one rinsed boneless-skinless chicken breast in the flour, then in the whisked egg-milk mixture.  Quickly place the dipped chicken in the saute pan.  Continue this process for the rest of the pieces of chicken.  Saute the chicken until golden and cooked through.  It sometimes helps to put a lid on the pan to help hold the heat in as an aide to having the chicken end up cooked all the way through.  Once cooked and golden, set the chicken aside in a covered dish.

3. Return the pan to the stove and pour in the vodka to help deglaze the pan and loosen up the remaining flavorful pieces in the pan.  Use a wooden spoon or plastic spatula to quickly loosen up what may be stuck to the pan. In the pan, place in the lemon juice, parsley, basil, butter, salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to slightly reduce and then place the already sauteed chicken from step 2 and lemon slices from step 1 to the pan and mix.

4. Cover mixture for 2-4 minutes on low heat to allow more of the flavors to soak into the chicken and then remove chicken onto plate.
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Ingredients and Recipe for Prisciutto Wrapped Asparagus:
1 bundle of asparagus (approximately 12-16 pieces)
2 cups of grated parmesan cheese
12-15 pieces of prosciutto (depending on how many pieces of asparagus you have)
1/4 cup of water
Wax paper
9x13 baking dish
Aluminum foil

1.  In a 9x13 baking dish, lay rinsed asparagus across the length of the dish and pour in the water.  Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the over to broil for 8-10 minutes.

2.  Once broiled, remove dish from oven and, using tongs, place all asparagus on a paper towel and pour water out of the pan.  On wax paper, lay out one piece of prosciutto and sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on the prosciutto.  Lay one piece of asparagus across the prosciutto and roll the prosciutto with the asparagus, so to make it become wrapped in the prosciutto.  Place the wrapped asparagus back in the 9x13 baking dish.  Repeat this step for wach piece of asparagus, not allowing the wrapped pieces to touch one another.

3.  Uncovered, place the baking dish in the oven to broil for 10-12  minutes (or until lightly crisp looking).  Remove the baking dish and serve.
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These are the first recipes to start the book and they are amazing!!!  Get on them ASAP.  You won't regret it.  Check in for my next blog, which will include an installment detailing a day of obnoxious story telling that may lead to a little harmless fun at the expense of other's gullible nature.  It should be a good one!  Also, if you have Snapchat on your phone, you can find me on there now.

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Day 9: Good Eats and Good Beats

So today was pretty incredible.  I woke up feeling a bit sluggish from the concert last night that I went to with my friends Jared and Sashia.  Once I made it out of bed I got myself ready for the day and we ended up going to eat at a new restaurant.  I planned for this experience to be checked off the list of new daily life experiences on my journey to my 26th birthday.  Jared, Sashia, their daughter Misha, and I ate at a restaurant called Double Dogs Chow House.  The meal started out great with some Jalapeno Cheese Sticks.  While Misha got a pizza, Jared got a Breakfast Burger, and Sashia got a Buffalo Chicken Mac-n-Cheese, I got a Philly Cheese Steak.  Mmmm was it good!  After we finished eating, we went to this awesome park in the city that had shooting spouts of water coming out of the ground.  I had to go play in the water.  I felt like a kid and I loved it!  After that experience, we went back to Jared and Sashia's house.

I thought my only new experience today was going to be trying out a new restaurant, but I had another new experience.  This one was a doosey.  I was fortunate enough to be able to record an original song of mine with Jared at his house using his recording equipment.  Once we got the tempo and the melody down, it was up to me to write the vocals and record them over the track.  Once Jared finishes things on the production side of the song, I will be able to share it with everyone and put it out for the world to hear.  I'm so pumped about it!  The song is called "Tonight is Mine."  It's such a fun track.  I think people are really going to like it.  I am forever thankful and grateful to Jared for giving me that experience today.

Now that I am back in Cincinnati, tomorrow is going to be an epic day!  I'm going to trivia night with my roommate at Mount Lookout Tavern in Cincinnati.  On top of that, my new experience for tomorrow is going to be one that plenty of people have done before, but for some reason I guess I have been living under a rock and haven't done it myself.  Check back in tomorrow to see what all the fuss is about.

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Day 8: Throwback to My Intern Days / My First Ever Youtube Video

So today was amazing!  I woke up at noon and thought it was 7am.  That was random but it made me smile.  My friend Jared, who I am staying with while I'm visiting Bowling Green, went to work at a nutrition store called Nutrition Center.  Me, his girl Sashia, and baby Misha spent about an hour trying figure out how to upload a video on Youtube because today's new experience in my journey to my 26th birthday was starting a Youtube account.  After much trial and error, we finally were successful.  But I couldn't make the video before I had anything to talk about, so we went about our day with the plan to come back later and make the video.

When we went out to drive around town, we first went to Nutrition Center to see Jared so he could put the car seat in my car properly for Misha.  Sashia and I were clueless on how to get that car seat in.  I had a Butterscotch Beer Non-Alcoholic Cream Soda at the Nutrition Center and it was AMAZING.  Sashia had an Orange Cream Soda.  We then left Jared to go have lunch at a place called Ichiban.  I had spicy chicken and a sushi roll while Sashia had Yakiniku and a sushi roll.  Little baby Misha had a bowl of noodles.  After Ichiban we went to re-trace my old steps from when I used to live in Bowling Green and intern at Western Kentucky University for their Department of Geology and Geography.

We made our way to the Kelly Thompson Complex for Science.  My old office was right inside the Central Wing on the 4th floor.  Unfortunately, the doors were locked so I couldn't go in to see the office, but it was so great being back there.  After that, we went to my old apartment complex at Campus Pointe Apartments and saw building 700 where I used to live in a 3 bedroom apartment with two other guys that interned with me.   There were so many memories from that apartment complex.  After we left the apartment, we went to the Mexican restaurant, Puerto Vallarta, where I had my first public alcoholic beverage underage ever.  I had to have myself a margarita to reminisce about the good times.  It was an amazing summer.  I had the time of my life there.  Words can't really explain how fortunate I was to have the entire internship experience that summer. 

We then came back to Jared and Sashia's house to meet up with Jared who had just gotten off work.  While here, I made the Youtube video.  People can check it out on my channel: cwestend.  People can also see a link to my Youtube account at the end of my blog.  This week's video entry is a recap video of the past week's events.  I also, in the video, asked for people to respond in the comments section of the video with questions for me or even suggestions about interesting things to do that I may not have ever done. I may do some of those suggestions if they are really good.

Tomorrow my new adventure is going to be me eating at a restaurant that I've never eaten at before.  Check out Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to see pictures of the restaurant and the dish I eat.  Until tomorrow, have a great night everyone.  I'm getting ready now to go to a concert in downtown Bowling Green and have something called a Gorilla's Blood.  Bye for now!

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Day 7: Road Trip Back in Time

So today was unlike any other.  I went into work at 9:00 am and only had to do a half day.  I was so pumped that I could leave at 1:00 PM.  After work, I went home and packed for my road trip (more on that in just a second),  I was going to go visit my grandmother this afternoon but she was out and about with her niece and her niece's kids today.  Nevertheless, I made way to T.G.I. Friday's to have dinner with some friends from Crossroads.  The dinner was great but I had to get on the road!

I hopped in my 2010 Honda Civic and started heading south to Bowling Green, KY! 

Now...a little back story:  When I was a Sophomore in college in 2006, I interned at Western Kentucky University in their department of Geology and Geography doing numerical data analysis of different watershed samples in the Upper Green River Watershed through Mammoth Cave.  So many great memories came from that summer.  The people I lived with, the places I had life experiences at, and the growth that I had were all things that make me always feel a special connection to Bowling Green.

Back to the trip down to B.G.  The drive from Cincinnati to Louisville, on the way to B.G., was insane.  People did not know how to sty in their lanes or use turn signals (especially semi-trucks).  After I got gas for the car in Louisville, somehow the traffic seemed to magically get better.  The rest of the drive to B.G. was pleasant.  When I passed signs for Bowling Green State University, Mammoth Cave, Cave City, Mumfordville, and Horse Cave, all the memories started to come back about my experiences in 2006 here.  I got so excited!

The whole reason I came to B.G. was to visit my friends Jared and Sashia.  I am staying with them at the ridiculously amazing house.  The sexy green on the walls and the archways connecting each room in the house make this place irresistible.  I've already claimed my permanent room here.  I'm never coming back to Cincinnati. HAHA. Only kidding.  Anyways, tomorrow is going to bring some amazing events.  Come on back and find out what happens at the end of the day.  Also, check out my Twitter account throughout the day, as I will be posting Twitpics and Tweets about all the events of the day as they happen.  Also, I'll finally be doing my YouTube video and starting that next phase of social media in my life.

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Day 6: Chicken Cordon Ewww

So today I started the morning out having breakfast at IHOP in Oakley, an eastern-central part of Cincinnati, OH, with a close friend and paid staff member of Crossroads in Oakley, the church I go to.  After weeks and weeks of consideration, I have been named the Welcome Center Team Leader at Crossroads.  I felt so blessed and happy to hear this news.  This is just another step in my life that shows me that I'm doing the right things and surrounding myself with the right people.  I will not only be leading a team of spiritually strong individuals, but I'll now have more of an opportunity to build into people around me spiritually and personally that may not be at the same place in their life as others who have gone further in their own journeys.

Then it was off to work with phone calls to make, students to enroll, and conflicts to resolve.  I didn't get off work until 8:00 PM.  I went home to make Chicken Cordon Bleu with a Lemon Aioli drizzle and Mashed Potatoes.  I was excited for two reasons.  Firstly, this was a recipe made from someone on the critically acclaimed television show Top Chef.  Secondly, I had never made Chicken Cordon Bleu in the past.  This was bound to be interesting.

After following the recipe, step by step, my Chicken Cordon Blue finished cooking but the bread crumbs on the outside of the chicken didn't cook, even though the chicken, itself, cooked.  That seemed very odd.  But the real kicker was the mashed potatoes.  A combination of 3 large potatoes boiled and mashed with 1 cup of milk and a stick of butter make SOUP...not mashed potatoes.  Ugh I was so livid.  I had to share my embarrassing creation on Facebook with a photo.  Check out my Facebook page to see what it looked like.  It's also on my Twitter page as well, so check out my latest TwitPic.  If I can take away any life lesson from this it is that I shouldn't waste my money following a Top Chef recipe if its going to turn out looking like a 4 year old told me how to do it.  That is all... :)

Tune in tomorrow to find out what I'm doing new.  It's something you won't expect!  And on Saturday you can follow me on the hour, every hour, on Twitter to get the play by play on my road trip to Bowling Green, KY as I go to visit some friends I haven't seen in years.  It should be exciting.

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Day 5: I'm Feeling Minty

So today was unlike any other day.  I woke up to someone calling my phone saying they were here to inspect my gas meter.  The gas meter was never inspected because my meter was inaccessible to the meter reader.  I took care of the issue, though.  I got myself ready for the day and drove into work to start orientation day for my new students!  As the Assistant Director of Admissions at The Art Institute of Ohio - Cincinnati, I have the rewarding and ever-satisfying opportunity to guide and consult potential students and their families to a better future for themselves and their families.  Work went very well and I was even able to enroll a student today to begin classes tomorrow.  I love that I can make things happen even at the last minute.

After work, I went home and finally got to my daily activity.  It may not seem like that much, but I ate a thin mint for the very first time in my life.  I went in hoping for the best and expecting the worst.  My expectations won over my hopes, as I realized one bite into that thin mint that I was about ready to get sick from the taste.  Even though I tried the thin mint, I can honestly say that I won't be doing it ever again.  Some times in life you just have to realize that everything is not for you.  This is one thing that's not for me.

On the bright side, tomorrow, my new daily activity leading up to my 26th birthday is cooking a dish made by a master chef that I've never made before.  This will not be my own recipe, but it is sure to be tasty!

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Day 4: Is It Gonna Be A Record-Breaker?

Today I woke up feeling very sluggish and under the weather.  My mouth and throat were so dry and I could barely speak.  Nevertheless, I still went to work where I speak all day.  I also had on my mind that today I was to attempt to break a Guiness World Record...so it had to be something where my voice wouldn't be used.  After going through the record book I decided to try and break the record for most dominos stacked in 30 seconds using only one hand.

I went to buy the dominos on my lunch break.  I came back to the office to practice staking the dominos.  It was MUCH harder than I ever expected.  I spent about an hour of time where I should've been working to practice the stacking.  I was then ready for my attempt, having gained momentum and success after each practice round.

When it came to actually timing and going for the official attempt, I was more frustrated than nervous that the record of stacking 48 dominos in 30 seconds seemed so unattainable.  In gearing up for the attempt all I could think about was being successful.  I didn't even have failure as an option in my head because I wanted to keep a positive mind-set.   Unfortunately, I did not beat stacking 48 dominos in 30 seconds with one hand.  I was able, though, to stack 26 dominos in 30 seconds with one hand.

The moral to today's activity is that sometimes you will try and not conquer the task at hand, but that is okay.  Success doesn't have to be defined by positive end results.  I found personal success in my journey to get to the attempt.  Showing diligence in my practice for the attempt, maintaining a positive attitude throughout the process (while being sick), and going through with the record breaking attempt not knowing whether I would achieve my goal are realities that prove to me that in the dawn of one perceived failure comes 3 actual victories.

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