Holy crap it's hot chicken salad.

I moved from Connecticut to Washington DC. People said to me: "hey Katie, it's really hot in DC" and I said: "Oh sure, but I grew up in Florida, so it can't possibly be that hot"....

We can chalk this up on the blackboard of stupid statements made by Katie. It is just as hot here as Florida. I don't think (read:hope) that it will be as long lasting a heat as Florida, but until then- I'm eating lots of cold things this summer.

This is a variation on good ole chicken salad, and tastes great on spinach tortilla wraps, in a pita pocket or on top of a bed of mixed greens. It falls into the category of 'bonus boxed', because it uses bottled curry sauce. If you are feeling a little more advanced substitute your own homemade yellow curry sauce. If you don't eat meat, try it with some baked extra-firm tofu, or for the pescetarian with 2 cans/pouches drained tuna.


Makes lunches for a week, or feeds a family/house of roommates for dinner

Bake or grill: 3 fresh chicken breasts (around 24 oz.) until done (to check for done-ness, pierce the thickest part of the largest breast -juices should run totally clear and meat should be easy to cut) allow to cool and cut into 1/2" to 1" chunks. Toss it into a big bowl.

Add to the bowl:

One large (or two small) cored and chopped granny smith apple.

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2 Tbls Mayo (I used reduced or fat free, but you can use whatever you have in your fridge)

3 Tbls Yellow Curry Sauce ( I use Trader Joe's brand, you can use whatever your local grocery store has)

The juice of 1/2 a lemon (watch out for the seeds)

1 tsp additional curry powder (add more if you like things very flavorful and a little spicy)

1/2 tsp cumin

Salt and pepper to taste.

Variations: add some red pepper (spicy), some finely chopped onion, bell peppers, a minced garlic clove, some chopped water chestnuts, or some chopped grapes.

Mix with a spoon till all ingredients are well covered and everything looks yummy.

Store in the fridge in an airtight container.



Yum.

On the difference in religions.

Special thanks to Re for the quote.

On blogging and responsibility.

I've been reading feministing on my way to work each day(oh yes iCrack), and it (as a few of you know) is an intensely political modern feminist blog. Several writers post to it, and the community of feminists comment. One post this week grabbed my attention and has made me think long and hard. Basically the jist of the post was- be responsible for what you say, do, and stand for. This gets me thinking about my life, and my politics and why I started this blog.

I started this blog as a way to promote my etsy shop (as seen on the side bar>>>, now go buy something) slowly it has become a more personal blog. I talk about my life, my politics, and my thought process for leaving one home in search of a new adventure. It is a deeply personal and meaningful thing to me to share my life with the couple dozen people (?) who read about me and what I do. In the end, it is still a blog, and as such it is a very public thing.

It's a strange thing to write some words, hit post, and the next day realize people around you and hundreds of miles away know what you wrote, what you are thinking, and have a little insight into your strange and wonderful world. It is even stranger when someone you have never met walks up to you at a craft market and tells you they read your blog (I'm lying it's wicked cool). I think it's moments like these that remind me that in some small way what I do and say actually goes into the cyber world and pings off someone else's radar.

So here is your PSA for my very public and very odd little blog. Please vote. Forget all the other things I've said (except that one time) and vote. People forget how a simple act can deeply impact someone else's life. While you are at it, remind your friends to vote. If we all make sure 2 other people vote, and they make sure 2 other people vote we will be in for a rockin good time this November. So far this election has been unlike any other in history, so let's keep the momentum going.


dammit.

Aack! an update.

Wowsa!

There has been a lot going on lately. Here is the quick run down

My dear friends got married. It was amazing. The bride and groom looked like a million bucks (thanks to the costume shop (s)). Traveling to and from the wedding was a little more difficult than I had wanted or expected, but heck, when your friends are getting married you bite the bullet and sit in traffic for hours longer than you anticipated. I'm waiting on some pictures of the tent city we erected, so stay tuned.

My moving company sent me an updated estimate based on the cost of gasoline..... I won't be getting my stuff anytime soon. I'm not really sure how to deal with it, I'm feeling a little stressed about the whole situation. If I felt more stable in this apartment, I would just go pick it all up in a truck. However, I am woefully uncommitted to so much in my life right now, I think it is better to leave my stuff in storage and re-asses the situation in 6 or so months. The good news---I found this out before I headed to the wedding, so I was able to load my car with some furniture and a few craft supplies. --nothing makes a girl happier than some yarn and paperclay!

With the return of a few craft supplies, comes the return of me adding things to my etsy shop. It has been pretty unattended to for the last couple of months, and I feel like it is time to get it loaded for the fall, and start prepping for Christmas (yeah it's July). I am working on some groovy new things for the fall, and hopefully this year I will be prepared for the holiday rush.

That's about all I can manage to think about this week, so I promise, promise, promise a better more interesting and clever post this weekend.

xoxoxo

-Katie