First post of the New Year!

I made these tonight and they turned out great! I was so proud of myself. So yummy, especially with some salsa on top. This is a Weight Watchers recipe.  They're only worth 3 points! Perfect for a snack. Although it's hard to eat just one.

Ingredients
	6 item(s) uncooked bliss potatoes, baby-variety (about 12 oz)
	9 oz spinach, baby-variety (about 1 1/2 cups after cooking)
	1 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
	2 large egg(s), beaten
	2 Tbsp chives, fresh, chopped
	6 slice(s) Canadian-style bacon, quartered
	1 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place muffin liners in a 12-hole muffin tin.
• Wash and steam potatoes until just done or slightly underdone, about 10 to 15 minutes; cool immediately. Slice each potato into four rounds; set aside.
• Wash and steam spinach until just wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes; cool, drain well, squeeze out any remaining water and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs and chives.
• Place a middle slice of potato in the bottom of each muffin hole so it lays flat. Top each with a quarter-slice of bacon, 1 heaping teaspoon of ricotta cheese mixture, about 2 tablespoons of spinach, about a tablespoon of cheddar cheese, another bacon quarter, and another heaping teaspoon of ricotta mixture. Finish stacks by placing remaining potato slices on top and sprinkling with a few remaining shreds of cheese.
• Bake stacks until fully set and ricotta is cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in muffin tins for about 10 to 15 minutes and then transfer to racks to continue cooling. Yields 1 stack per serving.

Bruschetta!!

This entry was inspired by my fellow bloggers recent food entries. I love food,  I enjoy cooking food, why not share?
 
I've been craving this for weeks and finally got around to making it.  It's the perfect warm weather treat.  I'm looking forward to experimenting with different heirloom tomatoes I find at the farmers markets this year. The recipe is SUPER easy and there are a million variations of bruschetta out there but this is the one I used. 

6 roma tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

Instead of buying a giant loaf of bread to toast up in the oven (I tend to burn the bread and the fresh bread gets moldy too fast), I bought garlic toast in the bakery section of the grocery store.  They're pre-toasted and pre-garlic flavored so when your tomato mixture is ready, you can throw it on the toast and into the oven.

-Whisk together chopped garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper and basil.  When combined, slowly drizzle in oil.
-Add tomatoes and let sit for 20 min at room temp.
-Place the toast on the cookie sheet, top with tomato mixture.
-Sprinkle cheese on top and bake until the cheese melts.
-Then EAT IT!!

                                                                          YUMMM

The Birth Plan Curse

This week another one of my "birth plan" patients was admitted to the NICU for a possible infection.  These things don't happen all the time but for a while there, it seemed that the birth plan patients either had complications or their babies got sick.  The following is my opinion and my opinion only.  I'm putting my thoughts in bullet points for better understanding.

• Couples should keep a wish list of what they want out of their delivery in their head.  I feel that the moment it's put into print, their setting themselves up for disappointment because things hardly go as planned.
• Couples can share their desires with their nurses and doctors at the moment it's needed, but understand that everything that can be done, will be done to ensure the health and wellbeing of the mother and baby.

I say all this with love and knowledge from experience.  Parents should enjoy the birth of their child instead of being fixated on what should have happened and what did/didn't happen.  Live in the moment!

In case you ever wanted to complain about a taxi cab in the city of Chicago

Last weekend, I took a cab home.  I had a $20 bill that I specifically saved in order to pay for my cab ride.  Upon arriving at my apt, I gave the driver my $20.  The fare cost $10.75.  When he saw my money, he said he didn't have any change.  WTF???  Saturday night before St Patty's day, 10:30pm, and you don't have any change?!?!  Well I wasn't about to give this guy a $10 tip so I had to use my credit card which took FOREVER.  So, I chose to complain to the city about it. 

Here's where it gets interesting....

So I call 311 to complain (I had the cab number on the receipt).  I proceed to tell the representative what happened.  I was expecting that to be the end of it.  I was hoping complaining about a cab meant you call the number, bitch about what happened, they hang up and it's over.  No... that is not how it works.

The representative asked me for my name and address.  I asked why he needed it.  He assured me the cab driver would not be getting this info and that the city needed it to mail me a copy of my complaint to look over before officially submitting it. 

Two days later I receive my complaint typed up with an accompanying letter.  The letter said that the city of Chicago strives for excellent service and that this complaint is important to ensure that only professional cab drivers are providing said service.  The letter also went on to explain that after I submit my complaint, it officially becomes an affidavit that remains on file with the city.  So I look at my typed up complaint.  My name, my address, my phone number is all over the thing.  I did NOT feel comfortable with this.  This is serious!  I was just pissed the guy didn't have change, I don't need a legal document required for court proceedings with a penalty of perjury to prove it.  All that would need to happen is that I say one thing, he says it went down another way and things get all sorts of messed up.

I ended up ripping it up and tossing it.  So, here's the take home message.  I'm glad there is a way to let the city know about shady cab drivers, however, if you're willing to complain, be sure you are completely sure and ready to deal with whatever may come your way after legally filing such a document.

Healthy Babies 2010

OB nursing is my passion and healthy babies is the product.  I'm walking 6.2 miles in support of March of Dimes.  Here's my personal site if whoever comes across this blog wishes to donate.

http://www.marchforbabies.org/personal_page.asp?si=2C7ED571-E424-4DC1-AAAF-762B96532B50&prefill=

That aside, I'm currently reading Anderson Cooper's personal memoirs.  I can't put the book down.  It chronicles what he saw as a journalist for CNN.  It includes what he saw in 2005, the year that began with the Indian Ocean tsunami and ended with Hurricane Katrina.  This book is fascinating. I'm not even through it and I highly recommend it.

random thought of today

In my line of work, I see nude women everyday.  So why is it when I am in the gym locker room, I am still uncomfortable with those naked women walkin around?  You would think I would be immune to it?  Maybe when I have my nurse hat on I'm in a different mindset than when I have my civilian hat on. 

Abnormal Sleep Habits

Thursday didn't seem to exist for me as I slept most of it away.  Ahh the joys of night shift.  So I've been up since 2am and I'm gonna try to stay up all the rest of the day.

Lollapalooza 2010 lineup rumors:  LADY GAGA!! Soundgarden, Arcade Fire, GREEN DAY, The Strokes, Cut Copy.  I can't wait til summer.

Follow me using Google Buzz.  Maybe more people than Joe will start reading this lol