Recipe #2: Fake/Simple Chicken Cordon Bleu

| Sunday, February 27, 2011
As promised, this is another recipe to use that uses more of that Ham that I used for the breakfast sandwiches.

Prep Time: 15 minutes (50 minutes with baking time)
Serves: 4 (of course you can do more or less really easily)

Here's what you need:
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

  • Ham (enough to cover the 4 breasts)

  • Swiss cheese
Preparation instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Pound each chicken breast to get it flattened out.
- Slice up your ham and cheese.




- Place the cheese slices on the chicken breast and then the ham on top of the cheese.
- Roll the chicken breast up and push a toothpick through the middle (I use matches).




- Put in oven for about 30 minutes (I don't know the exact time, just make sure the chicken is cooked when you pull it out).
- Enjoy!


We ate these with some sliced up potatoes that we cooked in frying pan with some cheese melted on top. Also added some sliced up tomatoes with a bit of sour cream.

Must know shortcuts

| Sunday, February 20, 2011
If you don't know this trick, you should learn it:

- Hold down the CTRL key and click this link.
- Hold down the SHIFT key and click this link.

Now, if you write websites, stop forcing new windows or tabs to come up. I can do that myself if I want, thanks! I hate when I come to a site that pops a link up in a new window or tab! People would know these shortcuts if sites didn't do that.

If you want to learn other great shortcuts or if you don't use CTRL+C and CTRL+V, check this site out (some of these are Windows specific - search Google if you're not using Windows):

Hold CTRL and SHIFT and click this link
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/the-simple-keyboard-shortcut-guide-1791630.html

Riding the bus

| Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The past month and a half or so I have been riding the bus to work every day. I used to ride TRAX all the time when I was still going to school, but hadn't taken public transportation much since then. So what do I think so far? I love it. I love having time to read in the morning on my way to work and then have time to unwind on the way home. By the time I get home I have practically forgotten about everything and can relax and do the things I need at home.

The big drawback is the number of routes/times that the bus runs close to my house. I'll admit that the public transportation in Utah is nothing compared to Russia. There is only one route that comes by my house (fortunately it's like 100 yards from the house), and it only runs twice a day (twice to downtown, twice back to my house). The good thing about that is it keeps me on a very tight schedule.


In terms of cost, it is $75 a month (at least in February) and that is for a pass on any bus. Honestly, I would spend about that same amount on gas, so not having to buy another car, it saves a lot of money (not to mention that my work reimburses me since they don't have to pay for a parking space for me). I plan to keep riding the bus even when I do have a car available for driving.

So what's the point of this post? Ride public transportation if you can. It's not only a great way to help the environment, but it's a good way to get to know people who live close by to you and also to have some extra time to read or unwind as the work day comes to an end. Highly recommended if you it's an option for you.

Top 5 movies from 2010

| Thursday, February 3, 2011


U.S. release date: 11 December 2009
Rating: PG-13
Running time: 134 min
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon

Synopsis: Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, initiates a unique venture to unite the apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

What I thought: Great performances, great soundtrack, and very inspirational. Not sure what else to say. It's pretty amazing what Mandella was able to accomplish through the use of the rugby team in his own country.




U.S. release date: 18 June 2010
Rating: G
Running time: 103 min
Starring (voices): Tom Hanks, Tim Allen

Synopsis: The toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic right before Andy leaves for college, and it's up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren't abandoned and to return home.

What I thought: This movie is funny and touching all at the same time. Maybe not the kids favorite animated film from 2010, but for anyone who grew up having seen the first two films in this series can't help but be touched by the poignant story of Andy and his toys.




U.S. release date: 16 October 2009
Rating: PG-13
Running time: 100 min
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard

Synopsis: A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age.

What I thought: I saw this movie early last year when it was getting a lot of hype coming up for the Academy Awards. I wasn't sure what to expect, but Carrey Mulligan gives a superb performance in the lead role and the relationship between the two characters is very believable. A disturbing but touching film about youth and love.




U.S. release date: 16 July 2010
Rating: PG-13
Running time: 148 min
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page

Synopsis: In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job to date: Inception.

What I thought: I'm still not sure if I know what is real or not in this dream world, and we may never know. Big summer blockbuster that really threw people for a whirl, especially the crazy hotel/hallway fight scene. Reminded me of The Matrix in the sense that it questions the reality that we actually live in. Nolan is easly one of my favorite directors after this film, the Batman series, and Memento.




U.S. release date: 18 November 2005
Rating: PG-13
Running time: 136 min
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon

Synopsis: A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.

What I thought: I had never heard many songs by Cash prior to watching this film (of course I knew the classic Ring of Fire) but afterwards I quickly added several of his songs to my music library. Besides the music, the acting was superb (they sang all of the songs themselves) and I was blown away by the performance that Witherspoon gives here (totally earned the Oscar that she won for the performance). I didn't realize Cash was such a bad boy, but this is a must see film about his life. If you're asking why I just saw this 5 years after it came out, it's because I was in Russia when it was released.


Two other films I enjoyed: The Blind Side, The Ghost Writer