• madairm86
      • hello Megan Moody
      • Username: madairm86
      • In response to: "What was the comfort food you enjoyed most growing up?" Macaroni noodles (made by grandma) with butter and little bit of salt...yum!
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    • The food I can't live without...

      • Peanut Butter Scare

        I don't know if I have five foods I couldn't live without, but I can think of two. Peanut Butter and Apples. Yes, I know what it probably wouldn't be on the top of everyone's list, but if you think about it I think that these two foods make pretty good sense.
        First, peanut butter is a great source of protein--that's why it was created more or less. Second, apples are a great source of fiber. Third, both of these are very yummy and particularly awesome together.
        When I was studying in Argentina, finding peanut butter was a hard thing to do. Most Argentinians think that peanut butter is disgusting and would never think of eating it. The woman I lived with, (she was amazing) trekked all through downtown Cordoba to find peanut butter for me (this was after my Mom sent me one of those giant jars of JIF that you use primarily for baking).
        When Rosita did find peanut butter, she brought some home and then said to me..."What do you do with it?" I think that my mouth almost hit the floor and I said something like, "What can't you do with it? Then I explained that with peanut butter the possibilities were endless..."PB & J, PB and toast, PB and chocolate, PB and apples, PB and celery, PB and bananas...." I felt like Bubba from Forrest Gump listing all the things you could do with shrimp.
        After my long explanation Rosita started to soak it all in and even began to partake of the peanut-buttery-goodness. It was nice to share a little bit of my foodie culture with someone who made amazing food. And, I learned that it was very hard for me to live without my PB!

      • answered by madairm86 on 03/07/2012
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    • My Cooking

      • From Sweet Potato to Sweet Tooth


        Oatmeal Raisin Cookies-3

        Unfortunately, cooking has never been my "thing". It's not that I don't like it or that I can't do it necessarily...it just doesn't get me excited. I guess I didn't inherit that "love of cooking" gene from my Mom (it's something that she loves to do!)
        However, I do have some favorite dishes and things that I like to prepare. For example, I love the Sweet Potato dish I learned to make while I was in Argentina. Stir fry is pretty easy, healthy, and yummy....(made some the other day with tuna steaks instead of chicken and it was pretty good!). I also like making omelets....but probably my most favorite is salad. I know that doesn't sound too exciting but I love mixing things together...apples, crumbled bacon, spinach, chickpeas, dried cranberries....yum yum!
        I know (or at least I hope...) as time goes by it will spark more enthusiasm for cooking. I'd say one thing that greatly inspired me was living with my host-mom Rosita in Argentina. All around, Rosita was an inspiring person. She held tai-chi and yoga classes in her garage....made all her own pasta, bread, etc. And was such an interesting person with a definite "go-getter" attitude. She made the best bread pudding ever...and I've failed to reproduce it.
        My own grandma is the queen of baking and makes the most awesome raisin-oatmeal cookies (my favorite!)...although my mom agrues that the snickerdoodles are better (her favorite)....while my cousin is partial to potato-chip cookies (guess what...her favorite). Anyway, I guess the moral of this story is yes, I can cook I just am working on the motivation factor!

      • answered by madairm86 on 02/21/2012
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    • The Weather's Effect on My Mood

      • Sunshine

        I would say that the weather (and the seasons) very much influence my mood. In the summer, when it's bright, warm, and sunny--I feel bright warm and sunny. The winter, with its cold weather and grey days (unfortunately) tends to turn me into a bit of a homebody. The cold is a poor motivator for me :(
        Recently, my dad and I had a conversation about the cold and the weather and he mentioned he's been thinking of moving to Florida, where it's almost always warm and sunny--and that got me to daydreaming of beaches and sunshine. Like my dad has said many times before...."I'd rather die of heat-stroke than freeze to death." I don't know if I exactly agree with him, but I understand the sentiment!

      • answered by madairm86 on 02/08/2012
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    • If I Had Six Months of Freedom

      • Backpack

        If I had a six-month break from my life and access to some resources...I would travel. I would love to go back-packing in Latin America or Europe. Latin America is closer to my heart (I spent six-months studying abroad in Argentina) so that would probably be my first choice.
        During my study-abroad experience (which I wouldn't take back or change for anything) we ran into several people from the U.K., Australia, France, Germany, etc. who were doing just this--traveling for six-months or a year. I remember at that time of being so envious (yes it's a vice, but I have to be honest). Studying abroad has it's advantages--obviously you're completing your degree while experiencing the country, but you are in a classroom for the majority of your stay.
        The idea of escaping your hectic life and meeting so many people along the way seems like such a romantic idea to me--and a true learning experience. The truth is we met more people traveling during our breaks in Argentina than we did during school. (I guess that would be pretty obvious!) So...if I had six-months to do whatever I pleased I would grab a backpack and a friend and head out for a trek!

      • answered by madairm86 on 01/17/2012
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    • Home Is...

      • Where my heart is


        love

        Home. It's such a simple word, but it's more than just a house with rooms. Actually, I don't think home is a house at all. It's being with the people you love--creating memories and maybe that is what attaches you to a certain house or place.
        I'm from South Carolina and the truth is that will always be home for me--particularly the house I grew up in with my mom and grandma. But as I've gotten older I've realized as long as I have the memories and the people I love in my life (my family is my home), I can always be home.

      • answered by madairm86 on 11/12/2011
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