Pressure

Hello!

Well, I think you could say that I’ve been on quite a lot of pressure the last few months. Finishing my thesis has been very time consuming and stressful, but next to that, the stress of figuring out what I want with my life has been putting even more pressure on me.

After obtaining my Bachelors degree of the University of Applied Science in Animal Husbandry I doubted whether or not to proceed to the University to obtain my Masters degree. The prospect of work seemed so good at the time, having money, getting to live on my own and just start a real grown up life. Now, after almost finishing my Masters degree two years later, I’m really anxious of the prospect of starting a real job.

I’m that crazy person that really enjoys going to school since I was little. I hated being ill and missing school and even now, at the age of 23, I still do not really want to stop going to school. Maybe it is the unknown in the work world, or maybe the fact that there is not really a plan set out, but I find it really sad that my study time is coming to an end.

Back to choosing a career, Animal Sciences does not really give you a clear function description of the job you are going to get after graduating. It is not like veterinary medicine, where you know you are going to be a vet. I can be an advisor, a researcher, a sales representative, hell yeah, I can be an astronaut. Oke, that last thing maybe is a little farfetched, but what I want to make clear is that you can be anything you want. But that is the problem, I don’t know what I want. I know I like teaching people new things, guiding people, but I also start to like research more and more. I don’t like a lot of responsibility and having people getting angry at me.

Having had a couple of job interviews now, for different positions, within different companies, I now know that the type of company is almost equally important as the position itself. However, I’m still looking and figuring out what I want.

Do you find it hard to find that thing that is right for YOU? Who am I?

Love,

Roos

Fresh pasta

Hello!

I love to cook and especially the Italian kitchen has my interest. So today, I have a little recipe on how to make fresh pasta for you: step by step (I do not claim to be an amazing cook, but this is just how I do it :) ).

What you will need for one person:

• 90 to 100 grams pasta flour ('oo' flour or just regular flour will do)
• 1 egg
• Mixing bowl
• Fork
• Salt
• Pasta sauce of your choice

Step 1: Weigh in about 90 grams of special pasta flour (you can use just regular flour, but I've noticed that using special pasta 'oo' flour gives a smoother dough).



Step 2: Make of little hole in the center of the flour, and crack in one egg.



Step 3: Gradually start incorporating the flour in the egg with a fork.



Step 4: It will look like a complete mess at this point, but no worries (be happy :) ). No, seriously it will be okay. Just dump everything on the counter and gently start kneeding the dough until it forms a smooth ball that resembles something like playdough.




Step 5: Cover the ball of dough with plastic wrap and leave it to rest at room temperature for around 20 to 30 minutes. Then split the dough in two pieces, covering the second piece again with plastic wrap and take the other piece to use in the pasta machine (or rolling pin/ wine bottle).



Step 6: After rolling out all of the pasta dough up to the thinnest setting, the dough can be shaped in anything you like! I choose to cut it in short rectangles. After cutting, the pasta needs to dry for about 20 minutes.



Step 7: Than the pasta can be cooked in boiling salted water for around 3 to 4 minutes (just taste as you go along ;) ). Drain and serve with the pasta sauce of your choice! I used my homemade bolognese sauce this time (if you'd like a recipe for that, let me know!).



Love,

Roos

Pizza!

Hello!

O my, I love my pizza. There is pizza at the menu at least once a week for me. Most of the time that is just a simple frozen pizza, and sometimes I take the time and effort to make it from scratch. But that is for a later time.

Today I want to talk to you about pimping your frozen pizza. I really like the vegetable pizza’s of our local supermarket, which is very cheap (€1.25), but it is quite small and it is not always decreasing my appetite enough.

So here is my recipe for pimping up your frozen pizza:

• Frozen pizza of your choice (I used the vegetable pizza of the AH)
• Chicken breast
• Gorgonzola cheese
• Smoked paprika
• Salt and Pepper
• Little olive oil
• Anything else you have laying around (leftover paprika, mushrooms etc.)

Heat your oven as said in the description on the frozen pizza box.

Slice the chicken breast in cubes and place it in a zip lock bag (or any type of plastic bag/ container) and add a little oil so that all the chicken is coated. Then add some smoked paprika, salt and pepper and mix all of this together. Leave it in the fridge for at least half an hour. Fry the chicken in a non stick pan until cooked and then place it on top of your frozen pizza. 

Add your other ingredients, finishing with some cheese (gorgonzola, mozzarella or whatever you fancy!).

Bake the pizza in the oven and then: Bon appetite!

Love,

Roos