22 Secrets That McDonalds Employees Wouldn't Tell?!

So, there's an article on Buzzfeed claiming that there are some secrets that McDonald's employees won't discuss.  Well, I no longer work there so I'm free to discuss my experience, right?!

1. Well, I don't know about the sauce containing all the flavor but the beef because to me, it looks like ketchup and mayo mixed with a little pickle relish...but what do I know?  Also, it stated that there is supposed to be pickle in every bite.  The burger is pretty small compared to some massive ones nowadays but it's hard to cover the whole surface with just TWO PICKLE SLICES.
2. Hair nets.  I think it really depends on the local health laws.  I worked at a franchise one in California, and you did have to have long hair tied back with a cap/visor but no hair net.  Company policy wouldn't even allow for facial hair so that big beard portrayed in the article would have never happened.  Ditto on "crazy" hair colors and facial piercings beyond one on the earlobe.
3. I HATED THE UNIFORMS!!!  I had the khaki button down shirt and those high waisted pants.  Most uncomfortable things ever.  The worst part was that while they came up to my armpits (nearly), they were also too short at the same time.  How is that even possible?!  I'm not even particularly tall (5'4") but I usually buy the "short" length jeans at Old Navy and American Eagle (unless they're to be worn with boots, then regular length).  The shirts would get greasy, I ended up washing mine with dish soap--the only way to get the grease out.  Like someone mentioned on the Facebook post that you could never get all the grease smell out--not off of you or the uniform.
4. I didn't have stars.  My name tag had squares that you were to fill with stickers to indicate which stations you were trained.  But yes, I'd have a ton of stars if they gave out stars for every time you didn't flip your lid with a difficult customer.
5. Ugh.  And I was working there when Supersize Me came out.  You can imagine how much fun that was.
6. When I was in a managing position, I wouldn't allow the crew person to hide in the restroom.  Besides, there was a maintenance person who'd clean the restroom.  I'd actually check the work of the employee cleaning the dining room.
7. Well, technically no. It depends on the heat of the grill, but it was still quick.  At the location I worked, it was 38 seconds for the small patties, 101 seconds for the bigger ones.  The small patties are 10 patties in one pound.  At 1.6 ounces each, how long do you think they really need to cook?  I mean, they're nearly paper thin!
8. Yep.  "Clamshells."
9. We'd cheat and use the "fry helper" (a metal stick) to knock the bun loose--putting a metal stick into an electric toaster may not have been the best idea...sometimes a rubber spatula would be used.
10. Elbows, forearms, whatever.  Hurt like crazy!!!
11. I didn't.  After a while I was sick of fries!  I used to think the smell from the fries cooking smelled good but nope...!  Can't smell fries cooking when I visit a fast food place.
12. Although I'd catch coworkers snacking on the chicken nuggets.
13. Food allowance may vary depending on whether the store is corporate or franchise.  The location in which I worked allowed 50% off meals during breaks on your shift and 25% off your family's meal on your day off at only your work location.
14. The store I worked had 24-hour drive thru briefly...the people who visited between 1 and 4 AM were the weirdest!
15. Of course there is.  Or the one who asks for a Big Mac without the sauce but with mayonnaise.
16. Also when you ask what flavor/type the customer wants, they say "yes" or "okay" instead of a flavor.  SMH!!!
17. LOL, guilty.  Especially the ones who holler for your attention and then tell the cashier/order taker to wait because they weren't ready yet.  My thing is, don't get in line until you know what you're going to order!
18. I can't speak for most locations but where I worked, we did sell a lot of filet-o-fish.  So, it wasn't cooked to order individually.
19. During the time I worked there, they switched from toasting the bun to steaming the bun.  I wear glasses.  Grrrr.  But, if I ever have the hankering for a Filet-o-Fish, I ask for a toasted bun.  I think it offers a better consistency contrast then the steamed bun.  With the steamed bun, everything is so soft!  Also, I'd ask for lettuce and tomato on it, too.
20. See #17.
21. Some people, you just can't win.  They just want to complain, or they just want to get free stuff.  Asking for fries with no salt doesn't really improve the quality in my opinion.  Especially if the oil is more than 4 days old.  Yes.  The oil is old.  They filter it every night...and use it for up to 8 days.  YUCK.  First day oil--the fries are pale and bland--they taste like vegetable oil.  Second and third day...golden.  4th day...no.
22. See #13.

While it was a thankless job I do not regret working there.  It was very frustrating at times but I did learn things.  I learned that pretty much any electronics can be fixed by shutting off and restarting lol.  Time management.  Thinking on my feet.  Looking for solutions instead of blaming each other when things go wrong.  Finding new ways to make your job more efficient.  Teamwork.  True colors of people.  How indecisive some can be.

My favorite parts of working there is meeting and being friendly with the regulars, especially elderly folks/retired people.  Many of them would meet up there at breakfast and read the newspaper, talk to each other about their kids and grandchildren, play card games.  They always had great stories, and they manage to find joy in a cup of coffee you poured them with a smile.  Of course in every bunch there's one bad apple--a grumpy old lady with a gross brown wig (ratty, needed to be combed).  She would come 10 minutes after end of breakfast service and ask for a sausage biscuit.  After all that was leftover was accounted for, it should be disposed of.  But, after many frustrating conversations, we decided to start saving a sausage biscuit for her in case she came to avoid the mess.  Whew.

Spicy Turkey Chili

It's been a while since I've blogged.  Quite possibly the worst blogger on the planet, but I hope to change that.  I feel I've got a lot to say but I can never really put the words down.  I hope to blog more regularly.

So here to start is a new recipe I've tried.  I found this recipe Spicy Turkey Chili to make for lunch.  I've made some changes based on things I had on hand.  I rather liked the poblano chiles.  It is spicy but not so spicy that you feel like you need to put out a fire in your mouth.  I added some cooked pearled barley to make it heartier instead of serving it with bread or cornbread.

1 tablespoon oil or butter
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
2 poblano chiles, seeded, diced
1 medium white onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 14 ounce cans beans, any variety, rinsed and drained (I used 3 bean blend of pinto, black and red kidney)
2 cups water (1 cup only if not using barley)

Garnish: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream or tortilla chips, optional

• In a hot large heavy bottomed pot over high heat, brown the ground turkey in hot oil until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add chiles, onions and garlic to cooked turkey in pot.  Stir and cook until vegetables have softened, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Combine chili powder, salt, oregano, cumin, cayenne, crushed bay leave and cinnamon in small bowl.  Add this spice mixture to turkey mixture in pot; cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes with juice and water to boil; stir to combine.  Bring to simmer.  Add beans; bring to simmer.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally to allow flavors to blend, 35-40 minutes.
• Garnish with shredded cheese or sour cream, if desired.  Serve with tortilla chips, if desired.

To make the chili heartier, I added cooked pearled barley.
1 cup pearled barley
3 cups water

• I combined the barley with water in a rice cooker and set it to cook.
• After the chili has simmered, I added 1 more cup of water.  Bring back to simmer.  Stir in cooked barley and allowed to simmer 15 minutes.

Makes 8 servings, 6 without barley

20 Beauty Facts/Confessions

I've been tagged on Facebook by a friend to discuss 20 fun facts about me in regards to beauty :-)  Those who know me know that makeup holds special spot in my heart...so here we go!

1. I was not allowed to wear makeup until I was 15, and even then it was only lip gloss and mascara.  I was and am always fascinated by watching others put makeup on or doing their hair.
2. Growing up, my mom and grandma weren't much of makeup mavens.  My grandma never wore makeup in my presence.  I loved how she described how blush was lovingly applied to her cheeks in two little red circles for her wedding day in the late 40s in China.  My mom's makeup and skincare routine: pluck stray hairs from eyebrows; religiously moisturize night and day, occasional pinky shade of lipstick and cream blush.  THAT'S IT.
3. Although I have proper skincare products, I am not as diligent as I should in terms of moisturizing and protecting (SPF) as I should.  I shall make it a resolution.  BUT, I always take care to remove all my makeup and wash my face before I go to bed.  NEVER SLEEP IN YOUR MAKEUP!!!
4. After high school I wasn't terribly concerned about make, not for a long time.  I had jobs that it wasn't practical to wear, and I couldn't really feasibly be splurging on it often anyway.  Thinking of it now, that was a bit of a sad life.  Not that I couldn't afford makeup, but because of my work schedule, the lack of interaction with friends and such.
5. When I was around 12 or 13, I desperately wanted to shave my legs--they were pretty hairy.  I was embarrassed at gym class.  So, I decided enough was enough...and snuck a new disposable razor from my grandpa's supply and lathered up with some conditioner and shaved it all off.  Mom soon noticed, but it had been done... ;-)
6. I did my own makeup for my senior prom.  Luckily, I didn't have much of a concern in the pimple department.  In the early teens, I had some tiny little pimples along my hairline but they cleared up after a couple years.  I do occasionally still get a couple, but mostly as a PMS thing.  Anyway, prom look consisted of mascara, purple shade, a little powder and pink gloss.  Hahaha.  I think I looked great! ;-)  I loved that I looked natural, but still pretty--not like the full crazy faces like teens today going to prom.
7. When I was a teen, it was wildly popular to pluck your eyebrows into very thin arches.  My natural brows cover a large part of area, but I have cleaned up under the current brows as the hairs there are very sparse.  At the time, I wanted to have thin, skinny brows but my mom said no.  Thankfully I listened to her and never plucked them into two tiny lines!  I know some ladies who over-plucked back in the day and now struggle to always fill in their brows now, especially since fuller brows are in.
8. I was never much of a foundation person.  I always just used tinted moisturizers and BB creams.  I don't really have any imperfections to cover, but I have noticed a little redness on my cheeks and sometimes on my nose and below my mouth.
9. I am not a fan of the full-coverage foundation look.  A sheerer coverage will allow your freckles show, and I feel that it is less work.  The more "perfect" of a canvas is, the more you have to do to bring life to your face: a lot of blush, contour, highlight that looks pretty time consuming to do.
10. Even though I love makeup now, I don't often wear it.  I may wear it once or twice a week, and I like watch YouTube videos to try new techniques.  Sometimes the beauty vloggers/bloggers will convince me to buy certain products but not too often.  I will try to make a particular look/technique work with what I have already, which I think many people would consider it a sizable collection.
11. I use a variety of drugstore and "mid-range" cosmetics.  I would consider the likes of Chanel or YSL to be "luxury" brands of cosmetics.  Most of my higher end products are ones that can be purchased at Macy's or Sephora/Ulta.
12. I was not overly concerned about makeup until recent years.  Now I have more opportunities to do some fun looks, afford some products and have time to experiment.  I feel I am obsessed now!
13. My first "high-end" palette was the Glamour to Go by Too Faced.  Too Faced has remained my favorite brand, I have several of their eye palettes.  The other brand that basically fills out my palette collection is Urban Decay.  Skincare is by Shiseido, love the cream cleanser.  I think I may need to consider a more affordable brand as it is just getting washed down the drain.  I shall consider Asian Biore cream cleansers--I did use them as a teen and loved them but I can't read Chinese so mom had to pick out for me lol.
14. The eyeshadow palette that I reach for most often has to be Too Faced Natural Eyes.  MY FAVORITE!!!  Second most commonly used palette is Urban Decay's original Naked.
15. Drugstore brands I like: NYX, Maybelline for mascara, Revlon.  Since I hardly ever wear makeup, you won't see me buying too many face products--they take me forever to finish!  I love NYX and Revlon lipsticks.  I do have ONE MAC lipstick which is gorgeous, but I love some variety and lots of different reds and pinks to choose from--the Round lipsticks from NYX and Revlon allows for lots of choices at a reasonable price.
16. I'm also a nail polish junkie!  When I was younger, I had a lot of Revlon and Sally Hansen polish but my go-tos nowadays in the nail department are: Zoya, China Glaze and OPI.  I tend to go for fuchsia/deep brighter pinks, reds, purples, deep blues, greens and some black/gray shades.  I do have one orange shade, but no yellow.  I don't think I've found a yellow that I think would look good on me.  Generally I prefer brights and jewel tones.  I try to like pastels, but they don't seem to look right.  Also, I love shimmer and glitter, you'll find that my collection does not have many cream colors.
17. I didn't learn how to curl my hair until I was well into my 20s.  My sister, she got the makeup/beauty bug a lot time ago but she wasn't very forthcoming in helping or sharing her secrets!
18. I love watching beauty videos online, but I don't think I have really found any beauty blogger who has similar features--even though I have some yellow-tones, I feel I am pretty neutral--I tend to choose silver toned jewelry over gold.  Gold looks washed out on me.  Anyway, I love watching Promise Phan, Michelle Phan, Makeup by Tiffany D, From Head to Toe, DulceCandy.  So if there are any Asian beauty gurus to watch who have more of an almond eye shape rather than monolid...let me know!
19. I just had one blush color until recently!  I splurged and purchased a NARS blush in Amour and have been using that for a long time.  The NARS is definitely worth the price, it is very pigmented and a little goes a long way so one compact will last a long time.  I recently ordered some NYX powder blushes.  At a fraction of the price, I feel the colors are gorgeous and easy to wear, you can build it.  Fun, flushed cheeks for $5 each color.
20. I can never justify spending more than $5 on a tube/pot of lipgloss.  I am horrible at not losing them so if I picked a up fancy one, I'd be so sad if I lost it!
21. BONUS!  Makeup faux pas that leave me wanting to wipe someone's face and helping them with their makeup:
1. Messy eyeliner.
2. Any makeup that is not well-blended.
3. Exaggerated and rather unnatural looking brows that have been drawn on.
4. Lips that are overdrawn, horribly exaggerated.
5. Red or bright yellow eyeshadow...don't know what is about them that I can't stand!

Spring Update

I've said it before, but I am quite possibly the worst blogger ever!

The last few weeks have given me plenty of time time think, reflect and re-prioritize.  I've been sick--tummy troubles with no explanation just yet.  I have an appointment with my primary care doctor next Thursday after having visited urgent care over a week ago.  The day in which I have answers can't come soon enough.  I've had stomach pains in the past but they never lasted more than a couple days, and I'd be good as new.  But not this time.

During this time, I really learned some new things about me:

• Despite the fact that I struggle with eating well and finding myself at the gym regularly at times, I think I have finally developed some good, healthy habits.  I actually missed prepping my meals and going to the gym.
• The body may be fragile at times, but it is actually very resilient.  I realize there are more painful situations in life, but this time, it has really tested me.  I still feel pretty weak and tired due to not much exercise and generally poor diet, but I have some crazy urge to strap on the sports bra and shoes and head out to do something!
• Taking the simple things in life for granted will never happen again.  I have a newfound appreciation for staying home, getting comfy, and possibly, do something I don't often get to do.  It's called getting my room in order.  I have a room in our home that the husband lovingly refers to as the Hen Den.  If I sewed, it would be my sewing room.  Or crafting room, if I crafted.  I guess you can say it's my "home office."  Okay, technically, it's not done yet but it is a lot tidier than it was before.  Surely one is familiar with the whole, "I don't have time to clean up the house for last minute guests, so let's throw everything in this one room/closet to do later" kind of thing but that moment of later is open-ended.
• Spending time with your friends, telling stories and jokes over a simple meal is quite possibly one of my favorite pastimes.  I love that I am finally surrounded by people who want the same things in life--and that we're willing to support each in our individual endeavors.  We had some friends over for our birthday celebration.  I don't mind celebrating both our birthdays together...I mean, it's only 11 days apart!
• I still wanted to cook, even though my stomach hurt and I had very little appetite.  Clearly, my fitness goals have been put aside until I felt better.  I know I still have to eat--and for 2 weeks I was only eating rice porridge and bananas, the only things that I could eat without too much pain.  Health is my priority, now more than ever.  When you're in bed in the fetal position due to the intense pain, you get kind of desperate for relief.  I was getting a bit concerned that I might end up malnourished since I was eating the same old, same old for what seemed like forever.

I am hopeful today.  Being positive and looking for ways to reduce stress are the only ways that can really help this situation, especially since there are no answers yet.

Anyway, being sad never cured anything so here are some happy thoughts:

I made this cake for the birthday celebration.  Chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, and strawberry jam filling.  I got the idea for the decorations from this blog post.  Of course, I got this crazy idea the morning of our birthday brunch.  Probably should have practiced beforehand--I wasn't sure if it was going to look good but the friends seemed to like it.  It isn't bad but it could be a lot neater.  The frosting was probably a little thinner than desired for this type of decor.  Either way, we were so glad to have spent time with our friends :-)

I do love me some pretty roses.  We have three rose bushes in front of our house.  I have no green thumb whatsoever but apparently rose bushes are quite sturdy.  Or, maybe I am lucky!  The white rose bush is a tall and slender plant, there aren't usually a lot of blossoms at any given time, not like the two other bushes.  Either way, I snapped this pic this morning of a gorgeous white rose.  The picture is the epitome of spring in my book.  Growth.  Renewal.  Cleansing.  Changing my mindset of how I look at myself has definitely changed me for the better.  I see the beauty in things and people more than I ever did.  Learning to see the good, rather than criticize the bad is a great lesson for all.  I'm going to try to uplift and inspire others, rather than judge them.

Since this is an update, there must be goals.  This coming Monday I am resuming my workout schedule.  I have already resumed my healthy eating habits and dealing with the pain.  I feel getting back to my routine will be good for me.  At least until my doctor tells me otherwise.  Between now and July 2, I need to get my act together in terms of sticking with my year's fitness goals.  I don't care to be a flabby blob any longer!  I love how my body is shaping up, how much stronger I am.  Sure, there is an opportunity to look hot in a swimsuit this year.  2014 is the year I finally come out of my shell and wear a bikini in public.  Yes, it's going to happen!

Also, I hope to carve out more time to blog.  I don't always find healthy ways to express myself, I think writing posts can help me sort my thoughts and straighten things out.  That's the name of the game: finding new, healthy habits, to improve myself more a little each day.

♥ ♥ ♥,

connie

Chocolate Cranberry Bars

Chocolate Cranberry Bars

We were invited to a Super Bowl party this past Sunday.  As one of my New Year's Resolution, it only made sense to pick something that I had pinned on my Pinterest boards.  I came across a Cranberry Bliss Bar recipe, but I only had bittersweet and semisweet chocolate.  So I decided to give the recipe a semisweet chocolate twist.  I had never had a Cranberry Bliss Bar from Starbucks, and I am not much of a white chocolate fan, but I suspect I might like them!  I really liked how these turned out.  Without frosting, that would be a lovely breakfast treat.  The recipe included for the icing, I felt was too much icing.  Maybe if the icing recipe was reduced by 1/4 to 1/3, it would be better for me.  I liked the richness of the cream cheese, sweetness and firm bite of the cookie combined with the tartness of the cranberries.  I would definitely make this again, perhaps with the original white chocolate, or maybe with a bittersweet variation.

The original recipe did not indicate how many pieces it makes, but I cut mine into 24 triangles, but maybe 36 bars would be better considering that this is a very rich dessert.

Bars:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

• Heat the oven to 350°F.  Line 13x9" baking pan with foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
• In medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  Add butter to microwave safe bowl; microwave until melted.  Whisk in sugar until completely incorporated.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• When butter mixture is cool, whisk in eggs until well combined and then vanilla.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture gradually; beating on low speed just until combined.  Batter will be thick.  Gently stir in cranberries and chocolate.
• Transfer dough to prepared pan; press into pan evenly.  Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until tester comes out clean from the center.  Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool completely.

Frosting:
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

• Microwave chocolate in small glass bowl for 30 second rounds at medium speed; stirring between each until chocolate is melted and smooth; let cool slightly. 
• Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in mixing bowl; mix with hand mixer until well combined.  Beat in half of chocolate just until incorporated.
• Spread frosting in an even layer over bars with a spatula.  Sprinkle cranberries over frosting and drizzle with remaining chocolate.  Let frosting set.  Cut into squares or triangles for serving.  Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Peanut Toffee Cookies

Peanut Toffee Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup golden brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 8 ounce package Heath toffee baking bits
1 cup honey roasted peanuts

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large mixing bowl beat butter with electric hand mixer until smooth.  Add sugars; beat until fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy.  Add flour mixture; beat just until combined.  Fold in oats, baking bits and peanuts.  Scoop dough onto prepared cookie sheets; bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden around the edges.


Makes 30 large to 60 small cookies.

Chocolate-White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate-White Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup golden brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 11 to 12 ounce bag white chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl beat butter until smooth.  Add sugars; beat until fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy.  Add flour mixture; mix just until combined.  Stir in white chocolate chips.  Scoop dough onto prepared cookie sheets 2" apart.  Bake 8 to 20 minutes or until just firm around edges of cookies.  Cool on sheet 1 minute; remove cookies to cooling rack until completely cooled.


Makes 30 large cookies to 60 small cookies.