What I Ate: Asian Chicken Salad

Today was a big day for me. I was mailing off a thick packet of a letter of intent, an application form, a resume, and 8 x 10 portfolio photos for consideration in a Certificate of Fiber Arts through the UW Professional and Continuing Education program. It is a 9 month course that starts in the fall. Fiber Arts used to be a Masters program at UW. I am not sure if they switched it to a certificate in order to get more students or because too few were applying for the Masters program or both.

I am not a shining star when it comes to writing things like letters of intent or artist statements. I was reading a few letters of intent samples online this morning and thinking to myself, sheesh, people don't really believe the fake stuff that others write, do they? Do they?

I'm not sure. So I just focused on Hemmingway's writing advice: keep sentences short, use short first paragraphs, keep it positive, use vigorous English. With a few friends giving me advice, I am happy with my results. Happier still to have it done with! They are reviewing the applications in the order that they receive them which worries me more than a little. If 20 people applied before me, I won't stand a chance. Now I have to sit back and wait a month to find out if I got in or not.

I wanted lunch to be simple and healthy in the midst of my flurry to get everything together and I decided to make an Asian Chicken Salad. I poached some chicken and shredded it. I tossed some chopped Napa cabbage with grated carrots, radishes, green onions, cilantro, and cashews. I made a dressing of sauteed ginger and garlic that was cooled and then combined with soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chile sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, canola oil, and toasted sesame seeds. I tossed the whole thing together and enjoyed a hearty and healthy lunch. We have plenty left over for tomorrow.

Now if only getting into this program was as simple as tossing a salad!