Many of the recipes I've been making require the flattening out of pork or chicken medallions. I've discovered the best way for me to pound the medallions is to put them in a zip-lock bag. They don't move around and the juices don't splash all over the counter. The thinner cuts are much juicier and the outside doesn't overcook.

Tonight, I fried up some pork medallions without doing anything fancy and served them on top of a green salad. I've perfected the vinagrette using olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and fresh oregano. The oregano truly cuts the tart flavor of the balsamic vinegar.

The day at school was overwhelmingly busy. I always go in with one thing on my "to-do" list. Today, I didn't get to it until 3:10 p.m. It was a heavy day of meetings, responding to people who dropped in for something, and editing things for people. For the first time all year, I didn't step into a classroom.

I was talking to some teachers at a lunch meeting about this blog, and one teacher wrote down the name of the cookbook I'm working through. My weight loss has become inspirational to some; others say I'm too skinny. I'm pretty sure I've plateaued at a 40-pound loss, which is fine with me. This morning, I tried on a pair of pants I bought after losing 20 pounds and they slipped over my hips and fell to the floor. It's getting expensive trying to keep up with shopping for clothes!

Have a good night.