Thursday, May 27, 2010

Always a bachelorette...

Sometimes I wear my bachelorette party veil when I clean the house.

SO?

Monday, May 24, 2010

Grades are posted.

Hello blogladies. I will be grading you today on your blog, based purely on recent attendance.

Nothin' to brag about:
Heather posted recently, but nothing before that for a week!
Erin and babies haven't blogged in an average of 5.5 days!
Carrie posts consistently once a week, but that's not enough!
Kristi blogged more while she was in Florida than this last 10 days.

I am disappointed in
Jean no post in 2 weeks.
Naomi another blog with 2 weeks without a post.
Leslie  2 weeks, no post, and her slide shows are my favorite!

Blog failure:
Cara no post in 4 months.
Sasha  it's a whole new season since she posted some new photos!

Somethin' to write home about:
Carla 12 posts in 14 days!

So Carla is the winner!!
The rest of you: is there nothing going on; are you too busy; are you too cool? Cara, is there nothing fun to share from NY? Jean are you too married to tell us about your life?  Ladies, have there been no photos taken this week?
I miss you, and I want your blog updates. Please come back to me.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 4

This week's plan is:

BBQ Short Ribs with Creamy Coleslaw and Oven-Baked Fries
  **I feel so terrible leaving Ryan home on nights I work with nothing but a frozen pizza to eat! So Erin let me borrow her crock pot until we maybe get one from our wedding registry. 
  **Though I don't work tomorrow, I will be gone all day so I'm going to put our ribs in the pot with some BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's is GF) and let them go! When I get home I'll just throw together some coleslaw and some potatoes seasoned and baked in the oven. 
  **Easy and delicious!

Lebanese Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken
  ** I was mentioning at work needing some ideas for dinner, and one of my coworkers suggested this salad: 
          DRESSING: Crushed garlic, salt, mint, vegetable oil, cider vinegar.
          SALAD: tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, bell pepper
  **I will be adapting it into a pasta salad, and serving it with grilled chicken to make a more complete meal.
  **Note, if you use GF rice pasta, let the noodles cool in the colander, but don't refrigerate them, or save the leftovers for later. Rice pasta does NOT refrigerate well and gets really hard and gross. I will make just enough pasta for my own dinner, and nothing more for extras.
 
Spaghetti with Italian Sausage Meatballs
  ** We're meeting Ryan's family for dinner this week, and since I'm the one that needs accommodation, I suggested something easy like spaghetti. 
  **I'll be bringing my own noodles, and bread crumbs for the mix. 
  **I like to add grated or shredded parmesan cheese to the mix for some easily added deliciousness. 
  
Homemade Sausage and Mushroom Pizza
  ** It's possible I've mentioned it before... But one of my biggest cravings in my new GF lifestyle is pizza! Last time Ryan and I went out for GF pizza it cost us $70! So we've started making our own. Not only does it satisfy a serious craving of mine, it's GOOD, and it's CHEAP!! 
  **I use Udi's Foods crusts for me (2 for $6), and Betty Crocker just-add-water-type crust for Ryan ($0.70 for a decent sized pizza).  We always switch up the toppings and we both get what we want.
  **I'm using turkey Italian sausage this time, so it won't be as greasy as traditional Italian Sausage. 
  **I will sautee the fresh mushrooms before I put them on the pizza so they're done all of the way, and because I'm weird about mushrooms.
  **And what really makes this pizza the awesome, is that we use thin slices of fresh mozzarella all over it instead of shredded mozzarella. This is something I experienced in NY with Heather at Grimaldi's Pizza in Brooklyn. Trust me, once you try it, you'll never eat shredded mozzarella on a pizza again!

LARA-style bars
  ** Recently I've found myself at work with nothing to eat--and that makes for a long day. After discussing my gluten issues with a coworker she suggested LARA bars, and said she found a good recipe for homemade LARA bars online. I did my own search and found a recipe here at Enlightened Cooking. (They're very similar to the Sugar Plums I make at Christmas time.)
  **I made 3 flavors of them and they have been SUCH a lifesaver at work!
  **Ryan doesn't love them, but he's not a huge fan of nuts.
  **You can get a variety of dried fruit and nuts at Sam's Club, which makes the cost of these bars a fraction of what you'd pay for them in the store! 
  **Next time I make them, I'll probably chop the nuts in the food processor until they're about 3/4 done, and add the fruit right to the same bowl, and process until well combined, thus eliminating the need for an additional bow; the food processor does the mixing for you!


Bon Appetit!

Point taken.

The wedding I worked last night was a couple that were high school sweethearts, and had been together for 10 years. Through the toasts there were several jokes about her waiting for him for 10 years, and how this was more like an anniversary party than a wedding.

At one point I turned to Kelly and said, "Ten years? That is too long!"
Kelly replied, "...Says the girl that waited 3 months."

Touche.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Use your brain, Lady.

This lady just stood up on Dr. Oz and asked if there was anything she could have done to have prevented her brain cancer.

The doctor on stage rattled off a few things--leafy greens, green tea, blah blah.

Dr. Oz then turned to the lady, whom he was standing next to, and said, "Do you smoke?" She admitted she did. He said, "Quitting smoking is the #1 thing you can do."

She goes, "Yeah, yeah, I know, I know..."

Really, Lady? You have BRAIN CANCER, and when Dr. Oz says the #1 thing you can do to prevent it, or get over it is to quit smoking, you're gonna give him a "Yeah, yeah"??? You're an idiot.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

PMS Smoothie

So I watched this show today, The Doctors. It's on at the same time as Dr. Phil--whom I hate more than Oprah. They gave a recipe today for a PMS smoothie, touting that diets high in vitamin D and calcium have lower PMS symptoms. So here it is! They also listed 2 other recipes for smoothies that are also listed below...

PMS Smoothie:
In a blender mix 1 cup low fat yogurt, 8 oz orange juice, 1 cup fresh strawberries, 1 banana, 1 T molasses, or to taste.Blend for 45 seconds.

FYI, that's a HUGE smoothie. Maybe try half for a more manageable size.

Breakfast Smoothie:
 In a blender mix 1 cup milk, 1 scoop chocolate flavored multi-nutrient protein powder, 3-4 frozen strawberries 1/2 cup frozen blueberries. Blend for 45 seconds. 
The chocolate protein powder makes the consistency of the smoothie a cross between a chocolate milkshake and a fruit smoothie.


Orgasm Smoothie: 
Are you looking to spice up your sex life?  Try a culinary concoction that promises to perfect your orgasm!
1 banana
1 cup blueberries
1 cup rice, almond or non-fatmilk (substitute with juice of your choice if you don't want to use milk)
1 cup ice chips
½ cup peaches
1 tablespoon flaxseed
Dollop of honey
Sprinkle of ginger root (season to taste)
Sprinkle of nutmeg (season to taste)
Blend and enjoy!
Bananas: Contain potassium and B vitamins that convert carbohydrates into energy, boosting endurance and testosterone.
Blueberries: High in soluble fiber, which keeps arteries clear of cholesterol. Improved blood flow and relaxed blood vessels improve a man's erections, especially in older men.
Peaches: High in vitamin C. Men should consume at least 200 milligrams of vitamin C per day to increase the quality and quantity of their sperm.
Flaxseed: Increases testosterone levels and is packed with essential fatty acids, such as Omega-3 and Omega-6, which keeps hormones at optimal levels and sex drive revved.
Ginger root: Stimulates the circulatory system, increasing blood flow to the genitals.
Nutmeg: Stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you relax.
Honey: Honey is rich in vitamin B, which is needed for testosterone production. The gooey nectar also contains boron, which may increase estrogen levels in women.

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 3

This week's plan is: Eat what we have!

Chicken Enchiladas with Rice 
  **I acquired some chicken from work this week (already cooked) and I'd like to use it up, and there's rice in the freezer from Cinco de Mayo to reheat.  
  ** I'm making my own sauce for this, because it's hard to find GF enchilada sauce in the stores, and I'm trying to use up our canned goods! I found a recipe for Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas and Red Sauce here and the same woman has a green sauce on another blog here
  **The enchilada recipe I'm using is very similar to the one above, but I will also be adding green onion and cilantro to the filling. I will make and assemble them tonight to sauce and pop in the oven tomorrow when I get home from work--dinner in a FLASH!

Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese and Salad
  ** This dinner is a tribute to my Dad who recently told me his cooking skills extend only as far as soup and crock-pot recipes. He recently made homemade tomato soup from a recipe on All Recipes which is an awesome website! I think my Better Homes and Gardens classic cookbook has great old fashioned soup recipes too, and I will be using their basic Cream of Vegetable soup recipe and canned tomatoes to make Creamy Tomato Soup. 
  **For creamed soups, or other dishes you want to feel very luxurious, but want to skip the calories and fat, try using canned evaporated milk instead of half & half. It has a much richer feel and taste than regular milk, but the same amount of calories and fat!
  **I'll serve Ryan's with a Grilled Cheese to make it a little more filling, and a salad on the side for both of us with a light vinaigrette. 
 
Spicy Tomato Braised Pork Chops with Butter & Parsley New Potatoes and Peas
  ** I have Pork Shoulder Chops in the freezer left over from our Cinco de Mayo taco meat. I'm going to brown them quickly to sear in the juices, and also add in some bell pepper and onions, and then simmer them in tomato puree and red pepper flakes, until they fall of the bones. 
  **Normally this is the sort of thing I'd serve over rice, to soak up the sauce, but we got baby new potatoes at the Farmer's Market, so I'll quarter them and boil them until done, then toss them with butter, garlic salt, and chopped fresh parsley. 
 **Since my creamed peas failed last week I will give Ryan plain buttered peas this week. :) 

Chorizo, Peppers and Onions with Creamy Coleslaw
  ** For our celebration of I'm-Glad-I'm-Not-A-Mother's Day on Sunday we had breakfast nachos with chorizo sausage, eggs, cheese, salsa etc. I'm going to grill the left over sausages until cooked through and slice them on the bias (aka diagonal) and sautee up some peppers and onions to go with. 
  **Since chorizo sausage is so spicy I'll serve it with a cool, creamy coleslaw. For a little Mexican influence, I'll use lime juice in my slaw instead of vinegar.


Erin requested that I list more recipes that involve things most people already have in their pantry. My staples are usually: Rice, pasta, tortillas, potatoes, onions, canned tomatoes, random canned veggies, frozen veggies, oils & vinegars, TONS of dried spices, and other condiments. We don't have a ton of room to keep lots of things on-hand. However, for these 4 meals my grocery list is very, very short, I will be buying some fresh produce and herbs but that's pretty much it. Lots of the ingredients are left overs being turned into something new. You don't need a lot of crazy stuff to make a delicious meal! Check out Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade on the Food Network for more store-bought shortcuts to homemade praises from the Fam.


Bon Appetit!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Turning water ino wine

Couldn't figure out what went wrong that my check card was declined at the grocery store yesterday. I just kept thinking, "Something is wrong. I KNOW we have money!" But Ryan was busy at work, and I was busy making Cinco de Mayo dinner for some friends, so I put it off until this morning.

I just spent 30 minutes on the phone with 3 different bank representatives and the overdraft was not our fault! We DID have money, just like I thought! The bank's e-pay system screwed up and they reimbursed all our money, including the overdraft fees!

I love when God shows up when I'm in panic mode. :)
Like I said, He's turnin' our water into wine! God is GOOD!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Attack of the exboyfriends...

What's more wierd than seeing a guy you made out with once on the corner outside of the Starbucks you want to go into?

Oh, finding a love post-it note from your college ex in your underwear drawer 5 years after the fact.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 2

This week's plan is:

Chicken Caesar Salads
    ** I'm making my own dressing for this, because I don't trust the bottled dressings to be GF. But obviously this meal could be made with store-bought dressing OR a complete salad kit in a bag, just add grilled chicken. 
  **I used a combination of Alton Brown's recipe and Tyler Florence's recipe. I skipped the anchovies, though I will admit I think that's what the recipe was "missing." Also, I used an extra virgin olive oil, and it was pretty olivey tasting--which I don't like. Next time I might do half EVOO and half veggie or canola oil. I also almost doubled the parmesan and used a coarse ground black pepper. Overall, it was pretty tasty for my first attempt!

Spaghetti 
  ** Ryan climbs on Monday nights so I try to make something quick and energy filled for him before he goes. 
  **I acquired some pesto from work this week, so I'll probably use that up instead of a red sauce. Pesto is so cheap and quick, especially with the farmers market around! A huge bunch of fresh basil is only $1, and if you sub walnuts for pine nuts this is super cheap and fresh for summer! Also, if you leave the parmesan cheese out pesto freezes really well. Just thaw it and add the cheese when you're ready to use it!


BBQ Chicken with Rice and Creamed Peas
  ** Try Sweet Baby Ray's Original for a GF sauce.
  ** Ryan loves both rice and peas, so we usually have these on hand. The recipe tagged calls for canned peas, but I will be using frozen, and also subbing the flour for cornstarch as noted in a previous Magic Meal post.

Tacos  with Salsa and Guacamole 
  ** Can't have Cinco de Mayo without tacos!! 
  **Ryan likes a salsa called Salsa Lisa, I fell in love recently with one called Snappy Dogs, which is produced in Woodbury. You can buy both at Whole Foods.
  ** My favorite Guac. recipe is by Dave Lieberman (in his book Young and Hungry) but there are millions of recipes out there, so find one you like!
  ** Check out www.foodnetwork.com for more awesome Cinco de Mayo recioes!



Bon Appetit!

Darnell, you are NOT the father!

Rachel Ray made me cry yesterday, Oprah made me cry today. What's next? Maury with a tear jerker episode giving scholarships to all the fatherless children exploited on his show?

Being a housewife is hard.