For the Lovelorn

Ten on Ten

2012-01-11T10:03:00.000-08:00

Christmas with the KBs.

2012-01-05T16:18:00.000-08:00

Lazy morning...

Mayonnaise Turkey before and after:

Hanging out!

These are actually 2011's ornaments... oops!

Belated birthday gifts for the kids before the Christmas gifts!

Gobble, gobble indeed.

2011-11-28T17:55:00.000-08:00

Here's the thing... I've never understood why people get all super stoked about turkey sandwiches after Thanksgiving. I think I've always pretended to like them the way other people do as an excuse to eat mayonnaise.
Not joking.

I think lots of my favorite foods are really just excuses to eat condiments.
Don't judge me, Judgey McJudgerson.

Anyway... not to toot my own horn... oh, who am I kidding? I totally made the perfect Leftover Sandwich today.

And I'm willing to share the recipe. Write it down.

1. Buy the biggest turkey you can find (approximately 24 pounds) so everybody has ample leftovers.
2. Brine your turkey.
3. Make the best. turkey. ever. for Thanksgiving dinner.
4. Eat and then subsequently hoard the turkey leftovers for your husband.
5. Make your sandwich:
   Butter the outside of your sandwich bread (or tortilla, as in my case)
     Lay both breads (buttered side down!) into frying pan
     Add some smoked Gouda to both halves of the bread
     Top with slices of cooked sweet potatoes on one side, and turkey leftovers on the other side
     Top the potatoes with jellied cranberry sauce and the meat with two slices of crisp bacon
     Grill until golden, and the cheese is melty.
     Smush sandwich together (or fold in half like a taco...) and enjoy!

Some Thankful Days.

2011-11-28T17:50:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I think I like it for the food first and second for the fact that everybody is there for the same reason: the food. (At least that's how it works in my family...)

I didn't take a ton of pictures, but that didn't make this year any less meaningful. I got to spend some great time in the kitchen with my favorite Baby Lady, Shirley Jean. Got to have some good, quality Retail Therapy with Mama and Sissy. Had breakfast with Mama and Daddo, and got to enjoy some Heart Time with Brother Bear and his Gal.

What more could a girl ask for??

Turkey before and after. And trust me, you want to make these recipes next year. Dang.

Turkey Brine

Mayonnaise Turkey

The Hubs sneakin' a little taste-test

"I'm thankful for..."

Midnight Hour Retail Therapy

Baby Lady and a Turkey Sandwich

Sweet home, Alabama

2011-10-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

A lazy vacation morning.

A wedding...

Mr. & Mrs. Cook

...and an anniversary.

Two year Meetiversary!

A breakfast classic!

A trip down Memory Lane...

3407 Ramona Dr. SW

Friends, new and old...

Lauren & Ryan, Randall & Kerry

Gorilla Challenge

2011-09-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

In August, The Hubs and I participated with friends in Minneapolis' first Gorilla Challenge. It's an urban scavenger hunt that led us all through downtown Minneapolis on a wild goose chase! We were given 12 clues, and had to correctly answer 10, in 3 hours, in any order. Needless to say, we did not win, but we sure had fun! Here's our hunt!


Clue #5: It just isn't possible to avoid the most obvious Minneapolis landmark of all time, even if it does completely disappear at night. Although you can snap a picture from just about anywhere in the city, for this competition, we want one with you walking on it. Run onto this location and snap a picture doing handstands!

Clue #2: Competitor of the Pioneer Press, this organization has been around under different names, in different families, gone through bankruptcy, and still came out ok. Run to this location that featured Gorilla Challenger earlier this week and grab a picture with your entire team jumping in the air.

Clue #3: Activity Site: Run to this green location in the historic Mills District, run up the spiral walkway, find the Gorilla Staffer and complete the activity. Ryan had to find something specific in the bucket of goo.

Clue #12: Find an out of towner from a state that starts with the letter "I." Snap a picture with them and make sure we can clearly see their driver's license AND state in the picture.

Clue #8: Activity Site: With the new redesign it looks like a convention center! Equipped with a Dunn Brothers and a green roof with grass on top. It's a QUIET location. WALK inside, go to room N-402. Find the Gorilla Staffer and complete the activity. Using NERF dart guns we had to knock over 4 plastic cups from across the room.

Clue #9: It looks like downtown is overrun not just with nonprofits, but with public art too. Find this Family which is a flashback from 1989. Pose with them and add to the collection.

Clue #11 Activity Site: This nonprofit is full of amenities. From whirlpool to racquetball courts, child care, and early learning, facilities and even social services you really get what you pay for here. Run to this location, find the Gorilla Staffer and complete the activity. As a team, sing and do the Chicken Dance, in unison!

Clue #7: Last week they announced a $3 monthly fee for debit card users. Bah! Hopefully no other banks follow. Find their corporate location and give them a stare down out front.

Clue #10: Take me out to the ball game, take me out to the crowd... Go root for the home team at the field, grab someone with a Twins t-shirt, get the entire team to pick them up in the air (at least 2 feet!), with signage in the background and snap a pic :).

Clue #1: Activity Site: Adorned with a fountain illuminated at night with rotating colored lights, this is all that remains of what was once intended to be a majestic entrance to the city. Find the Gorilla Staffer and complete the activity. Throw 2 beaded necklaces around the head of another teammate.

Clue #4: From camps for kids to classes for adults, and even continuing education opportunities for professionals, this location is way more than it looks like from the outside. With the name alone, who knew it had so much inside? There's way more than much ado about nothing here. Run to this location and strike a pose.

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 12

2011-09-24T20:29:00.000-07:00

This week's plan is:

Mulligatawny Soup in the Crock Pot
** With the cooler weather I'm already making all of the warmer comfort foods, and this will be my second batch of soup so far! Plus, I'm anticipating Doro Wat (an Ethiopian stew) and Broccoli and Cheese in the next couple of weeks (though I might try to find another recipe for the Broccoli soup...).
** The Hubs is a Seinfeld watcher, I am not. However, I do remember some of the more famous episodes. So, Soup Nazi? Yep, we're having Kramer's favorite soup. Can't wait to try it, Stephanie's crockpotting blog says it's awesome.
** Traditional mulligatawny has chopped apples and coconut milk in it. Some recipes say you can sub cream for the coconut milk, but I found a few recipes that skip it all together, so I'll be doing that. The Hubs is weird about cooked apples, so I'll be grating them instead of chopping them. I want them to disintegrate into the broth. Hopefully he'll fall for it!
** The Verdict? Just ok. What's the awesome part of crockpot cooking? You can be sick on the couch all day and dinner is still made by the time you wake up from your nap! :( Anyway, the apples worked like I wanted them to, so that was nice. But the soup overall was lacking *something.* Couldn't be nutmeg, because that was already in there. Maybe adding bouillon in addition to the broth would have helped add some depth. Overall it was lackluster, and I probably won't make it again. In fact, I'm not looking forward to finishing the leftovers...

Spaghetti & Meatballs with Marinated Mozzarella & Tomatoes
** Simple and satisfying. What more do you need?? Plus, you've probably heard me say The Hubs makes the best spaghetti ever. I'm really looking forward to it!
** Meatballs out of spicy Italian Sausage. I'll mix in some grated Parmesan cheese and minute rice for binder with an egg and the usual garlic and spices.
** The Verdict? Stay tuned!

Oven-Fried Pork Chops with Roasted Broccoli and Baked Sweet Potatoes
** Recipes for the Chops and the Broccoli are from America's Test Kitchen.
** Have you ever tried Roasted Broccoli? It's pretty much the best broccoli ever. The Hubs will tell anybody who will listen about how yummy it is. Here ya go:
    Cut it into pieces, stems and everything.
    Mix it with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkling of sugar.
      Bake it in a 495 degree preheated oven for 10ish minutes, until it starts to turn black on the edges.
You'll never eat steamed broccoli again. I've recently used this same recipe for Brussels sprouts. They were good, if you love sprouts, you'd probably love them. We love broccoli.
** I plan to use the same exact breading strategy for the pork chops that I recently used to make oven fried chicken since The Hubs said it was the second best chicken he's ever had (next to my Mayonnaise Chicken). If you're GF, try breading your chicken, or chops or anything you're wanting to be crunchy with crushed up rice crackers! They're salty, and stay super crunchy. I've been using a cheese-flavoried variety that I found at Costco. Yum.
** The Verdict? Stay tuned!

General Tso's Chicken with Rice and Broccoli (a.k.a. Chinese Chicken)
** Found an awesome ap called Food Gawker, from there I found an awesome blog called How Sweet It Is. Said blog quickly becoming my favorite food blogger. (She won me over with a Birthday Cake Martini involving cake batter and whipped cream flavored vodkas, the glass rimmed in rainbow sprinkles. Something tells me GF birthdays just. got. better.)
** Haven't had a bad recipe from her yet. Mostly Sweet Eats, cupcakes, milkshakes, and the like. But I'm always excited to see what crazy deliciousness she's come up with next.
** I don't get to eat a lot of Chinese food, so obviously it's the ethnicity of food I crave most often, and have recently become brave enough to try some of the unique spices and ingredients. They're not flavors I'm very comfortable with, nor flavors I stock my pantry with, so I've had to branch out a little.
** This isn't the first time I've made this recipe, and it won't be the last. I follow it to a T, only thickening the sauce to my liking, and adjusting the heat down a little. I've pan fried the chicken with the batter, and will be battering and deep frying this time. Believe it or not, deep fryer is way less mess. It would be just as good with grilled chicken, for a much healthier version. If you do that, I would definitely add a splash of sesame oil to the sauce for that authentic Asian flavor!
** The Verdict? Whoa buddy, this hit the spot. Crunchy, salty, sesame-ey, saucy. Believe me when I tell you: this is as good as takeout. Put down that paper menu. Stop. Make this. You won't regret it.

Bon Appetit!

Ten on Ten - September

2011-09-11T10:07:00.000-07:00


Yesterday was Ten on Ten.

There should be another picture here at 3:00. But with the hustle and bustle of getting ready for the wedding I missed it! So, fast forward to 4:00...

Happy Matchiversary, my love.

2011-09-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 11

2011-09-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

This week's plan is:

Hot Dogs with Creamy Coleslaw
**I needed a quick dinner for us before I went to meed the BS Girls. Perfecto!
**I will pretty much eat coleslaw any way it comes. Creamy, not creamy, sweet, mustardy, I don't care. I eat it. However... my favorite way to prepare coleslaw is like this: 1 head of cabbage shredded or chopped up (or an equivalent amount from a bag), the juice of 1 lime, enough mayo to make it work (1/2 a cup?), and salt/pepper. Stir the sauce together, and mix it into the cabbage. SO GOOD.
**If I feel like switchin' it up a little, I'll add some green onions and some cilantro. I've also made the "same" recipe using white vinegar, cider vinegar, or lemon juice for the lime juice. All are good, but produce a definitely different slaw.
**GF Side Note: I eat my dogs in a corn tortilla. I heat the tortilla up so its pliable, sometimes I melt cheese in them, stuff them with my dog and toppings, done-zo!

Baked Manicotti (which is actually rolled lasagnas)
**Have you ever seen these? Rolled lasagna? It seems like the perfect way to use up the remaining lasagna noodles that aren't really enough for a full pan.
**I made a traditional filling, stirring the cheeses, egg, herbs together. Smeared it on the cooked lasagna noodles leaving about 1/4 of the noodle open. Rolled them from full end to empty end. Put seam side down into a baking dish, covered with sauce. Bake until done!

**This had a similar number of steps as a traditional lasagna, so I prepped it the night before. But it turned out to be way easier to deal with than a traditional lasanga. On Thursday I just had to take it out of the fridge and throw it in the oven.
**I think this would have benefitted from sitting over night without sauce on it. It was a little mushy, but that could have just been the corn noodles. Overall it was delish!

Grilled Cheeses with French Fries
**Had a nice weekend in Eau Claire, came home to a beautiful Heriloom Tomato. The tomato was so good The Hubs came into the kitchen asking for another bite! He never does that!
**I made us grilled cheese with tomato slices, home made pesto, and fresh mozzarella slices.
**This was a delicious, simple yet satisfying summer twist to a pretty Plain Jane sandwich!
**We ate them so fast I forgot to take pictures.

Bon Appetit!

Ten on Ten

2011-08-11T10:13:00.000-07:00


9:00 - Phones are down at work.

10:00 - Stuffing Welcome Packets for a New Realtor Orientation tomorrow!

11:00 - Finally did my make up for the day...

12:00 - Can't get enough of this book!

1:00 - Loving my new red shoes!

2:00 - Staring at the computer...

3:00 - Snack time!

4:00 - Loan Closing

5:00 Two for One - Playing with RJ and SJ

6:00 - Jenni's Stampin' Stuff!

There's a new blog in town...

2011-08-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome April!

We're long time friends, from college. Currently April lives in sunny California! But we keep in touch, sharing stories of our lives electronically. Check out her new blog for food & wine, travel, and general life craziness.

Check out April's Fools at http://www.aprilsdailyfools.blogspot.com/!

Dinner at Eight

2011-08-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

The Hubs and I had our first Dinner at Eight evening on Sunday. We had a whole day of doing nothing, and capped it off with a nice late evening "picnic" dinner together on the couch. Our weekend couldn't have ended in a better way.

We enjoyed Oven-Fried Chicken. I brined the chicken thighs for maximum flavor potential, rolled them in an egg, mustard, and herb mixture, and then into crushed up gluten free rice crackers. It resulted in a super moist, flavorful, crunchy, and perfectly salty piece of chicken that even the Colonial would enjoy! I would dare venture this chicken makes it into the Top Three chicken recipes I've made so far! Normally, this amount of steps would deter me from a recipe for a week night dinner (especially a 2 hour brining process?? Yeah right.), but for a special dinner for The Hubs I'll go to any length. <3

As a side we had Black Bean & Quinoa Salad. This recipe happens to be from Rebekah's blog (A Bit of Sunshine), which is where I learned of Dinner at Eight to begin with! Her pictures of the salad are much better than mine, so go there to see her beautiful stuff! I really liked this salad, though The Hubs didn't love it because it reminded him of the fake snow they have at his work... whatever that means...?

For dessert, and I'm not much of a pastry chef, we had individual cheesecakes with whole (GF) Oreos on the bottom as the crust. A delightful surprise, to say the least! I topped them with a fresh strawberry puree as a tribute to one of my all-time favorite milkshake combinations: Strawberry Oreo. (Seriously, go to Potbelly and get one.)

What a wonderful night to lazy-lay on the couch, feeling very much in love.

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 10

2011-07-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

This week's plan is:

Mayonnaise Chicken with Rice
**The Hubs deemed this the best chicken he's ever had. So, since I had no plan for dinner tonight (usually he climbs on Mondays) I was happy to fulfill his simple request!
**I made this recipe up... 1 T Penzey's Fox Point seasoning, mixed with about 1 T water. Mix that into about 1/2 cup of mayo. Smear it all over your 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts. Let "marinate" for maybe 15 minutes. Throw into a hot pan, cooking covered for 6 minutes. Flip and cook covered for 6 more. Flip a 3rd time (back to the original side) and cook for 2 more minutes uncovered. Let rest for a few minutes to let the juices redistribute before you cut. Serve with rice and veggies... or, if you're like us, just rice.
**If you don't like mayonnaise, you'll still probably like this. It's super moist, and delicious!
**Fox Point Seasoning is herby. It is made of salt, shallots, chives, garlic, onion, green peppercorns. If you're not near a Penzey's find something else you like that's similar, or order it online!

Gazpacho with Grilled Steak Tacos and Avocado

**I'm not going to into great lengths about this. Gazpacho (to me) was not worth the effort, and The Hubs didn't like it because it tasted like cucumbers. It was an America's Test Kitchen recipe; the kind that involves soaked bread and pureeing and straining... Lots of work for just a decent soup.Though the picture is pretty! (And yes... those are tomatoes from my garden! Thanks for asking!)

**My steak tacos were good! I just seared part of a top sirloin steak (about 1" thick?) in a hot pan for about 4 minutes/side for medium rare. Seasoned with salt and pepper. Cut it up, throw it in a tortilla. I topped mine with avocado, tomatoes, sour cream, and green Tabasco. The Hubs had cheese, Ortega sauce, and tomato.

Chip Cheeses
**My friend April (who desperately needs to start a blog...) sent me a link to an article the other day, about Thomas Keller of The French Laundry picking an iconic guy food and telling how he'd make it at home. He chose Grilled Cheese, and this is his recipe. And seriously, who doesn't want to eat what the chef at The French Laundry is eating??
**I don't normally "cook" the nights The Hubs climbs, so this was right up my alley tonight--especially considering it was the longest day ever at work. So, if you know anything about me and my Chip Diet, you'll already know I made the variation that had chips within the grilled cheese, and I used Dill Pickle flavored Lays. And I dipped it in ketchup. And it was amazing. Worth every calorie. :)
**Truth be told, I used half the cheese and double the chips and it was pretty much perfect. So perfect in fact, I made a second one. The only thing I would do differently for my 3rd one, is grill them open-faced so you can add the chips after the cheese is melted and the chips won't get soggy. (Look at me perfecting the chef from The French Laundry's "perfect" grilled cheese. ha!)
**If I'd had all of the stuff to make the pimento cheese grilled cheese (scroll down within link) I would have, because DANG. I have the stuff to make the jalapeno ones... maybe that will be lunch on Saturday?
**And for all you Gluten FREEks out there, don't waste your time with anything other than Udi's. If you don't know where to find it, call me. I will bring you some to make this sandwich.

Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Frittata with Fried Potatoes
**I used Cooking.com for the frittata recipe. I need peppers for 2 of the other 3 recipes I'm making this week, and since Aldi peppers come in a 3 pack... this works perfectly!
**Goat Cheese was sort of a splurge for us this week since we, ya know, bought our groceries and the groceries of some "homeless" man in the parking lot. I use the term "homeless" loosely since I'm pretty sure we were being scammed. Like I said on Monday, "Lets just say shopping at Aldi on University in Saint Paul isn't the same as shopping at Aldi from the comfort of your own suburb."
**For my fried potatoes, I cut red potatoes into 8th's. Put them in a microwave safe bowl, toss with a little EVOO. Cover tight with saran wrap and microwave in 2 minute increments until the potatoes are just soft. Cook in a frying pan in hot oil until golden, flip over and cook until golden on the other side. Remove from oil onto paper towels, and season with salt and pepper while hot.
**These potatoes are awesome for breakfast or as a side dish, and they really only take a few minutes to make!
**This was a pretty tasty dinner! The goat cheese went well with the oregano in the eggs. I used the kind of oregano that comes in the produce section in the squeeze tube. It tasted fine, but it turned the eggs green! I think freshly chopped oregano wouldn't have done that. (That's also why there's no picture. They weren't very pretty!)
**I have a problem getting scrambled eggs out of my pan... definitely use non-stick if you have it!

**I recently read about this project a woman started in her own home to "be more intentional about dating our husbands during this crazy season of life" and though I only have time for The Hubs, it seems like a cool way to make the effort to focus on each other.
**Stay tuned to see what we had!

Bon Appetit!

Warrior Dash

2011-07-23T21:49:00.000-07:00

Since we Carbo-Fed last night, here's a picture of the Warriors!

Rousey, Jenni, Ben, Ryan / Rachael, Megan, Katie, Justin

Check out Facebook for many more!

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 9

2011-07-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

This week's plan is:

Arugula Salad with White Beans and Italian Sausage
**It's a "salad only" week around our house... too hot to cook!
**This is an America's Test Kitchen recipe for the salad and dressing. My last meal plan was recipes from their 10-year cookbook, this recipe is from their 30-minute meal collection. An online version of the recipe is protected for "members only." Read the gist below, you should be able to wing it from there!
**Cook 4 chicken or pork Italian sausages until done through out. Remove from pan, let rest and then slice. Add a little more oil, sautee 1 red onion until starting to soften. Add 1 can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed. [Note: I used "white beans" and they ended up being pretty soft even though I added them last. Use your best judgement.] Add 8 oz roasted red peppers cut into 1/2 inch strips. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper. Add 1 cup of "Bistro Style Mustard Vinniagrette" from the same cookbook. Stir together, and mix into 4 dinner sized servings of arugula, though I used mixed lettuces from my garden.
**I definitely ate 2 servings. You could easily stretch this by adding some cold pasta to the bean mixture, making it somewhere between a lettuce salad and a pasta salad.

Thai Beef Salads with Rice Noodles
**Again with the 30-minute meals collection. I love it! Since this recipe is also hidden from the non-members, I found a pretty similar Martha Stewart recipe here. I'll probably make half a recipe, and add cooked & cooled rice noodles to make it a little more filling.
**I'm going to add sliced radishes to the mix for a little extra color.
**Scharlemann made a similar recipe when we were over for dinner this spring, and I loved it. I was excited to see this recipe in my new cookbook!

Carbo Feed: Pre-Warrior Dash Feasting
**We're having a little shindig at the Meuller's on Friday to help everybody load up for the Warrior Dash on Saturday. I said if they'd host and cook the noodles, I'd bring the sauces!
**Both sauces are enough for 1 lb pasta each.
**The first sauce is a 20-minute marinara: Boil water for pasta. Sautee 3 cloves garlic, and 1/4 t red pepper flakes in 3 T EVOO, stirring frequently until fragrant but not browned (1-2 minutes). Stir in 28 oz crushed tomatoes and and 14 oz diced tomatoes, simmer until slightly thickened (15-20 minutes). Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and return pasta to pot. Remove sauce from heat, stir in 3 T minced fresh basil and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir sauce into pasta adding reserved cooking water as needed to loosen sauce. Serve immediately! **The second sauce is a Garlic-Basil Cream Sauce: Boil water for pasta. Blend 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, 1.5 cups half-and-half, 1 cup chicken broth, and 1 T cornstarch in blender until completely smooth (about 30 seconds). Melt 2 T unsalted butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, and 1/4 t salt, cook until softened (about 2 minutes). Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Briefly re-blend basil mixture to dissolve cornstarch, then stir into sauce pan and simmer about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 2 T minced basil, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Stir sauce into pasta adding reserved cooking water as needed to loosen sauce. Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and return pasta to pot. Stir sauce into pasta adding reserved cooking water as needed to loosen sauce. Serve immediately!

That brings us to the weekend...
**I have no plan for the weekend... We'll see what happens! Taco Taco anyone??

Bon Appetit!

Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T07:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day, my Love.

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 8

2011-01-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

Blogging in the New Year has not been my resolution, but I promise a photo update soon!

This week's plan is:

Chicken Breasts with Au Gratin Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli
**I used the Penzey's Bicentennial spice rub on the chicken, and just cooked them up in a skillet. It was a pretty tasty spice rub!
**The au gratin potatoes were from scratch, but a box mix would do the trick! The recipe I used was from the America's Test Kitchen cookbook.
**The America's Test Kitchen cookbook is my new no-fail recipe guide, and favorite book to read. I suggest you get a copy, especially if you're timid in the kitchen. As long as you follow the directions step-by-step, you seriously can't screw them up!

Argentinian-Style Ribeye with Tomato & Avocado Salad and Rice
**We had Matt and Jen over for dinner this week, so I wanted to do something a little special! Plus, the weather's been so cold, I thought something fresh and South American might give the illusion of warmth!
**I used Emeril's recipe for everything, though I skipped the Yucca Fries and made rice instead.
**Also, I used Ribeye instead of Flank Steak, so I only marinated the meat for a few hours after work, instead of overnight--I didn't need to tenderize the steak, just flavor it. And honestly, if I were to do it again I would skip that step completely.
**Chimichurri sauce has become my favorite condiment. I ate it the next morning on my eggs. It's almost like a vinegary version of pesto. If you've never had it, you should try it!! It's flavorful enough to stand up to a Ribeye, but also fresh enough that you could use it on chicken or fish too. I also saw quite a few recipes for pork with chimichurri.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Salad and French Fries
**Buffalo Chicken might be my favorite form of chicken. Just like the Frank's Red Hot commercials say, I would "put that sh!t on everything!" So when Ryan requested Buffalo Chicken sandwiches, I'll definitely accomodate.
**I'm also having a craving for french fries, so I might fry some up from scratch, or bake some in the oven from a bag of frozen, depending on how hard I want to work for my dinner.
**I have an abundance of fresh herbs right now (from making the chimichurri) so I'm going to try homemade ranch dressing for me, and blue cheese dressing for the Hubs.

BBQ Pork Chops with Roasted Broccoli and Rice
**I spent most of Saturday this week reading my America's Test Kitchen cookbook... So I used their recipe for these chops, and holy cow were they good! ...but I pretty much love BBQ anything!
**I also tried a new technique to make Roasted Broccoli, instead of my normal steamed broccoli, and I'll never steam broccoli again!
**Here ya go: Cut up your broccoli, so the florets are about 2 inches across, peel the stalk and cut into 1 inch chunks. Toss with EVOO, Salt, Pepper, and a sprinkle of sugar. Place on a baking sheet, cut sides down. Cook at 500 for roughly 10 minutes, until they're golden on the bottom and starting to crisp on the edges. It was DELICIOUS, and I'll be your kids would eat it!

Tomato Pie (a la Erin)
**Erin's making us dinner tonight before we head to the Ben Folds show at First Ave. This will be the 2nd time she's made this recipe for her family this week!! Can't wait to try it.
**Everybody else will be eating the pie in a regular pie crust, but we're going to load mine onto a GF pizza crust. Sounds good to me!
**Here's the recipe: Tomato Basil Pie

1-9" pie crust, baked
4 Roma tomatoes, pat dry with a paper towel
6 cloves garlic, minced
3T chopped basil
1C mayonnaise
1/2 onion, chopped small
1C mozzarella cheese
1C cooked chicken, optional 
 
Use pie weights or perforate crust before baking.

Line bottom of crust with sliced tomatoes (make sure they are as dry as possible).

Mix mayo, onions, garlic, basil, S&P to taste and cheese.

Spread mixture over tomatoes and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top is browned.

Layer in chicken on top of the tomatoes if desired.

Bon Appetit!

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 7

2010-11-16T19:28:00.000-08:00

This week's plan is:

Beef Tenderloin with Rice and Broccoli and Squash
**We discovered the perfect way to cook thick cut steaks! It's from America's Test Kitchen. We used the same method for cooking a whole tenderloin. Check out the recipe here: Tenderloin. If you can't see the recipe, message me and I'll find it for you.
**The trick is to cook them in an oven at 275 degrees for about 30 minutes (longer for the whole tenderloin) and then finish them by searing them in an oven. It seems backwards, but it's awesome!
**I made the compound butter that is shown on the tenderloin: garlic, shallots, parsley, butter, salt & pepper.
**Doing a whole tenderloin was delicious and much cheaper than individual steaks! I think the whole tenderloin cost $15? if most people in your house like their steaks done to a similar temp. I'd suggest it! A 2 lb. tenderloin would have easily fed 4 of us.
**Squash just sounded good, so I roasted it in the oven with the meat and topped it with butter and brown sugar... Can't get much better than that!

Spicy Pasta with Sweet Potatoes
**This was a recipe i found in Better Homes and Gardens. It looked interesting, so I wanted to try it!
**This pasta was a little weird, but it grew on us as we ate. I think It would be better if you halved the peanut butter, and increased the cream cheese by an equal amount. It was a little like eating spaghetti and peanut butter. It did NOT reheat that well, keep that in mind.
**Here's the recipe...
     1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 2 cups)
     1/2 tsp each sugar, chili powder, and cinnamon
     8 oz dried rigatoni
     1/3 cup peanut butter
     3 oz cream cheese, cut into chunks
     2 tsp Asian chili sauce (Sriracha)
     1 Tbsp soy sauce
     6 green onions, thinly sliced
1. Preheat oven to 450. Oil a rimmed baking pan and set aside. Toss sweet potato cubes in a bowl with 1 T olive oil, sugar, chili powder, and cinnamon. Spread in prepared pan and bake 20 minutes or until tender. (Lauren's note: These were delicious as-is!!)
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
3. In a saucepan combine peanut butter, cream cheese, chili sauce, and soy sauce. Whisk in 3/4 cup of the hot pasta water. Stir over medium heat until heated through. If too thick, stir in additional water. Stir in most of the green onions.
4. Serve sauce over pasta with sweet potatoes and remaining onion. Serves 4.

**This pasta was a little weird, but it grew on us as we ate. I think It would be better if you halved the peanut butter, and increased the cream cheese by an equal amount. It was a little like eating spaghetti and peanut butter.

Turkey Burgers with Rosemary Mayo and Chips and Salad
**I love turkey burgers. I'll eat them just about any way they're fixed. I saw this recipe for Chicken Burgers, and just substituted the Turkey Burger patties I had in the freezer.
**Technically we had these for lunch on Saturday before I had to work, but they were delicious! I threw some spinach leaves and a tomato on each one, with the Rosemary Mayo, and they were great!

Hot Wings with Chips and Guacamole
**Eric came over for the game on Sunday and brought some chicken wings with. Chicken wings might be my favorite food of all time. We tried some new sauces, but the tried-and-true favorite is still Franks Red Hot. And staying true to the commercial, "I put that sh!t on everything!"
**Can't beat fresh Hot Wings.
**Oh, and I made some guacamole too.

Bon Appetit!

Halloween

2010-11-14T19:53:00.000-08:00

"Oh, Kermie!"

Meetiversary

2010-11-14T19:52:00.000-08:00

Ryan and I were matched on eHarmony in September last year. We met for the first time the first weekend in October. To celebrate our 1-year Meetiversary, we traveled up to Ely for one of his coworker's weddings. We had a great weekend away! What a great way to celebrate!!

We spent a lot of time hanging out by the lake.

We also visited the North American Bear Center. What a great place!

Here we are at Steve & Heidi's wedding.

Endless Summer...

2010-11-14T19:44:00.000-08:00

Enjoy some photos from our summer!

We went to Hudson to tour some life sized replicas of Columbus' ships the Nina and Pinta. It was pretty cool! A crew of guys sailed them around the United States stopping periodically to show them off. It was really interesting!

Life size replicas of the Nina and Pinta

Erin and Shirley waiting to go aboard the Nina and Pinta

SJ checkin' out the Saint Croix River

For Dad's birthday Ryan and I spent the weekend in Wausau. Dad and I canned some Chili Sauce (straight from Gram's recipe!) and I made him a birthday pie.

Canned Tomatoes


Chili Relish


Dad's Birthday Pie!

Ryan and I spent quite a bit of time at the State Fair this year...

Here's Ryan with 18 inches of Corn Dog... I'm a lucky lady.

Here's Ryan with is favorite... Pickle Dogs

We've spent quite a bit of time with Zennon and Ava. They were such great helpers on moving day!


Robot Ava

Zennon

Ava

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 6

2010-10-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

Alright, I know I've been slackin' lately with my meal plans. But thanks to some inspiration from the Totally Together Journal and a pretty decent routine at home, I'm back in the Meal Planning Saddle! My new job has me home in the evenings, so Ryan and I eat dinner together most nights. Here's what we've got going on!

This week's plan is:

Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
**I made a pretty basic Pot Roast in the Crock Pot. I won't lie, I didn't love it. I don't think it was the recipe, I think I just don't love Pot Roast.
**I got 2 roasts in one package, so I think next week I'll cut one up and turn it into Texas Chili.

Apple Raisin Cake for Bible Study
**We alternate who brings dessert to Bible Study. This week I took a Betty Crocker gluten free yellow cake mix, and added all of the miscellaneous ingredients to make it into an apple spice cake.
**This was my all-time favorite cake recipe back in my gluten full days. I had high hopes for a fall dessert with this GF cake mix!
**Besides the fact it was raw in the middle, it was a huge success! All of the ladies said it was good enough to share with gluten free and gluten full, alike!

Corn Risotto with Rotisserie Chicken
**I hate having frozen vegetables in my freezer. It seems I buy them for a specific purpose, and then never finish the bag, and then they get freezer burned, and you wind up with 6 half-bags of veggies that get thrown away. So in an attempt to use up the corn in my freezer, I stumbled upon this recipe for Corn Risotto.
**You people should know that making risotto is not nearly the pain people make it out to be. I found a great step-by-step tutorial at this blog, and it was well worth the few minutes stirring!
**With the coupon I had for a Rainbow Foods Rotisserie Chicken, this was a pretty simple, well rounded meal!
**I'm excited to try other risotto flavors in the future!!

Homemade Pizzas
**We ended up synchronizing dinner plans with Erin and Richard this night. So it turned into something of a pizza extravaganza.
**We each had our own pizzas with our own toppings on them. We ended up with tons of extra pizza, but nobody was disappointed!
**I love making pizza so much, I think everybody should do it once a month as a family! Talk about a Money-Saving-Family-Fun-Night!

Cabbage Rolls
**I used the filling from the Nye's Pollynaise Room recipe, and the sauce from the Emerill's recipe. And then I changed it a little... these are my thoughts...
**You should know that we REALLY liked these. The flavor is there, but there's some things I would change in the technique.
**I don't want to eat something bad enough to let it cook for 2 hours in the oven, after spending an hour trying to put it all together. That means, the raw rice you used as a binder won't cook all of the way. Next time I will use raw oats (like in the Quaker Oatmeal Meatloaf recipe) and then bake them for just an hour.
**The recipe originally called for a lot of greasy meat: beef, sausage, pork, bacon. I had 3# of frozen beef, 1# of frozen spicy Italian sausage, 1# of frozen ground turkey. I used equal parts of turkey and sausage. There was a lot of flavor and good texture, but it wasn't too greasy since the turkey is so low fat. I'd use a similar mixture again! I do think you could use any combination of ground meat you have, but I think the sausage is key in bringing the flavor.
**They're a little intense to make. You have to mix the filling, and steam the cabbage leaves without tearing them, and then stuff them, and make the sauce, and then bake them. They could easily be made and assembled and then put in the fridge for tomorrow, which is probably how I'll do it next time.
**The last thing I'd do differently, would be to pour 1 cup of chicken stock over them for baking, and reserve the sauce to top them once they're done. The yummy Emerill's sauce got too diluted while baking.

Bon Appetit!

How do they do it?

2010-09-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

One of my biggest struggles since getting married is maintaining the household. I can't figure out how moms do it. I have no responsibilities in the home except keeping it together, and can't seem to get it right. But there are other women out there with all of the same responsibilities PLUS many children and a job and a social life. I can't figure out how they keep their house together.

I've gotten some good advice from some ladies in my life, and feel like once we're into our new apartment we can safely start developing a routine.

Erin sent me a link to a blog this week, where the woman made a resolution to use her Slow Cooker every day for a year. It's pretty cool. I've already made a recipe from her list, and have intentions to make another on Sunday, plus another on Monday! And guess what!! Her recipes are Gluten Free! It's like the perfect storm!! Check Stephanie out at: crockpot365.blogspot.com

In exploring her website, I found she has another website called Totally Together for tips and tricks on "how to streamline your household routines so you can have a (somewhat) tidy and tranquil home in just minutes a day." YES PLEASE. She's got links to A Beginner's Guide to a Clean and Organized Home, Meal Planning, The Daily 7 for a Highly Successful Household, and much more! I think anybody could find something helpful on her site! Check it out!!

She also has a book, but I'm having trouble finding it online. Could be useful!! If anybody can find it to buy, let me know!

Where?

2010-09-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

Excuse me, do you know where the Ladies' Room is?

Playlist: Summer 2010

2010-08-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

I've made a summer playlist for as long as I can remember... Enjoy the one from 2010!

Groovy Little Summer Song
James Otto

Undo It
Carrie Underwood

California Girlz
Katy Perry

Billionaire
Travie McCoy ft. Bruno Mars

Hip to My Heart
The Band Perry

OMG
Usher

Could it be You (Punk Rock Chick)
H*Wood

Our Kind of Love
Lady Antebellum

Allejandro
Lady Gaga

Magic
B.o.B. and Rivers Cuomo

Why Wait
Rascal Flats

All Over Me
Josh Turner

(sorry there's no video... you can just gaze at his dreamy smile while you listen...)

Stuck Like Glue
Sugar Land

Independence Day

2010-08-21T19:33:00.000-07:00

I was somewhat trapped in my own head this Independence Day, celebrating an internal anniversary between God and myself. But we did have a great weekend with Ryan's family in Eau Claire, celebrating together. Here are some pictures to share!

We decided to try grilling a turkey. We brined it first because we were concerned it would dry out in the grill.

Stay tuned for pictures of the end result!

Miss Ava

Ryan havin' a beer...

We had some fun with fire crackers in the driveway before dinner.

Eric's kids: Zennon (7) and Ava (5)

Dinner time!!

It was worth every minute of effort. Let me know if you want the details of technique. I don't care if I eat an oven roasted turkey ever again!

Ava wanted the turkey leg. It might be the best picture of the weekend!

After we just hung around until dark, when the Fireworks and S'mores came out!

We grilled s'mores on the patio... light off "s'more" fireworks... and watched a huge fireworks display in a neighboring yard! What a great and relaxing evening!

Uncle Ryan wanted to play too!


MaryBeth and Ryan toasting...

Ryan: Maxin' and relaxin'...

Zennon: Two-fisted s'mores...

Pizza Jackass

2010-08-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday McClain and I were headed north on Lexington to Erin's house. We were approaching University and saw a minivan stopped with it's hazards on in the southbound lane, driver's door open. Not too far behind the van was a pudgy white guy holding his pants up, running north, away from the car. We both stared out the window as the guy scurried up the street to salvage the Papa Murphy's Pizza that had apparently fallen off the top of his van when he drove away. The pizza was laying unscathed in the left lane.

This scene made me think 3 things:
1. If his pants fit, he could run a lot faster!
2. Are we on Candid Camera?
3. Remember that episode of Jackass where they put the [empty] carseat on top of the car and drive away just to watch people freak out?

Home, sweet home...

2010-08-17T20:25:00.000-07:00

We signed on our new house today!!

Ours as of October 1, 2010

Updated address info coming soon!!

Love is Cool

2010-08-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Even though I'm establishing myself in my new job with the Credit Union, I still have been serving part time on the side for a little extra spending money. Last night we had a 50th birthday party for a gentleman, and they went all out. There was a fully catered dinner and dessert buffet, with an open bar, a live band that was pretty good, and a Scotch and cigar bar. They rented full linens and a tent for their back yard with hanging candle lanterns and everything. It was pretty cool.

For those of you who don't know what we do when we say "off-premise catering," we show up with a truck full of equipment and food and set up the party from start to finish, and haul all of our mess back to our HQ.

The party was set up behind their beautiful house in North Oaks... down a huge hill.We had to push our carts and our food and our liquor from the truck down the 2-story grassy hill, without tipping anything, and then push everything back up. It took 2 people on every cart going down, and it took 3 people on most carts, and 4 people on some, to get them back up the hill.

Here's Mona and Paul pushing a cart of glassware back up the hill in the dark...

So the whole day was spent sweating from 3:00 until about 12:15am when we finally clocked out. The 6 of us drank almost 2 cases of bottled water, and all we could think about was going home to a cold shower.

By the time I got home at 1:00 am, Ryan was already in bed and I was going to take my cold shower before I got into bed. When I opened the bedroom door to let him know I was home, what did he have waiting for me??

Oh, yes... timing is everything. What a perfect day for the perfect surprise!

Hello, walk-in-cooler-bedroom.

An Anniversary

2010-07-07T10:53:00.000-07:00

This week is special to me because it is the one year anniversary of the days in which God recaptured my heart and mind and began the final preparations of them for my husband. He gently stitched my torn and tattered heart back together, weaving in all of the love lessons I'd painfully learned up to that point. He decidely redefined words like "love" and "forever" for me as my mutated definitions had let me down time and time again. He rebuilt me into the woman I was designed to be, instead of the shell I had defected into.

There was a time where I thought I would never recover from my broken heart, and I thought I was in the depths of despair. I now see how God orcestrated the situation of a broken heart to bring me down to zero so that through lifting me up He would be glorified. My heart is still scarred, but finally it is being gently held by the only man that truly deserves it.

To the damaged woman inside of me, I remind: God is good, all the time.
To my husband: I will follow you into the darkness.

Road Rage

2010-07-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

Since posting about staying in Eau Claire during my training I've started commuting daily to and from. The days are longer, but they're not as lonely. Plus it gives me some time alone in the car to think. Here's some of the things I've found myself thinking in the last 2 weeks...

--"Next car: Cruise Control."
--"I wish I could just crash my car into other cars sometimes..."
--"Man, I never use my horn, but when I do why do I always find myself in the same situation as the person I just honked at a few minutes ago?"
--"GPS could only get better if it followed up directional statements with affirming statements. 'In point 2 miles turn left, Beautiful.' or 'In point 9 miles exit right, if that D-Bag would get out of your blind spot.'"
--"Wow, Dad was right: Pricks From Illinois..."
--"Seriously State Troopers? Is there so little crime to fight you need to set up 2 speed traps outside of Eau Claire before 9am??"
--"Did Tom Shane just say 'Synthetic man-made boobies'?? Oh! Rubies!"
--"Lady Gaga's new song sounds just like Ace of Bass."
--"It's nice to know I've still got it..."
--"I love seeing guys singing along to the radio alone in their car."
--"I wish when you gave somebody the Stink Eye they could feel it on their body like lasers."

I'm sure none of you have ever felt the same way...

Dear Man-Giant in the blue Geo Metro,

2010-07-02T07:31:00.000-07:00

It's hard for me to take you and your angry face seriously in that tiny car, with the tiny "meep meep" horn, even when you lean out of your driver's side window to give me the Stink Eye. I guess I don't know where you thought I should have gone this morning when coming onto the highway with an on-ramp that had no merge area because of the construction. I would like to point out that the lack of merge area was well marked with giant orange barrels and signage for no less than 1/4 mile before. I realize when merging it's my responsibility to come up to speed before coming into your lane, but that just wasn't an option today, and I don't think our situation was the same as the typical "cutting off" scenario. However, thanks for letting me know how I was wrong to encroach on your driving space.

I hope you have a great day, but you should know that next time I will hit you.

Yours Truly,
Lauren

Training Wheels

2010-06-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

Some of you know I took a job as a Financial Sales Representative with a Credit Union. I'm very excited for this life change. As our marriage started to grow we really began to see that the restaurant world wasn't giving me what I needed anymore. There were weeks where Ryan and I only seemed to pass in the hallway coming and going. As we coveted our moments together (since sometimes they really were just moments) we realized what a strain it was on our desire to grow into Oneness. Every week as my crazy schedule came out I could see the stress in Ryan not knowing where I was going to be, or when I'd be around, or how much I was going to work. We had to schedule in Date Nights, or even time to watch TV together.

This position was offered to me after a pretty cool sequence of events set up by God, and then executed by Ryan's mom (thanks, MB. ;)). Ryan and I spent hours praying that God would lead me to a position, but not just any position. We prayed that God would provide a position that saw value in the skills and experience I had, but wanted to use them in a different way, preferably a different industry. We wanted something that could become a career for me, not just another job. We prayed that when we stumbled upon the position that God would take away any doubt or anxiety we had about it.

My interview lasted almost 2 hours, and consisted of laughing and chatting with the ladies present as if we'd known each other for years. In ending the interview I was told that it could possibly take up to two weeks to hear back about the position. They called me back 4 hours later to say they didn't want to mess around anymore, it was unanimous between the three ladies that they wanted to bring me into their team. They knew I had what it takes to be successful in this position, and they didn't care that I didn't have any true banking experience!

So three weeks later, here I am in training in Wisconsin for the next month. Training is going very well. Today was day 3, and we finally started learning about the products and services we have to offer. It's been pretty fun and interesting. Ryan's mom keeps joking (at least I think she's joking!) about me making it past Day 3. Well I have, and I'm still into it, so I hope that's a good sign! Most of my class is high schoolers, with 2 college students thrown in. I'm the only FSR, everybody else is there for teller positions. I literally have nothing to say to these other girls, and as is always the case with me, the girl I like the least has latched onto me like we're best friends. In the immortal words of my mother, "You don't have to like everyone, but you can't be mean to anyone."

Emotionally this has been pretty exhausting, and we're not even done with Week 1! Thanks to technology I've been able to keep in touch with Ryan just like a typical day. But this is the longest we will have gone without seeing each other since we met. I'll be gone Sunday nights through Fridays, and head home straight from work on Friday every week. I know that this won't kill us, and that it is for the greater good of our family, but it's sad. I'm sad without him.

Thanks to everybody who prayed this job would find me. It is a serious blessing, and I'm very excited to start my new career!
Thanks again to everybody who has prayed for me and Ryan this week (and on into the month). I know it will help us through the frustrating parts. Just like it's training wheels for the job, this is training wheels for Ryan and me too!

Cheers, to a new career!

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 5

2010-06-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

This week's plan (and last week's plan too) is:

Michigan Dogs with Creamy Coleslaw
**This was a recipe straight off the Rachel Ray show. Ryan and I watched her make it, salivating the whole time! Try them, you won't be disappointed. Michigan Dogs
**We topped them with shredded cheddar and mustard, instead of the cheese sauce. They were sooo good!

Salmon Kabobs with Rice and Tomato-Onion Salad
** Last week I saw salmon kabobs at Rainbow at the seafood counter, I went back this week to buy them. They were spendy, but delish! Three of them were enough for our dinner, plus Ryan's lunch.
**Rainbow also usually has steak and chicken kabobs pre-assembled, and with the salmon kabobs were also tuna kabobs. 'Bobs for everybody!
**I might have mentioned it before, but Ryan and I like to eat BBQ sauce on our rice--I know, weird--but we do! So we sauced our rice with our salmon. Try BBQ salmon filets with rice sometime!
**I made a tomato and onion salad, with olive oil and salt and pepper. It was similar to that mozzarella salad, but no mozzarella.

GF Potato Gnocchi and Peasto, and Grilled Chicken
** My old roommate Bia used to eat cheese perogies with sauteed peas and onions--that's what this meal is like.
**A while back I found a recipe for "pesto" made out of frozen/fresh peas (ahem, PEA-sto). I can't find the same recipe online, but when I get home I'll note where it came from. But I had some in the freezer, so we're eating it up!
**I modified a potato gnocchi recipe t be gluten free (subbing rice/garbanzo flour for wheat flour). So we'll see how they turn out. The substitutions were based on some GF recipes I found as well. The original recipe I found was at King Arthur Flour.
**I'll probably par-boil the gnocchi (about 60 seconds) and then fry them in oil to finish cooking for a (hopefully) crisp outside
**I'll also probably throw some sauteed onions into the mix, because I like them, and add grilled chicken breasts to make it more substantial.

Special Request: Steak with Rice and Asparagus
** Ryan wanted steak for dinner. I asked if he wanted anything special with it, or any sauce. NOPE.
**What does Ryan want with his steak? RICE. Always rice.
**Ryan likes all green veggies, so we're having asparagus with butter and lemon.
**He's an easy man to please.

Crock-Pot Chicken with Mushroom Sauce
**I wanted something to throw in the crock-pot to be ready for him after work, since I was at work into the evening.
**I used this recipe, but substituted cream cheese for the sour cream (because I wanted something more luxurious), and added fresh mushrooms and onion. I also mixed together the sauce and tasted/seasoned it before I put it in. You never know what you're gonna get flavor-wise with those canned soups!
**It was exactly what beef stroganoff would be if you used chicken.
**Neither Ryan or I loved it, but it wasn't bad. He ate it over rice, and I ate the leftovers.

Bon Appetit!

The Collyer Bros.

2010-06-09T07:52:00.000-07:00

Per Carole's comment on my last blog, I read about the Collyer brothers. If you are interested, there's a long article you can read about them here. It's pretty f'd up, to say the least, but I couldn't stop reading it!

If you don't want to read the article, the gist of it is as follows...
Homer Lusk Collyer (November 6, 1881 – March 21, 1947) and Langley Collyer (October 3, 1885 – March 1947) were two American brothers who became famous because of their snobbish nature, filth in their homes, and compulsive hoarding. For decades, neighborhood rumors swirled around the rarely seen, unemployed men and their home at 2078 Fifth Avenue (at the corner of 128th Street), in Manhattan, where they obsessively collected newspapers, books, furniture, musical instruments, and many other items, with booby traps set up in corridors and doorways to protect against intruders. Both were eventually found dead in the Harlem brownstone where they had lived as hermits, surrounded by over 130 tons of waste that they had amassed over several decades.^[1]
^{...Click here if you want to read the rest of this article...}

^{(Thank you, Wikipedia.)}

^{The rest of the Wikipedia article explains more, but I liked the article from the link above better.}

My own personal episode of "Hoarders"

2010-06-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

I'm sure some of you have heard about our downstairs neighbor, Michelle, (aka Crazy Lady). For those of you who haven't...
Michelle has lived in this building for 27 years, since she was in college, I'm not sure how old that makes her. Ryan and I have only ever seen her in dirty old night gowns with a ratty shawl, or an over-sized denim jumper with a man's button down shirt underneath. She has long grey hair that is either pulled half way back, or into a bun every time. I've always thought she looked like a bag lady and a shut-in, like a "Cat Lady." Michelle started knocking on Ryan's door the day he moved in. She wants to know what he's doing, why he's making so much noise, did he have people going in and out, did they have permission to be here? Sometimes Ryan would ignore her knocking and turn the TV up, or quarantine himself to the couch for a length of time as if he's sleeping, or not home. Michelle started knocking on the door while I was here when we started dating, and I think we became friends. She told me about how she has incredible hearing because she never went to "those rock concerts" like her friends did. She told me about how she has been the "victim" of much harassment and has thus barricaded her front door and only uses her back door, sent all of her mail to a P.O. Box instead of the mailboxes at our apartment, and set booby traps in her apartment so she'll know if somebody was in there while she was away. We haven't ever even seen her window shades open. She has told me about how much she loves her apartment, the old woodwork and fixtures, and has spent years collecting antique furniture and trinkets to go with our old world apartments. She has even gone as far as to not let the landlord remodel her bathroom to have a shower since she moved in when everything was still just bathtubs. She is very particular about her things, and is adamant about protecting her privacy--to the point of not making a phone call without blocking her own phone number.

Through our chats I have come to realize that Michelle is just a very lonely woman trapped both inside her apartment and her own paranoia. I have done what I could to show her Christ's love and kindness. And though anytime Michelle knocked I knew it was going to eat up 2 hours of my day, I actually enjoyed her because I knew that I offered the only social interaction she would engage in for days.

The last time I saw Michelle was when she came up to tell me about confronting the rental agent the day before about some issues she was having with the heat in the apartment, as well as people going into her apartment without asking. She went out that morning to find a notice on her door saying they were evicting her. As Michelle told me about it I thought she was going to cry. This had been her home of 27 years, and they were taking it away from her! I felt so awful for her. Crazy lady or not, she had built a home for herself here.

When Ryan and I came home from San Antonio this week we saw that the windows of her apartment were propped open, as if to air the apartment out--since we know Michelle would never leave her shades up, let alone her windows wide open, we know she's moved out. We stood outside joking about how Ryan should climb up the side of the building into her apartment and let me in from the inside so we could see what it was like. We decided that would be a bad idea, and just tried the apartment door from the hallway instead. This is what we found...

Window propped open to air the place out. It's been like that for at least a week... how musty was it??
You can't see them very well in this pic, but there were several dried flower arrangements.
Dried flowers=dust.

In this picture you can really see how dusty everything was; the floor was so dusty it was almost slippery.

The picture doesn't really capture it, but there was a pile of plastic bags by the door that was the size of a small entertainment center.

There was food left in the cupboards, and her bathroom cupboard/cabinet were full of products, and the kitchen was straight up disgusting.

Obviously there was garbage everywhere.

San Antonio

2010-06-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I spent a long weekend in San Antonio this weekend. He had a work conference, and I went along for the ride! Thanks to everyone who prayed for our safe and stress free travels, we had a fantastic weekend!

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt on the Riverwalk. It was beautiful! We were lucky to have such awesome accommodations!

Our first night in San Antonio, Ryan and I had dinner and were serenaded (ahem, scammed) by the Mariachi's at our restaurant. This picture is of us on the Riverwalk, checking things out!

Pretty much the ONLY reason I wanted to go to San Antonio, was to eat at Taco Taco Cafe. I saw it on a special on the Food Network over a year ago, and finally got to eat there! They really were the best tacos in America!

Ryan's colleague, Christine, and her fiance Paul came with too. Paul and I spent most of the daytime sight seeing, and scoping things out for our group in the evening. Paul and I took a river boat tour of the Riverwalk. It was so interesting! We spent the rest of the weekend telling everybody about everything we had learned!

These pictures are L-R: 1. A building that from below looks like a free standing wall! It's actually triangular. 2. A "Friendship" monument that was a gift to San Antonio from Mexico. In the back ground you can see the Tower of the Americas. 3. A hotel that was built in 202 days! We learned that the first 4 floors were built on site, and everything else was built elsewhere and shipped in, fully assembled furnished, and stacked on top of each other. The hotel is completely sound and fire proof! 4. The Riverwalk and canals were built to keep the city from continuing to flood repeatedly. This picture is of a tree that took root inside of a restaurant during a flood! It remains there, and is watered from the inside! 5. This was Wedding Island. Sort of fun! We saw lots of just-married couples this weekend!

We were going to into The Alamo, but the line was too long to keep us interested, so we just stood outside for pictures. Did you know they've moved The Alamo twice?

This is a little map of The Alamo. I'll admit it would probably be more interesting had we gone inside...

These pictures are from inside the Tower of the Americas. The photo on the left was on the observation deck, where they have a 360degree view of the city. The photo on the Right was inside, where there were telescopes, and maps/photos along the wall so you could see and figure out what you were looking at. It was pretty cool!

These are photos of us on the ground, with the Tower above us.

That's my Hubs. :)

Our last day was spent lounging by the pool, and then at a fancy dinner at Boudro's on the Riverwalk, courtesy of Ryan's boss, Tara. It was the best meal we had all weekend! No, there are no photos of us by the pool. After that, we met up with the others for the social event in the ballroom.

This is Christine and me at the event in the ballroom, dancing. No, we were not drunk.

L-R: Christine, Ryan, Tara at the social event.

We kept joking about telling people this was our honeymoon. It was nice to get away together, conference or not!

On our way to the airport Ryan and I ate at Taco Taco Cafe again. It was everything I wanted it to be! You can't go wrong with somebody rolling out tortillas behind the counter!

Always a bachelorette...

2010-05-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

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

SO?

Grades are posted.

2010-05-24T18:58:00.000-07:00

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.

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 4

2010-05-22T15:43:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-05-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

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.

Use your brain, Lady.

2010-05-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

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.

PMS Smoothie

2010-05-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

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!

Turning water ino wine

2010-05-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

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!

Attack of the exboyfriends...

2010-05-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

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.

Makin' Magic Outta Canned Goods - 2

2010-05-04T17:11:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-05-04T14:45:00.000-07:00

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.

28 Days

2010-04-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I are in the countdown to our little va-cay. Well, it's a conference for him, and a vacation for me. So I've been trying to eat healthier and do some exercising to try and fit into some of my summer clothes. It makes me think of that BNL song that goes, "She's like a baby, I'm like a cat, when we are happy we both get fat."

I've been using a website called Everyday Health to track my calorie intake as well as my exercise output. It's pretty cool. You can create a free online profile and then search their database for all different types of foods and then enter them into your Calorie Counter and it keeps track of your nutrition info and daily calorie balance. If you search for a food and they don't have it, then you can create your own "custom" food--I just made one for my GF Annie's Mac and Cheese.

You can also search for different types of exercise (i.e. running, walking, pilates) and it tells you how many calories you burn for a specific amount of time at your own current weight!

In your profile you enter your weight and measurements and your daily calorie goal, as well as your goals for the amounts of nutrition you'd like to get (ex. your goal is to get 15g protein every day). I read in a book once that if you want to weigh a certain amount, then you need to set your daily calorie goal at what it would be for that weight. I also think that though nutritional value is important, it doesn't matter what you're eating, as long as your obeying your calorie rules. Though I participate in (sometimes...) I do not condone "The Chip Diet." ;)

Something that was frustrating to me was having to add in individual ingredient amounts for any recipes I was preparing at home. So I found this Recipe Nutrition Calculator online and it's. awesome. Similarly to the Calorie Counter you enter in your ingredient amounts for the whole recipe, and how many servings it makes, and it tells you the nutrition info for each serving! People always talk about how much healthier it is to cook at home, but now you'll really know how healthy you are being!

Let me know if you use tools similar to this, I'd love to hear your opinions!

A day late, and a buck short...

2010-04-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

You're probably wondering why I'm blogging before 7am, since you probably also know that my Adult Life Struggle is being on time.

Well! Got up today at 5:20, got my work clothes on, only woke Ryan up twice in my getting ready, plus one time to kiss goodbye, made my coffee, put my breakfast in my backpack. Drove to Minneapolis. Arrived at the Hubert H. Humphrey somethingorother at the U and patiently waited for my co-workers and catering truck to arrive. Sipped my coffee, arranged some chairs in what appeared to be a banquet set-up... and waited.

At 6:16 a gentleman on the 3rd floor called down to me, "Is there an event here today? I didn't see anything on the schedule. There's one tomorrow, and there was one yesterday, but I didn't see anything today."
I said, "Yeah, I'm about to call my manager, I'm wondering if maybe I'm in the wrong place."

So at 6:20 I called (and woke up) my manager. Oh no, that event is TOMORROW.
Oh.

So, maybe "A day late, and buck short" isn't totally accurate, but "A day early and free parking" just doesn't have the same ring. But still, there's nothing more disappointing than being 24 hours early, AND that 24 hours early being before 7am, and having had a whole cup of coffee so I can't even go back to sleep.

Maybe this means I've beaten my Adult Life Struggle? I'm not holding my breath.

Now what to make Ryan for breakfast...

Afraid of snakes?

2010-04-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

You will be now!

At the chiropractor yesterday, Dr. Erik shared this story with me...

His wife has a friend who had a boa constrictor. The friend really loved this snake, and let it roam (can animals without legs roam?) freely around the house as well as sleep at the foot of the bed with her at night. One day she realized that the boa constrictor wasn't really eating, and it had been a few days, and she was starting to get worried that the snake was sick. So she took the boa constrictor to the vet. The vet asked her to explain the situation, so she did. The vet said, "The boa constrictor isn't sick. It's sizing you up."

GROSS! Apparently snakes will starve themselves for days or weeks to ready up for a big meal. Her beloved pet was going to eat her! There's a reason snakes are cursed to the ground... they're TRICKY!

Beauty is painful.

2010-03-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a conversation Ryan and I had walking out the door the other day...

Lauren: "I think I'm gonna wear my zebra print flats today."
Ryan: [Stares at my feet.]
Lauren: "Oh wait! I gotta get some bandaids... hold on..."
Ryan: "Did you cut yourself?"
Lauren: "No, it's in case my shoes rub on my feet."
Ryan: "Oh, so they're ugly and painful. Ooh, wear THEM!"

Husbands just don't understand...

Can't say I didn't try...

2010-03-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

Had all sorts of plans for things I was going to get done today...

Went to the antique store near our apartment that's going out of business to see if there was a deal on a dining room table and chairs. ...It's closed on Tuesdays.

Went to specifically to the Eagan DMV to get my Minnesota's driver's license because it's near my Chiropractor, and I only get adjusted every other week. Found out they don't take check/credit cards, so I withdrew from the ATM the last $20 in my single-girl's checking account to have enough cash for the new license. ...Oh, you need a birth certificate to change from a Wisconsin license with a name change. Your WI license and marriage certificate aren't good enough.

Went to the bank to close my single-girl's bank accounts. But since I just withdrew money for the license I couldn't get, I have an outstanding transaction, and I'll have to wait until that clears to close the accounts.

Went to the Chiropractor to get adjusted and to put my new payment info on file. ...But wait! Don't run that card, I wasn't able to transfer the money into our new accounts, because I couldn't close the accounts like I wanted to, so can you run it tomorrow?

How could so many attempted projects go so badly??
Ugh. What a day...

So... How's married life?

2010-03-06T13:03:00.000-08:00

Today is our 1 month wedding anniversary. We've been laughing a lot this month because every single person we've encountered has asked us the same exact question: "So... How's married life?" So here's 28 days of answers for the 28 days we've been married...

1. Can't complain so far.
2. I like it.
3. I didn't know it was possible to improve upon what we already had.
4. Sex is nice.
5. Changing Ryan into the man I want him to be has been pretty easy so far...
6. It's probably the best decision I've ever made regarding my love life.
7. Sometimes it's hard, but so far it's worth it.
8. Gender roles are confusing.
9. Perfect. Everything is perfectly the way it should be.
10. Beat's a poke in the eye.
11. It far exceeds my dreams and expectations.
12. We're figuring things out...
13. Marriage is so wonderful that I have to make up a word to describe it... and that word is SCRUMTRULESCENT.
14. I've already forgotten what life was like before.
15. Fan-flippin-tastic.
16. It's like the ultimate slumber party.
17. It's pretty great to get to hang out with your best friend all of the time.
18. I feel like we're doing exactly what God intended for us to do.
19. Ah! I can't believe we're married!
20. It's pretty awesome.
21. Funderful.
22. He's my one. And when you know, you KNOW. I wouldn't have done this any other way.
23. We have a good time.
24. I understand why fairy tales end with "...and they lived happily ever after" now.
25. Day 25 was hard.
26. Just another day in paradise.
27. I love it. I wouldn't change a thing.
28. It is exponentially better than dating life.

Happy Monthiversary, Hubs! I love you!

Lent

2010-02-26T15:00:00.000-08:00

I have some thoughts on Lent.

WARNING: Generalizations about a religious practice are about to be made by an outsider!

I think it's interesting that people who strictly adhere to the "Lent Rules" rarely stick to ACTUAL Biblical rules.

Suddenly one doesn't eat meat on Fridays, and has strictly given up a vice for 40 days.Giving up something you shouldn't be doing anyway (like drinking, or eating chips) doesn't count. It's not a New Year's Resolution, people.

Does participating in Lent negate complete disregard for Christ the rest of the year?

I feel like there's more religious chatter this time of year because so many people participate in Lent. Lent is the focus. Lent is the "Reason for the Season."

No. Lent is an "act of deprivation" meant to symbolize the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert before his death on the cross. Lent is an opportunity to spend some time (that you might have used for drinking or eating chips) to pray, meditate, or spend some time in the Word.

What we really should be focusing on this time of year is that Christ died on the cross and was resurrected, thus victorious over death and sin! Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death. Christ has given you freedom from that doom. There are no rules or methods to follow to earn your way to Him. Scripture is clear that salvation is the gracious, undeserved gift of God and is only available through faith in Jesus Christ.

Maybe you should meditate on that for 40 days...

Meet the neighbors

2010-02-26T09:50:00.000-08:00

Ryan and I live in a cute little apartment in Saint Paul.
The other night I was just making a cheeseburger in a pan on the stove, minding my own business, cook-cook-cooking away. All of a sudden the whole apartment is smoky. I'm coughing and confused because nothing was burned!
I think, "QUICK! Open a window!" Oh wait, I can't because the kitchen window is painted shut.
I think, "OK! Living room window!" [RUN 3 feet to the living room] Oh wait, all the storm windows are on. "Ugh, just do the screen... and uh, ah, get the storm window up [struggle, struggle]... Gah!" Give up.
I think, "OOH! Open the door!"
Almost immediately the building's smoke alarm is blaring in my ears.
I think, "Oh... BIG mistake..." and the whole building evacuates.

"Hi, Neighbors. I'm the new girl."

In sickness and in health...

2010-02-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

We'd been married less than 48 hours when we got home and thought it would be nice to have some chocolate covered strawberries and champagne. Ryan got up to wash some glasses and from the bedroom I hear a glass break and then...
Ryan: "Baby?"
Lauren: "Are you ok?"
Ryan: "I cut myself... pretty bad..."
And then we went to urgent care. Here are some fun photos...

Be warned: They're not pretty!!

5 stitches later, he's as good as new!

Snapshots of a day

2010-02-12T11:50:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of our wedding. We got married at the Ann Bean Mansion in Stillwater, MN. There was a very small crowd of our family, and the friends we consider family. We enjoyed a relaxed dinner out, and everything was perfect.

Thanks to everybody who helped make our day so special!!

This was me a few minutes before the ceremony.

Me with The Hubs.

A few Formal Photos...

The Parents, The Wedding Party, The Siblings

Opening a few gifts...

The Bachelorette

2010-02-12T11:40:00.000-08:00

Erin got me this pretty ensemble...

We had dinner at Chino Latino in Minneapolis.

ooh! Lingerie!

Trust me... It was delicious...

And from here both the evening and the photography went down hill... I'll let you use your imagination...

Try this on for size...

2010-01-12T16:21:00.001-08:00

Consider my wedding planned!

Guess what happened to me yesterday...

2009-12-30T12:34:00.000-08:00

Oh, ya know. Got engaged... No big deal. :)

Red-headed step-child

2009-12-22T23:03:00.000-08:00

In a conversation about the baby Jesus, and the reason for the season, the following statement came out of Ryan's mouth tonight at Target...

"I bet Joseph spanked Jesus... 'You're not my real dad!'"
(Lauren: hysterical laughter...)

Ten Years Ago...

2009-12-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

..........................10 years ago..........................

1.) How old were you? 16.
2.) Where did you go to school? Austin High School

3.) Where did you work? Decatur Country Club
4.) Where did you live? Decatur, AL

5.) Where did you hang out? My house, Books-a-Million, Waffle House.

6.) Did you wear glasses? Sometimes.
7.) Who was your best friend(s)? Erin, Sarah and Cristi, Cliff and Randall, Leslie...
8.) How many tattoos did you have? None.
9.) How many piercings did you have? Ears.
10.) What car did you drive? Daphne, the 1983 Volvo 240
11.) Had you been to a real party? No.
12.) Had your heart broken? Not yet.
13.) Single/Taken/Married/Divorced/Bitter: There was always somebody...

-------------------5 years ago-------------------
1.) How old were you? 21.

2.) Where did you go to school? University of Wisconsin-Stout.

3.) Where did you work? Barkers Bar & Grill in Hudson.
4.)Where did you live? Menomonie, WI.
5.) Where did you hang out? This was my busiest semester of school, I didn't really hang out anywhere except my boyfriend's house... and the bar...

6.) Did you wear glasses? Sometimes.
7.) Who was your best friend(s)? Kim Arth, Phil of QFP, Jason.
8.) Who was your crush? Jason.
9.) How many tattoos did you have? None.

10.) How many piercings did you have? Ears.

11.) What car did you drive? 1992 Ford Ranger. LOVED IT!
12.) Had you had your heart broken? Yes, yes I had.
13.) Single/Taken/Married/Divorced/Bitter: Taken.

****************December 2009******************

1.) How old are you? 26.

2.) Where do you work? I'm livin' the dream.
3.) Where do you live? Saint Paul, MN
4.) Where do you hang out? My place or Ryan's, the Muddy Pig.

5.) Do you wear glasses? Yes.
5.) Who is your best friend? Ryan, Jean, Erin.
6.) Do you talk to your old friends? Not many, but the good ones seem to be reappearing.
7.) How many piercings do you have? Ears.
8.) How many tattoos? None.
9.) What kind of car do you have? 2000-something Pontiac Sunfire.
10.) Has your heart been broken? I'm pretty sure I've endured my last one. It's a nice thought...
11.) Single/Taken/Married/Divorced/Bitter? Very happily taken.

Dear Aforementioned New Coworker...

2009-12-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry you got fired this week.Even with this tough economy your sparkling personality should have you in a new gig in no time!

Best of luck,
--Lauren

Dear Mom,

2009-12-08T13:43:00.001-08:00

How's that? ;)

--Lauren

East Coast Extravaganza

2009-12-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I went to Baltimore to visit my friend Heather. We spent some time in Baltimore, and then headed to NYC, as well as Philadelphia and Atlantic City. Enjoy the pictures!

Baltimore was fun. Ate some crab. Saw Charm City Cakes (home of Ace of Cakes) which was fun. Saw a roll of toilet paper on the antenna of a car. Not too much else to report.

First thing we ate when we got to NYC was cupcakes from the Street Sweets truck. See the people near the truck in the background? The guy was from a TV show and had a camera crew with him!

Obviously, this is Radio City Music Hall with the Christmas tree lit up!

This is the John Lennon tribute in Central Park.

From here Heather told me every statue we saw was of John Lennon.

We went to Carnegie Deli where you can get a deli sandwich that's 2 feet tall! We ate a regular pastrami sandwich, and it was delicious. They bring you pickles in a bowl for an appetizer!

This is me in Times Square. We sat here for a while before we went to see "Bye Bye Birdie" with John Stamos.

"John Stamos spit on me, and it was the best day of my life!" --Heather

Chelsea Market is home of the Food Network Kitchens.

"You can eat a pound of meat, but you can't eat a damn cupckae??" --Heather

These photos are of Ground Zero...

The Statue of Liberty from shore...

This is me on the Brooklyn Bridge, when I made Heather walk to Brooklyn for pizza. I will say, it might be the best pizza I've ever eaten...

This is all of Philadelphia... Cheesesteaks. I will go on record saying this sandwich made it into the Top 3 Best Sandwiches Ever. Thank you, Pat's Steaks.

Then we went to Atlantic City. This is Zotar, the guy that make Tom Hanks big in "Big." He didn't really do anything for me...

This is on the boardwalk and the shore. Notice that Heather and I are all bundled up, and that's a surfer.

We picked Trump's Taj Mahal because it was the sparkliest. Needless to say it didn't help us win.

New Jersey appears to be pretty much a waste of a state. I can't think of any reason to ever go back there. And the quote of the state was, "Seriously. Nobody here is attractive." --Heather

That's it! From Atlantic City we went back to Baltimore and ate more Crab Pretzles. Trust me, you wish you were eating one right now. And then in the morning I flew back to Minnesota.

Thanks for an awesome time, Heather!!

Dear New Co-Worker,

2009-11-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

If you want me to believe you when you try to convince me you're not a bitch, you should try not to be such a COMPLETE RAGING BITCH.

--Lauren

Stanley Cup

2009-11-18T20:51:00.000-08:00

This week at work I touched the Stanley Cup.

You know you're a server when...

2009-11-05T20:25:00.001-08:00

...you hide food in your apron pocket, so you have something to eat later.

Yes it's gross.
No, this isn't the first place I've worked where this is acceptable behavior.
Yes, you would do it too.

Halloween Pictures

2009-11-03T01:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay in photo documentation of Halloween. But here's a few pictures from the evening...

Lauren & Ryan...Wonder Woman & Superman

Jean & Jack... Sherlock Holmes & Siren

Checkin' things out!

"Best Costume" goes to the Robots!

I don't remember what was going on here... But it's the only semi-full-body shot of my costume that was so lovingly handmade. :)

Special thanks to Mamma Knows for her costume sewing expertise.

Romantical Halloween

2009-10-31T19:49:00.000-07:00

Sweetest thing ever:
Parked in a big puddle last night. Instead of suggesting I crawl across the seat or change parking spots, Ryan opened my car door and reached for me to carry me through the puddle. Even Wonder Woman needs a Superman to rescue her sometimes...

Quote of the day:
"You're so awesome that your pants smell like meat."
--Ryan

Dear DHS...

2009-10-26T18:04:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of your well-wishes last week for my last day. I was surprised at the outpouring of generosity through gifts, hugs, email addresses, and encouragement.

Jim: Thank you for the card and gift card.
Jamie, Michelle, Tamara: Thank you for the cards.
Alicia: Thank you for the card, candy and balloon. I will admit that in my excitement and fumbling manner I accidentally let the balloon fly away on my way to my car on Wednesday. I stood there and watched it disappear into the sky...
Jack: Thank you for the card and chocolate. I especially appreciated the festive wrapping. :)
Dan, Alanna, Bill, Kelli, Joe, Rich, Verna, (and JC): 10 points for funniest card ever. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, and always being my most amusing rumor spreaders. ;)
Jeff and Jeff (and Alanna, Dan, and Jack): Thanks for meeting up for drinks.
Darcy: Thanks for the drink money. It was well spent. ;)

I took a small va-cay to Door County, WI this weekend and it was much appreciated. I start my new job full-time tomorrow, and am looking forward to it!

Thank you again for everything over the last year.

--Lauren

Journey to the center of the universe

2009-10-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

Do you think that the tectonic plates of the earth could move so much that they could create a crack in the ocean that would suck all of the water into it, cooling the molten center and drying up the oceans, and thus ruining the earth?

Can you give me a hand?

2009-10-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be weird if we all had 3 hands?
No, because then we'd all have 3 hands, and that would be how we were made. That wouldn't be weird at all. It's only weird in comparison to what we know now.
If we had 3 hands, we'd all be wishing we had 4...

Is it my turn yet?

2009-10-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

Is it possible that I've met a smart, funny, good looking, interesting, patient, Christian man with similar morals and values, who sees life the way I do, has goals and dreams, understands the difference between right and wrong, doesn't live in his mom's basement and has a job and a car AND he likes me back... at the same time that I like him?

It just seems so far fetched.

Weekend Get-Away

2009-10-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

My boss just asked me a minute ago if I was going out of town this weekend with my "new stud muffin." Well OBVIOUSLY. Isn't the natural progression of things:
First Date: Ice cream
Second Date: Burgers
Third Date: Mini-Skirt
Fourth Date: Weekend Getaway

Right?

The full report.

2009-10-18T20:26:00.000-07:00

Started my new job this weekend. LOVED IT. Yes my feet were so sore I would have been more comfortable if I had just cut them off. Yes I spent most of my Sunday under a blanket in front of the TV. No, I didn't care! I would rather be exhausted doing something that I love, than hating my life regularly.

Everybody was so nice and helpful. My trainer was patient and answered all of my questions. The food was good, the service was good. The company is organized and has standards and expectations.

Friday we worked a wedding (170 ppl) at the Mill City Museum (MCM) in Minneapolis. What a cool wedding venue! If you're in the market, check it out! Saturday we worked a wedding (225 ppl) at International Market Square (IMS) also in Minneapolis. Beau.ti.ful! I'll even admit that the wedding on Saturday was the first in TWO YEARS that made me think, "Ya know, I could deal with having a wedding like this..." instead of my usual, "Who would pay for this sh!t??" (You may or may not know of my wedding cynicism--it runs deep. Working weddings will do that to a girl... I should create a saying about "Always a server, never a bride.")

Thank you to everybody who has been praying for my job situation over the last year. It looks to be on the way to "answered!"

My name is Lauren...

2009-10-15T19:26:00.000-07:00

and APPARENTLY I'm an alcoholic...

Nice reminder.

2009-10-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Dave,

Thank you for taking the time to check on me the other day, inquiring about how I'm doing, and then about my new job. It was nice to be reminded that I'm more than just a Lunch Lady to many of you, and that you care about my wellbeing.

It's moments like that which make me sad to leave you all.

--Lauren

Diet Coke Break

2009-10-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

So, there's this customer at my work, and let's just say...

mmm... diet coke break...

So it occurred to me...

2009-10-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

...today that I've been giving the wrong blog address. ha. Oops! :)

The actual address is http://www.fromthelovelauren.blogspot.com/, and I've been telling people http://www.fromtheforlauren.blogspot.com/. If you know somebody who has the wrong address, please pass the right one onto them.

Thanks. :)

He's a keeper.

2009-10-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

I might not know men, but I do know food. And this one's a keeper!

Try it over white cheddar mashed potatoes for a delicious dinner. Trust me, this recipe is worth it!

Does anybody else think it's weird...

2009-10-12T15:11:00.000-07:00

...that there's always broken booze bottles and vomit outside the St. Paul Alcohol Anonymous building?

Well let me introduce myself...

2009-10-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

1. First thing you wash in the shower? I'm strategic, I wash from the top down. Hair first!

2. What color is your favorite hoodie? I love all of my hoodies the same. I see no color.

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?: FUCK NO. His name is Brian T****, and I recommend you steer clear as well!

4. Do you plan outfits? I do. See question #1, I plan everything.

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? Pretty relaxed. My whole outlook has changed now that I'm with new job.

6. What's the closest thing to you that's red?: Hot sauce.

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having? It was one about my boss wearing lipstick and women's underwear. It was awesome.

8. Did you meet anybody new today? I've never met a stranger.

9. What are you craving right now? Watching SJ watch Elmo.

10. Do you floss? I own floss. I think the last thing I used it for was to tie by bra straps together so they'd hide under a dress.

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage? Cole slaw!

12. Are you emotional?: I'm like an m&m.

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?: next question. this is dumb.

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?: Lick! Sometimes I bite it with my lips, but mostly lick. Which is especially funny to me since I've gone on a series of apparently provocative first dates to Izzy's Ice cream...

15. Do you like your hair?: Yes. I just got it cut, so I like it again.

16. Do you like yourself?: see #13.

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush? For sure. I bet he says some REALLY crazy stuff when the cameras aren't on...

18. What are you listening to right now? "dada da da, dada da da, Elmo's world!"

19. Are your parents strict? not really. They had rules and expectations, but that's not the same as strict.

20. Would you go sky diving? Yes. And found out last night that if my mom could do one thing tonight, no regrets, that's what she would do.

21. Do you like cottage cheese? Only if there's something crunchy mixed in with it, forcing me to chew, instead of just swallow chunks. SICK.

22. Have you ever met a celebrity? I physically ran into Hulk Hogan in an airport once. I also shared popcorn with Tony Oliva at the metrodome once. That's probably it.

23. Do you rent movies? Not really. I'm not opposed to it, I just don't do it.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in? Always.

25. How many countries have you visited? Canada. Scotland. And that one time I was in Germany...

26. Have you made a prank phone call?: Yes. And I pretended to speak french in it. I don't think they fell for it...

27. Ever been on a train?: Yes. The Amtrack, the light rail, and whatever they call the train in Scotland.

28. Brown or white eggs?: "Why does it always come down to race with you, Facebook?"--Erin. It's funny, because I said that SAME sentence to Alanna last week when I borrowed an egg, only it ended with "Alanna" instead of "Facebook!"

29. Do you have a cell-phone?: I dare you to find me someone who doesn't. And they can't be a grandparent, or middle school aged or younger.

30. Do you use chapstick? Yes. I'm in love with the one that was stuck to the sunscreen I bought.

31. Do you own a gun?: No. I've thought about it though.

32. Can you use chop sticks?: I have to practice before my food gets there every time, but yes.

33. Who are you going to be with tonight? My mom, bro, and favorite Shirley Jean!

34. Are you too forgiving? No. I'm a championship grudge holder. Remember that.

35. Ever been in love?: Yes. Fool me once...

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow? Oh, a variety of things. I think Erin is taking Roller Derby lessons. Jean is going to Aerospace school. Heather's going to ballroom dance. Mallory's probably going to sleep in since she's a vampire...

37. Ever have cream puffs?: made them, stuffed them, eaten them!

38. Last time you cried? I think his name was Brian, and oh how it was a waste of tears.

39. What was the last question you asked? "I don't know. Aren't they all the same? Stupid songs and bounching?"

40. Favorite time of the year?: Every season I'm looking forward to the season at hand. And during the transition times (like we're in now) I look forward to the next season.

41. Do you have any tattoos? If you find it, you can have it.

42. Are you sarcastic? I'm a very serious person.

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?: Oh Ashton Kutcher, you've done it again!

44. Ever walked into a wall?: Yes.

45. Favorite color? Green, recently.

46. Have you ever slapped someone?: No.

47. Is your hair curly? No. It doesn't even pretend to be curly.

48. What was the last CD you bought? I don't know. But I bet Brian has it. And I bet he's going to send it to me, oh no, my work, just kidding my parents house.

49. Do looks matter?: Yes.

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater? You're wrong, Erin. It depends on how good looking SHE is. ;)

51. Is your phone bill sky high?: No. But higher than it should be! The KGB is just so helpful sometimes!

52. Do you like your life right now? Yes.

53. Do you sleep with the TV on? No. Sleep is a sanctuary.

54. Can you handle the truth?: Um, it really depends on the topic of the truth.

55. Do you have good vision? Yeah. I probably only wear my glasses 60% of the time.

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?: Yes. Shall I list them off here?

57. How often do you talk on the phone?: I don't like talking on the phone, actually.

58. The last person you held hands with? Shirley Jean.

59.what are you wearing? No bra, no underwear, no socks. :) and regular clothes too. I've moved from "commando" to "terrorist."

60.What is your favorite animal? Pink Flamingos, mostly because of the stellar yard art they make.

61. Where was your default picture taken? MN State Fair 2009, this year.

62. Can you hula hoop?: Yes. I can also jump one like a jump rope.

63. Do you have a job?: Woot woot, a new job!

64. What was the most recent thing you bought? A gold sequined tiara for my Halloween costume.

65. Have you ever crawled through a window?: Yes. First, because I'm always the smallest person around, and therefore I have to do things like that. And second, because sometimes I'm drunk.