I can't believe it's already Sunday, and that it's already 5:00 pm. Blerg.
We were so busy this weekend, and we even got an extra day! The mister took Friday off work and we ran so many errands it was just madness.
Friday morning he went to school with me to talk to his counselor while I was in class. Of course this took a lot longer than he thought it would and after talking him out of leaving or taking out an entire line of students we sat down and waited another hour and half for him to have a 10 minute conversation with his adviser. Welcome to Lane, mister.
After all that at the school we went to breakfast, ran into his boss at the hardware store, hit up the liquor store, grocery store and butchers before FINALLY making it back home. After that I went to watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta then proceeded to take a 3 hour nap. Sometimes that happens.
It was the mister's friend James' birthday Friday, he came over so we could feed him and watch the Yankees come back to beat the Rangers. It wasn't....great. But the burgers were good!
Saturday the mister was recovering from all the whiskey he drank with James while I got ready for the BBQ at C's house. Let's just say I got a little stressed. Just a little.
The BBQ, in honor of our friend Ira whose birthday was while C and her mister were in Hawaii, was great! C and I drank margarita's my mom's recipe. We walked to the store with them in to-go cups, got two leaner's and ringer in horseshoes, lost at beer pong and were out for the count by 10:00. That's what happens when you start drinking at three in the afternoon I guess.
Today I'm suffering from my night of fun last night. The mister has been awesome, of course. He got me a greasy bacon breakfast burrito from the Mexican place down the street, some chocolate milk and let me be. Hey I have done some laundry today, cleaned up the bathroom and taken a nap...a long one. Now it's time for game 2 of the NLCS. GO GIANTS!
Goodnight lovelies!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Fresh Food Friday!
Hello friends! Time for another Fresh Food Friday edition!
This week we got: Chard, broccoli, apples, red onion, crimson grapes, tomatoes and eggs.
Yummmm....
And here's what I plan to do with it:
Swiss Chard, Bacon and Ricotta Ravioli with Tomato Sauce from epicurious.com
*this may be the recipe I'm most excited for. I'll probably even try to make my own tomato sauce since I have a plethora of tomatoes right now.
Broccoli, Beef and Brown Rice Combo
from "Melissa's Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce"
*I meant to make this last week but used all my broccoli before I got the chance.
*Recipe after the jump!
Marinade:
2 large cloves of garlic
2 TBLS. soy sauce
1 TBLS. Honey
1 teas. toasted sesame oil
1 TBLS. rice vinegar
1 lb. boneless sirloin steak (I just got tri-tips from the butcher)
Rice Mixture:
1 cup long grain brown rice
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 teas. vegetable or canola oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally 1/4 inch thick
1 3/4 cup broccoli florets
Sauce:
3 TBLS. smooth peanut butter
3 TBLS. hot water
2 TBLS. seasoned rice vinegar
1 TBLS. soy sauce
1/8 teas. dried red chile flakes
2 teas. toasted sesame oil
Prepare marinade: Set large zipper-style plastic bag in bowl to hold it upright. Add garlic, soy sauce, honey, oil and vinegar. Poke steak at 1-inch intervals with tines of fork. Add steak to bag with marinade and seal. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours, turning bag occasionally to redistribute marinade.
Prepare rice: In large saucepan place rice, water, salt and oil. Bring to boil on high heat; stir once. Cover with tight-fitting lid; reduce heat to low and simmer 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with fork.
Meanwhile, bring about 5 cups water to boil on high heat in separate large saucepan. Add carrots and cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add broccoli and cook in boiling water until tender-crisp about 6-7 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat grill.
Prepare sauce: In medium bowl, stir peanut butter and 3 tbls. hot water to combine. Add vinegar, soy sauce, chile flakes, and sesame oil; stir vigorously to combine. Place rice in large bowl; add sauce and veggies. Set aside at room temp.
Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Grill over medium-high heat about 3 minutes on each side; cooking times vary. Set steak aside and allow to rest 5-10 minutes.
Slice steak into 1/4 inch thick slices. Spoon rice salad into bowls and top with steak.
I haven't decided if I want to make something with the apples like an apple crisp or just make some sort of scrumptious dip for them.
Same with the tomatoes, pretty sure I'm going to make a sauce.
And the onion, well that will be used this weekend in my potato salad, and tonight with our burgers.
Have a wonderful Friday everyone!
Yummmm....
And here's what I plan to do with it:
Swiss Chard, Bacon and Ricotta Ravioli with Tomato Sauce from epicurious.com
*this may be the recipe I'm most excited for. I'll probably even try to make my own tomato sauce since I have a plethora of tomatoes right now.
Broccoli, Beef and Brown Rice Combo
from "Melissa's Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce"
*I meant to make this last week but used all my broccoli before I got the chance.
*Recipe after the jump!
Marinade:
2 large cloves of garlic
2 TBLS. soy sauce
1 TBLS. Honey
1 teas. toasted sesame oil
1 TBLS. rice vinegar
1 lb. boneless sirloin steak (I just got tri-tips from the butcher)
Rice Mixture:
1 cup long grain brown rice
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 teas. vegetable or canola oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally 1/4 inch thick
1 3/4 cup broccoli florets
Sauce:
3 TBLS. smooth peanut butter
3 TBLS. hot water
2 TBLS. seasoned rice vinegar
1 TBLS. soy sauce
1/8 teas. dried red chile flakes
2 teas. toasted sesame oil
Prepare marinade: Set large zipper-style plastic bag in bowl to hold it upright. Add garlic, soy sauce, honey, oil and vinegar. Poke steak at 1-inch intervals with tines of fork. Add steak to bag with marinade and seal. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours, turning bag occasionally to redistribute marinade.
Prepare rice: In large saucepan place rice, water, salt and oil. Bring to boil on high heat; stir once. Cover with tight-fitting lid; reduce heat to low and simmer 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with fork.
Meanwhile, bring about 5 cups water to boil on high heat in separate large saucepan. Add carrots and cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add broccoli and cook in boiling water until tender-crisp about 6-7 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat grill.
Prepare sauce: In medium bowl, stir peanut butter and 3 tbls. hot water to combine. Add vinegar, soy sauce, chile flakes, and sesame oil; stir vigorously to combine. Place rice in large bowl; add sauce and veggies. Set aside at room temp.
Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Grill over medium-high heat about 3 minutes on each side; cooking times vary. Set steak aside and allow to rest 5-10 minutes.
Slice steak into 1/4 inch thick slices. Spoon rice salad into bowls and top with steak.
I haven't decided if I want to make something with the apples like an apple crisp or just make some sort of scrumptious dip for them.
Same with the tomatoes, pretty sure I'm going to make a sauce.
And the onion, well that will be used this weekend in my potato salad, and tonight with our burgers.
Have a wonderful Friday everyone!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Something to brighten your day...
Okay this is completely irreverent and uncalled for...
And that makes it hilarious to me.
My cousin posted this on Facebook, I watched while I was quietly sitting all by myself and became that crazy person who laughs to herself.
And I'd do it again.
And that makes it hilarious to me.
My cousin posted this on Facebook, I watched while I was quietly sitting all by myself and became that crazy person who laughs to herself.
And I'd do it again.
Five things....
Right now, at this very moment I should probably be reading for my Biology class that starts in 31 minutes. But I'm not. Instead I'm going to talk to you my lovely interweb friends.
I thought today I would share some stuff that you may, or may not know about me. So here are five things about me that I find interesting, that you may find weird, but all in all it may explain why I am the way I am. And by that I mean, absolutely fabulous in every way!
1. I hate the zoo. I have since I was little, I know why I hate the zoo. But that story is to personal to share. Either way, I hate them.
2. I love anything old. Give me something vintage and I will treasure it forever, give me something new and I'll most likely donate it to Goodwill before the end of the year.
3. I am highly insecure, this is why I hide behind my amazing wit and give myself compliments all the time. Funny that it's really only on here that I tell myself how great I am. In real life I'm kind of a hot mess.
4. My favorite women of all time are my Grandmother(s), Mary Tyler Moore, Stevie Nicks, Mary Poppins and Audrey Hepburn. I feel like this gives me a well rounded sense of... something.
5. If I could earn a degree in procrastination I would have graduated already. Strangely I do get a lot accomplished while I'm not doing what I should be doing.
That's it. Not a lot, just enough.
Now I have 21 minutes until Bio...
what to do, what to do?
I thought today I would share some stuff that you may, or may not know about me. So here are five things about me that I find interesting, that you may find weird, but all in all it may explain why I am the way I am. And by that I mean, absolutely fabulous in every way!
1. I hate the zoo. I have since I was little, I know why I hate the zoo. But that story is to personal to share. Either way, I hate them.
2. I love anything old. Give me something vintage and I will treasure it forever, give me something new and I'll most likely donate it to Goodwill before the end of the year.
3. I am highly insecure, this is why I hide behind my amazing wit and give myself compliments all the time. Funny that it's really only on here that I tell myself how great I am. In real life I'm kind of a hot mess.
4. My favorite women of all time are my Grandmother(s), Mary Tyler Moore, Stevie Nicks, Mary Poppins and Audrey Hepburn. I feel like this gives me a well rounded sense of... something.
5. If I could earn a degree in procrastination I would have graduated already. Strangely I do get a lot accomplished while I'm not doing what I should be doing.
That's it. Not a lot, just enough.
Now I have 21 minutes until Bio...
what to do, what to do?
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Sister Wives...
My attempts to find some motivation today have been thwarted by the TLC series "Sister Wives."
Have you guys seen this? It's one of those train wreck kind of shows, where you can't turn away. Except it's not a train wreck, it's pretty good.
The story is about Kody Brown and his three wives along with their thirteen children. In the show he's courting a fourth wife who has three kids. They're already married in real life but the wedding will be the season finale for the show.
Since the show has aired a criminal investigation has opened in Utah against the family. If charges are filed they could face five years in prison and $50,000 in fines.
I don't have a problem with the family. At all. I was raised in the Morman church and my family goes way back on the registries, back before the church outlawed polygamy. In fact there's a picture at my mom's of a long ago relative of mine and his multiple wives.
My problem is with the state. Utah has one of the highest welfare rates in the country, most of that is due to the mass amount of polygamists in the state. Since the marriages between the sister wives are only spiritual and not legal they are able to apply for welfare saying that they are single mothers. That is wrong.
The Brown family doesn't seem to be one of those families. Kody works as an advertising exec,two of the wives work, it seems like one stays home and this forth one was looking for a job before she moved in with the family. They aren't living off the state, they're minding their own business, and they're practicing a part of their religion. It's not for everyone, but neither is wearing a birka or eating fish on Friday.
State of Utah, leave them alone.
Go after the polygamists that are marrying 14 year old girls and defrauding the state.
Besides, if you take these people to prison their children will become wards of the state. That's 15 children that are well taken care of that will be thrown into the foster care system. Will that cost more than the fines you will levy against the family?
Have you guys seen this? It's one of those train wreck kind of shows, where you can't turn away. Except it's not a train wreck, it's pretty good.
The story is about Kody Brown and his three wives along with their thirteen children. In the show he's courting a fourth wife who has three kids. They're already married in real life but the wedding will be the season finale for the show.
Since the show has aired a criminal investigation has opened in Utah against the family. If charges are filed they could face five years in prison and $50,000 in fines.
I don't have a problem with the family. At all. I was raised in the Morman church and my family goes way back on the registries, back before the church outlawed polygamy. In fact there's a picture at my mom's of a long ago relative of mine and his multiple wives.
My problem is with the state. Utah has one of the highest welfare rates in the country, most of that is due to the mass amount of polygamists in the state. Since the marriages between the sister wives are only spiritual and not legal they are able to apply for welfare saying that they are single mothers. That is wrong.
The Brown family doesn't seem to be one of those families. Kody works as an advertising exec,two of the wives work, it seems like one stays home and this forth one was looking for a job before she moved in with the family. They aren't living off the state, they're minding their own business, and they're practicing a part of their religion. It's not for everyone, but neither is wearing a birka or eating fish on Friday.
State of Utah, leave them alone.
Go after the polygamists that are marrying 14 year old girls and defrauding the state.
Besides, if you take these people to prison their children will become wards of the state. That's 15 children that are well taken care of that will be thrown into the foster care system. Will that cost more than the fines you will levy against the family?
Friday, October 8, 2010
Fresh Food Friday!
Happy Friday everyone! I've decided to start a new thing here on my little corner of the interwebs. Fresh Food Fridays!
For the last four months the mister and I have been getting our veggies from a local CSA (consumer supported agriculture). I had wanted to do this for a while but had never followed through until this summer. During my Environmental Politics class last spring we had a speaker come and tell us all about the different options that were available to us here in the Eugene area. It's amazing the amount of small farms that we are surrounded by. One day I was talking to the mister about it and we decided that we were going to do it, and that we were going to start as soon as we could.
There were two reasons we decided to buy local:
1. The amount of "fresh" non-organic vegetables we were buying at the store every week was comparable in price to the amount we would be paying for organic veg with the CSA. I was also fed up with buying veg and having it go bad within two or three days.
2. I come from a family of farmers. So doesn't it makes sense that I would support my local farmer?
We chose Sweetwater Farms in Creswell. We went with them because they offered three different sizes of boxes (small, medium, large), you pay by the month and they offer food for 50 weeks a year. If you want to check them out a little more here is their website: http://goodfoodeasy.com/index.html
Here's how it works:
Once a month I send them a check for my share.
On Wednesday I get an email with their newsletter letting me know what I will be receiving. They also include some recipes which is nice.
Thursday on the way home from picking up the mister we pick up our share. Then we come home and oogle over all the yummy things that we get.
During the summer there were a lot of peppers and tomatoes, so we ate A LOT of stir fry and BLT's. Now that I have gotten used to having so many amazing veggies in my fridge, and since it's cooled down, I'm starting to get a little more brave about cooking.
So here we come to Fresh Food Friday's.
Usually I'll post a picture of my haul, with a list of the recipes I want to try and maybe a copy of the recipes I'll be using.
But tonight since I've written so much already, I'm just giving you a picture, and my menu. Sorry but my brain is shot.
So here's what we got:
Here's the Menu:
Most of these include a lot of the leftovers we have from last week...
Broccoli, Beef and Brown Rice
*Broccoli from last week and carrots
Broccoli and Mushroom Pasta Alfredo
*Again Broccoli and Mushrooms from last week
Potatoes O'Brien (with bacon for breakfast Saturday)
*Potatoes, Onion
Traditional Sunday night dinner (pork chops, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob)
*Corn on the cob from last week
Leftover Pork, Wild Rice and Plum Salad
*Plums and Pluots from last week
Chicken Ceaser Salad
*Lettuce
Pound cake with Plum Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream
*Plums
Maybe I'll post the recipes when I make them, if they're delicious of course. If you want any of them just let me know and I'll post them or the links to them.
Now I'm going to watch some baseball and let my brain relax.
Enjoy your Friday night!
For the last four months the mister and I have been getting our veggies from a local CSA (consumer supported agriculture). I had wanted to do this for a while but had never followed through until this summer. During my Environmental Politics class last spring we had a speaker come and tell us all about the different options that were available to us here in the Eugene area. It's amazing the amount of small farms that we are surrounded by. One day I was talking to the mister about it and we decided that we were going to do it, and that we were going to start as soon as we could.
There were two reasons we decided to buy local:
1. The amount of "fresh" non-organic vegetables we were buying at the store every week was comparable in price to the amount we would be paying for organic veg with the CSA. I was also fed up with buying veg and having it go bad within two or three days.
2. I come from a family of farmers. So doesn't it makes sense that I would support my local farmer?
We chose Sweetwater Farms in Creswell. We went with them because they offered three different sizes of boxes (small, medium, large), you pay by the month and they offer food for 50 weeks a year. If you want to check them out a little more here is their website: http://goodfoodeasy.com/index.html
Here's how it works:
Once a month I send them a check for my share.
On Wednesday I get an email with their newsletter letting me know what I will be receiving. They also include some recipes which is nice.
Thursday on the way home from picking up the mister we pick up our share. Then we come home and oogle over all the yummy things that we get.
During the summer there were a lot of peppers and tomatoes, so we ate A LOT of stir fry and BLT's. Now that I have gotten used to having so many amazing veggies in my fridge, and since it's cooled down, I'm starting to get a little more brave about cooking.
So here we come to Fresh Food Friday's.
Usually I'll post a picture of my haul, with a list of the recipes I want to try and maybe a copy of the recipes I'll be using.
But tonight since I've written so much already, I'm just giving you a picture, and my menu. Sorry but my brain is shot.
So here's what we got:
Carrots, Romaine Lettuce,Potatoes, Tropea Onion, Eggs, Liberty Apples and
Plums. There was also Basil, but it didn't make it into the picture.
Here's the Menu:
Most of these include a lot of the leftovers we have from last week...
Broccoli, Beef and Brown Rice
*Broccoli from last week and carrots
Broccoli and Mushroom Pasta Alfredo
*Again Broccoli and Mushrooms from last week
Potatoes O'Brien (with bacon for breakfast Saturday)
*Potatoes, Onion
Traditional Sunday night dinner (pork chops, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob)
*Corn on the cob from last week
Leftover Pork, Wild Rice and Plum Salad
*Plums and Pluots from last week
Chicken Ceaser Salad
*Lettuce
Pound cake with Plum Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream
*Plums
Maybe I'll post the recipes when I make them, if they're delicious of course. If you want any of them just let me know and I'll post them or the links to them.
Now I'm going to watch some baseball and let my brain relax.
Enjoy your Friday night!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Bread...
Yeah it's just as good as it sounds.
Before C left for Hawaii she was completely stressed out about the zuc's that she had in her fridge so I offered to take them off her hands and make her some bread while she was gone. That's what I did today, and I'm pretty sure that I'll have to go get some more Zucchini's because I'm not sure this is going to last until they get home.
Here's the recipe:
Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup butter, melted
1 TBLS. vanilla
3 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teas. baking powder
1/2 teas. salt
1/2 teas. nutmeg
1/2 teas. cinammon
1/2 teas. cloves
1 cup shredded zucchini
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9x5x3 bread loaf pans.
In a mixing bowl combine eggs and sugar. Add pumpkin, butter and vanilla.
In separate bowl combine dry ingredients.
Gradually add dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture and mix well. Stir in zucchini.
Pour into the loaf pans.
Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
Let me tell you it is heavenly. Seriously. In fact I'm going to get a piece right now.
Enjoy!
Before C left for Hawaii she was completely stressed out about the zuc's that she had in her fridge so I offered to take them off her hands and make her some bread while she was gone. That's what I did today, and I'm pretty sure that I'll have to go get some more Zucchini's because I'm not sure this is going to last until they get home.
Here's the recipe:
Chocolate Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup butter, melted
1 TBLS. vanilla
3 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teas. baking powder
1/2 teas. salt
1/2 teas. nutmeg
1/2 teas. cinammon
1/2 teas. cloves
1 cup shredded zucchini
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9x5x3 bread loaf pans.
In a mixing bowl combine eggs and sugar. Add pumpkin, butter and vanilla.
In separate bowl combine dry ingredients.
Pour into the loaf pans.
Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
Let me tell you it is heavenly. Seriously. In fact I'm going to get a piece right now.
Enjoy!
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