Mardi Gras Galveston and my Un-inspiration-al-ness

This past weekend, Nicolas and I drove to The Woodlands then to Galveston.

On Friday night we went to my brother's soccer game... College Park vs. The Woodlands and it was so fun! The ref kept calling the most RIDICULOUS calls... like a red card for a kid falling on the ball... wtf?

Then, Saturday I saw Avatar for the second time (If you haven't seen it... GO SEE IT!) and then we drove to Galveston. My mom is the queen of vrbo.com and found the most adorable beach house. We went to the Mardi Gras parade and then went to the strand for dinner and had some DELISH italian food :). On Sunday, we went to lunch, hung out with the 'rents and then drove home. I am pooped!

And now... I have a terrible case of the Mondays. I am currently in a multimedia class and we have to create a website about whatever we want..... and I am having brain farts. I feel uninspired and completely boring.

Not a good feeling. This is why I am not a Graphic Design major.

Pennyism #3: We have a monkey... not a cat

We have been fooled. She's a monkey...

Penny likes to get behind the bed frame in between the wall and bed and play with my hair, etc. However, she has recently discovered that she may not be feline after all....

Fried Rice with Beef

 

 

 

 

Alrighty.... so I adapted this recipe from a Wok/Stir Fry book that I got Nicolas for Christmas. The great thing about fried rice is that you can put whatever veggies you want or have left over. :D

2 c White rice (I used Jasmine) IT HAS TO BE COLD! I cooked it and put it in the fridge for a couple hours
1/2 lb flank steak cut into cubes
1 carrot chopped
1/2 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c broccoli (maybe less... Nicolas doesn't like broccoli too much)
1/2 c peas
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce (I didn't have any...)
2 tbsp peanut oil
Pepper

Heat the oil in the wok on medium heat.
Put onions, garlic and carrot in wok (do not let the garlic burn)
Put steak in wok and cook until medium (it will continue to cook)
Push steak and veggies off to the side and put eggs in center. Wait until they are set and then mix in with other ingredients.
Put rice and remaining ingredients in the wok. Mix well, cook for 2 min.

Plastic Eater

 

Penny just ate a piece of plastic from the cotton round bag that was on the bed....... Nicolas is having a minor "parental freak out".... he's worried. She's definitely not acting any different than she usually does.

Hopefully she will just poop it out. Tee hee.

Pennyism #2

As per my mother's request....

Pennyism Numero Dos

Penny LOVES bells. It doesn't matter what she is doing, cleaning herself, sleeping, etc., she will wake up or stop whatever she is doing to get the bell. Her favorite toy is a plastic black rod with an elastic string attached with feathers and a bell. I need to get a picture of her in her "pounce" mode. Its quite ridiculous.

Gettin Fit!

Today I:

- Rode my bike to class
- Went to pilates
- Worked for my future brother-in-law, Christopher.

I am trying to lose 20 pounds before our wedding on 10/30.... I am sore but it makes me feel better that I am actually DOING something. It's a great feeling. I am currently trying to stop eating when I am full (which is a HUGE challenge... I love to eat) and exercise. On the right track so far :D.

It was SO hard not being able to do things when I had my foot surgery. Oh boy. I got so restless... but NOW I just have to keep workin on my flexibility in my foot and "work myself into other shoes." As of now, the only shoes I can wear are my Tom's which are great, don't get me wrong, but not the best for a business casual environment.

Anywho, Nicolas and I are trying to decide if we should eat out or not.... hmmmm.....

Pennyism #1

Alright so I decided to write about some Pennyism's because... let's face it... our kitty is so damn cute.

Pennyism #1:
Every time, I mean EVERY time, she uses the litter box she dashes out of the bathroom and room and sprints into the living room all the while making a purr-I'ma-gonna-getcha sound.

She makes me smile. It's ridiculous.

First post!

Oh boy.... I have been trying to cook different things this past week and I have gotten uber frustrated so I decided that I need a place to call my own. A place that I can vent about recipes or wedding planning blunders that may come my way. A place that I can share recipes and exciting things with my dearest friends and family. So here goes nothin!

Last night, I decided to try Rachael Ray's "Potato Soup with The Works." My good friend Karen said that she was going to challenge herself this year to make recipes from different cookbooks that she has never made before in order to keep things interesting and challenge her chef abilities. So decided to do the same thing.

Two things that attracted me to this recipe: 1) I was able to use my immersion blender that I got for Christmas from my future mother-in-law. 2) I was in a soup mood. Nicolas and I have been trying to spend less money on eating out. PLUS: It will help with my current weight loss goals.

Hokay... so... here's the recipe! It turned out delish. :D

Ingredients

* 8 slices bacon, chopped
* 4 leeks, green parts removed and discarded, white parts chopped (I used 1 leek and half an onion because... well... I only had 1 leek)
* 4 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped
* 8 sprigs fresh thyme, removed from stems
* 1 tablespoon paprika, plus additional for garnish (I didn't have any...)
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
* 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
* A dash of hot sauce (optional)(Not used when I made it)
* 1 cup shredded New York-style cheddar cheese
* 1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano (I didn't have this either so I used more cheddar)
* Scallions, for garnish
* Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, cook bacon until golden brown. Remove cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.
Step

Add leeks and garlic to the bacon fat and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the thyme, paprika, some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add potatoes and stock to the pot and bring up to a bubble. Reduce heat to medium and simmer the potatoes until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. When the potatoes are tender, puree the soup until smooth using a blender, food processor or immersion blender.

Adjust the seasoning as needed with salt, freshly ground black pepper and hot sauce, if desired. Serve the soup in a bowl or mug topped with some of the two cheeses, reserved bacon, a sprinkling of scallions, a dollop of sour cream and a dash of paprika.


Yummy!


Love to all,
Ashbash