Is It Friday Yet...

This month feels like it has been dragging on and on. I want August to get here and just have a fresh start. Work isn't so hot right now, but I am trying to make the best of it for sure. I am really looking forward to the weekend though. E and I have plans all weekend. Saturday we are going here then here . After brunch we are going to get ingredients for Gin and Tonics and some Vinho Verde. Saturday night we are going to grill some sweet corn, BBQ pork roast, with a side of homemade Weight Watchers coleslaw and potato salad. Sunday we are going to FireLake for brunch and then to see the X Files movie.

I overheard some of the best things today.

1. Our psycho neighbor lost her job, is behind on her mortgage and was talking today about how she is more than likely going to just walk away from her house. As sad as it is that she might lose her house, she is a horrible neighbor, we won't have to deal with the cops being at her house every other weekend, and her house is in such bad shape it is bringing down the property values.

2. One of my co-workers (who I happen to hate) got into a huge fight with our boss today and is sounds like he is never coming back to work. One can only hope. I am keeping my fingers crossed on that one for sure.

Whip It Up Week 4...

Asparagus Mornay

1 1/2 Lbs. fresh asparagus
1 tbsp butter (I used Smart Balance Light)
1 tbsp flour
1 cup half & half
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2 tbsp crushed butter-flavored crackers (I used Ritz)

Cook asparagus until tender (may be broken into 1-inch pieces or kept as long stems). Arrange in a greased 1 1/2-quart baking dish. In a sauce pan, melt butter. Add flour and cook 1 minute while stirring. Whisk in the half & half, nutmeg, bouillon and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Pour sauce over asparagus, then sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Broil 6 inches from heat 3 to 5 minutes. (Recipe courtesy of h*dizz)

Whip It Up Questions

1. Was the recipe easy to follow? Yes. Very.

2. Did the dish taste good? Yes. It was a great side dish and made great leftovers.

3. Would you make it again? Yes. I think I will actually add it to my Thanksgiving rotation it was so good. It is a good way to dress up asparagus.

Dark Knight Part Two...

Today E and I went back to see The Dark Knight. We actually got to see the entire movie this time and it was amazing. We also went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch. (Yum!)

Last night 2 friends came over, we grilled, sat out on the patio and had a few drinks and then ended up playing Beer Pong and Asshole. It was a lot of fun. We listened to a bunch of music, played games and just goofed around.

This weekend was short, but it was fun. I am not sure what we are going to do next weekend, but I know that we will be getting sushi. I NEED to get sushi soon.

Happy Saturday...

Just My Luck...

So E and I went to see The Dark Knight tonight and about half way through the movie, just when everyone could tell that the good part was coming up the freaking theatre lost power! I mean seriously!!! We sat there for a good 20 minutes waiting/hoping that the power would come back on, but it never did. We went out to the lobby to get our free movie passes and headed out to Applebee's for dinner. I decided that since I have been really careful with my food consumption lately that I would splurge a little bit. I got a burger and fries and one of their little mini cheesecakes in a cup. I was so full I couldn't even eat the entire burger. The food was terrible though. I am not sure if it was really that bad or if I just wasn't feeling "junk" food. I should have gotten a salad. (WEIRD) I seriously cannot believe that the power went out though. That also happened to us at Sushi Tango a few weeks ago. I think that E is just cursed. He said that when they were on the subway in NYC the lights went out in the subway car they were on too. Anyway, we are going to try and see the movie again tomorrow or Sunday. I don't really want to sit through the beginning of the movie again, but I guess I will to see how it ends.

Nerd Alert...

E and I are watching Stargate SG1 (his favorite show) and just saw a commercial for Eureka. I am so excited! It starts on the 29th!!!

It is so sad that I watch the SciFi channel on a regular basis. Seriously.

I am craving sushi so bad right now. I am going to wait until tomorrow though. I am also FINALLY going to see TDK tonight. I convinced E to go with me on the condition that I go see the X-Files movie with him. (LAME-O) Oh well, I guess I can endure an hour or so of crap to see TDK.

I have to work tomorrow which sucks, but on Sunday we are going here. Hopefully next weekend we will be going here.

Fall Wishlist 1.0...

Yummy...

I had a Michael Graves for Target blender that I loved. E however lost the O ring for it a few weeks ago and it now longer seals. I went to Target today after work and ended up getting a new blender on sale for $24.99. The thing is so cool. It is called the Stay or Go Blender. It comes with a regular blender jar and a little mini jar that you can blend in and then screw on a travel lid and take it with you. How genius is that? In honor of my new blender I whipped up a tropical shake.

1/2 cup light vanilla yogurt

1 cup pineapple tidbits

2 tbsp shredded coconut

1/2 cup skim milk

1/2 a large banana

ice

blend

It is so yummy and only 5 WW points. Delicious. I have enough left over for tomorrow's breakfast as well.

I watched Project Runway tonight. What is up with those designers? Totally annoying. Especially Suede. He loves to talk in 3rd person and he makes up stupid little catch phrases all the time. Sounds to me like someone is trying to be the new Christian. The other annoying ones that I hope to see go soon are the super tan dude that adds licious on to almost anything, Stella, the biker chick with the spider lashes and the gangster nerd. I love Kelli, Kenley and Jennifer (I think those are their names) The winner from last week, the 40s broad (as Natalie Portman called her) and the girl that made the orange and gray dress. I also loved Terri's dress tonight. A-mazing. The rest? Eh. We'll see what happens. None of them are silver tranny fox ferocia, that is for sure.

I'm off to watch P.S. I Love You in HD. I am going to swoon over Gerard Butler, even though he is dead in the movie. I will probably cry a bunch too. I am a sap, what can I say?

So Embarrassing...

I went to work today to work the 2.5 hours that I was planning to work. I had to ask if it was ok to take tomorrow off as well. I walked into Bossman's office to ask him a question about something else and to ask for tomorrow off. He noticed that my face was super red, he asked if I was ok and I burst into tears. How humiliating. He was very nice and supportive though which made it less humiliating.

I made homemade fajitas for dinner tonight. I'm not incredibly hungry, but they were still pretty good. I also found out today that my Starbucks is closing on Sunday. Sad holla. I am going to have to stop there on Saturday morning before work to say bye to everyone.

I read in the Star Tribune today that Tim Pawlenty (Gov. of MN) is rumored to be John McCain's choice for VP. WHY?!?!?!? Now I don't know who to vote for.

I watched last night's episode of Flipping Out. Too funny. I loved when Zoila was telling Chris why he couldn't have Memorial Day off and lecturing him about how many people work on holidays. I also thought it was hilarious when Jenny called Jeff Chatty Cathy. I heart that show so much. Tonight I am going to watch Project Runway and Iron Chef America. I might also watch Atonement. Not sure if I am feeling that or not. I should be getting the 2nd half of Season 3 of Entourage tomorrow which is nice. I love that show as well.

A New Day...

Thanks guys for your sweet comments. Last night was certainly rough. My uncle had heart surgery on Saturday and everyone thought that he was doing better, but evidently yesterday he had a heart attack yesterday and since his heart was so weak from the surgery it just couldn't recover. I knew what had happened around 7 last night because my brother tried calling me at work. My mom evidently freaked out on him and he wouldn't call me back after that. Right after I got home from work my mom called me and told me. The hardest part was being alone at the time. I did manage to get ahold of E in NY and got to talk to him for a bit.

Things like this remind me how short life really is. It definitely gave me a kick in the butt to eat better and take better care of my health. It also reminds me that I need to focus on things that I want in life and to not watch my dreams float by while I sit around doing nothing. My uncle never got married and never had kids, and as sad as it is to say, he died alone. He always said that was the life he chose, but you could tell he wasn't being honest. The one thing I thought of after my mom told me what had happened was who was going to take care of his dog.

Anyway, enough sad. I am going to really make the most out of my life and enjoy it while it lasts. I need to not let other people get me down, I need to do the things I want, spend time with people I love and people that make me happy and not worry about the small stuff.

Goodbye...

The hardest part about someone you love dying is never getting to say goodbye.

Now the light has gone away,
Jesus listen while I pray,
asking thee to watch and keep,
and to send me quiet sleep.

Jesus, Savior, wash away
all that has been wrong today;
help me every day to be
good and gentle, more like thee.

Let my near and dear ones be
always near and dear to thee;
O bring me and all I love
to thy happy home above.

Now my evening praise I give:
thou didst die that I might live;
thou my best and kindest Friend,
thou wilt love me to the end.

Uncle Brian, I'm sorry we didn't get to say goodbye. I will miss you.

Juno...

So I saw Juno for the first time tonight. (I must be the only person on the planet that hasn't seen that movie) It was decent, but I'm not quite sure why everyone that I have talked to about it has LOVED it. It was cute, somewhat funny and kinda sad, but it wasn't anything amazing. (I am probably going to get hate mail now, I know. Sorry) Maybe I didn't like it as much because I heart Jason Bateman and he was a total d-bag in that movie.

Speaking of movies, I am considering going to see The Dark Knight on Wednesday. By myself. I have seriously never gone to the movies by myself and I feel like kind of a loser, but E doesn't want to see it (because Batman doesn't do it for him. Loser) and I really REALLY do. We shall see what happens.

My house is going to be amazingly clean when E gets back. I actually washed dishes by hand tonight. I vowed that I would never do that again. Ever. The amount of dishes I used though was minimal and they would have gotten all gross by the time I had a dishwasher load full. It is really wasteful to run the dishwasher with a couple of pieces of silverware, 2 plates and pan and a cutting board. I am also in the process of cleaning the rest of the house. The majority will more than likely be done on Wednesday.

I went to bed really early last night and got up at a decent time today. Sleeping in is usually pretty great, but I wanted to be productive for once. I didn't get a lot done though. I vacuumed up some dog hair and that is about it.

Whip It Up Week 3...

Cheese-Stuffed Manicotti

1 tsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

Three 8-0z cans of tomato sauce

1 tbsp Italian herb seasoning

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

1 1/4 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

12 manicotti shells, cooked

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the garlic until golden. (about 2 minutes) Stir in the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F, spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg and parsley. Fill the shells with the cheese mixture; place in the baking dish. Pour the sauce over the shells. Bake until browned and bubbling. 30-40 minutes.

Whip It Up Questions

1. Was the recipe easy to follow? Very. I forgot to get manicotti shells at the store so I used some jumbo shells that I had in the pantry. They worked just as well, I just had to use a couple extra. I believe it made 16 jumbo shells instead of 12 manicotti shells.

2. Did the dish taste good? It was so-so. This is another WW recipe and the homemade sauce was a little powerful. The Italian seasoning didn't soften up very much either so the sauce was crunchy. If I make this again I will use real homemade sauce or some Prego.

3. Would you make it again? Probably. The cheese filling and the pasta was really good, I just didn't care for the sauce.

Food Post...

I am still keeping up with the food posts, even thought they have been pretty boring.

I actually didn't eat a whole lot today. I had 2 stuffed pasta shells, some salad and a little bowl of ice cream. I don't really know why I'm not hungry, but I'm not going to complain.

I also didn't get everything done on my list that I had planned, but oh well. I did my newspaper stakeout (got the paper!) went grocery shopping, watched Definitely Maybe (loved), cooked up some dinner and watched some TV. I also cleaned the kitchen and did some laundry. Exciting.

Anyway, I made my Whip It Up recipe tonight, I am just too tired to post it. I will do that tomorrow.

Gone...

E is staying at our friend C's apartment tonight so they can take the train to the airport bright and early tomorrow. I have a list all planned out for tomorrow and I think it will be great fun. (HA!)

1. Get up bright and early to watch for my StarTribune. I am going to see if the guy is actually not coming to drop it off or if someone is stealing it off my porch. If the guy isn't coming I am going to flip out on those paper people. Pioneer Press will be getting my business for sure. After my stakeout I am going to take T for a nice long walk.

2. I am going to clean my house, get rid of random crap laying around and go through my magazines and stuff.

3. I am going to run to the grocery store to get stuff that I forgot on Friday.

4. I am going to cook up some stuff for lunch/dinner this week.

5. I am also going to watch a Definitely Maybe and Juno.

Anyway, tonight I made E the Italian Sausage and Peppers that I meant to make over a week ago. I wasn't really looking forward to it because I am not really a big fan of sausage and peppers. He specifically asked me to make it for him before he left though so I did. It was SOOOOOO yummy. Seriously. I loved it. I made the base recipe and then added just a bit of feta cheese to mine. E said that it was just like the stuff he used to get at the Olive Garden. We added it to our list of yummy Weight Watcher's recipes for sure.

I have posted quite a bit today huh? I am incredibly bored. I am in a lot better mood than before though.

I read a great quote that I thought I would share. "The person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused."

How to Piss Me Off...

Wake me up when you get up. I was FINALLY getting some restful sleep.

Continue to try and wake me up to help you with yard work. Sorry. Picking up sticks from the backyard is not my idea of fun weekend plans.

Send the dog in to wake me up. You are not being cute, stop it.

When I finally get up, rush me to get outside so we can talk about plans for the yard. I love you with all of my heart, but I. Don't. Care. About. The. Yard. Do whatever you want.

Give me detailed instructions about what I need to do with the yard/plants/grass while you are away. I think I can figure out how to turn on the hose, pick berries and veggies and make sure some flowers don't die. I also know how to push a lawnmower. Thanks though.

Ugh...

I keep forgetting (maybe repressing) the fact that the Republican National Convention will be here in September. Soooo not looking forward to that mess. True, it is in St. Paul, but it is still going to cause so much havoc in the cities. That, and I am not terribly excited by the city being over run with Republicans. Boo.

Post 200...

Its finally Friday!!!!!!!

I am so glad that the weekend is almost here. I got 2 new magazines in the mail this morning so hopefully it will slow down a bit tonight at work so I can read them. Tomorrow E and I are going to do some yard work, cook a yummy dinner and just spend the day together before he leaves Sunday morning.

I am starting to get really freaked out about being home alone. It is the first time I have been here alone for more than one night since we bought the place. I am starting to freak out that I will come home to a house full of bats or bugs or something and he won't be here to get them out. I know that I will be fine, I just always freak out a bit when I am alone. It should be nice to have some time to myself though as well. I can do whatever I want : )

I actually got up early this morning and went grocery shopping and stopped at Rosedale Mall to pay the GAP a visit. There was a line of roughly 150 people waiting to get into the Apple store. I just don't understand why people would wait in line for that phone. Yeah, it is pretty cool, but why not wait a few weeks? Or, buy it online. I would never wait in line for a phone. Ever. I have to say that I was pretty disappointed with the GAP today though. Not a lot of selection. They merged GAP with GAP Body and Baby GAP so I can understand why they don't have as much selection any more. So, I will just have to buy online.

I had another run-in with an asshole driver today. I made a lane change (with PLENTY of room) and the guy behind me got super pissy, moved to the left hand lane and then jerked his car right back behind mine. We were at a stop light so just to be a beyotch I drover really slow when we started out. He started to tailgate me which made me angry so I slowed down even more. He jerked his car over to the right (again, an exit lane) and I floored it so he couldn't cut back over. I am so mean, but karma is a bitch. He must have been in a real hurry that he couldn't have waited an extra 3 seconds to get where he was going. (Lizzie, I did say don't mess with me again! too)

Food post: I really love the 100 calorie salads from Dole. I only like the Caesar ones, but I add some pre-cooked seasoned chicken and lunch is served. I am going to have one of those for lunch with some fruit and yogurt and then a Lean Cuisine sandwich and more yogurt for dinner. I absolutely love vanilla yogurt and fresh blueberries. Yum! Oh, I also lost 2 lbs : ) Yay! I am on a roll now.

Ok, this post is long enough. Bye! Have a great weekend!

Pics for h*dizz (and anyone else that cares)...

Michael Scott and Such...

I know that I have mentioned before that my boss has a lot in common with Michael Scott. Well, awhile ago I got a Dwight bobble head and it came with Michael's World's Best Boss mug. A co-worker of mine suggested that I give it to our boss as a joke. I wasn't sure how he would take it so I held off on giving it to him. A few weeks ago I finally decided to give it to him. D and I snuck it into his office after he had left for the night and didn't tell anyone that it was from us. The following Monday there was a mass email sent out the entire team mentioning the gift and thanking whoever gave it to him. D and I decided to fess up and tell him it was from us. He came over and told us that he loves The Office and that he wishes that he could get away with acting like Michael Scott at work. Why? Oh, because Michael is his favorite character. D and I both fought to keep straight faces as he told us all of this and as soon as he left for the night we completely lost it.

My 3rd weigh in for WW is tomorrow morning and it is going to take some miracle to show a reduction. This means 2 straight weeks with 0 lbs lost. What the heck is going on? I feel like I am starving all the time, my stomach and IBS is out of control and I can't sleep. I wish my body would just adjust and start losing weight. Grrr!!!

I am trying to figure out what to do with myself all week while E is away. He leaves early Sunday morning so I will have all day Sunday to myself. Maybe I will get some sushi takeout and watch a movie or two. I am also going to clean my house, possibly move some stuff around to make it look like people actually live here and do a bunch of cooking.

My food post today is pretty bleak. I had some Fresco style tacos from Taco Bell for lunch (as I mentioned earlier) let me just say that cheese and Ranchero sauce/sour cream make a taco taste good. A tortilla filled with dry chicken, a few shreds of lettuce and a spoonful of crappy "salsa" tastes like crap. At least my Taco Bell fixation has been completely killed. 6 total WW points and no satisfaction at all. Bummer. I guess I will stick with home cooked food from now on.

Weather...

I love days like today. It is cooler than normal, there is a breeze and it is raining. True, the humidity is still hanging around 71% so it still feels muggy and a bit sticky, but today is perfect. It has been in the higher 80s and 90s for the last week or so (which I love, don't get me wrong) but I love days like today that remind me a little of fall mixed in with my beloved tropical temperatures. I am going to enjoy my raining day with wearing my new cozy sweater to work, and stopping by Starbucks to get some hot coffee instead of the iced coffee I usually get. D.O. and I are also getting Taco Bell for lunch today. (Don't worry, I am getting the steak taco and the chicken ranchero both Fresco style to fit in with WW)

Then tomorrow the higher temperatures are back with some sun just in time for the weekend. Perfect. My plans include sitting outside on the patio, book reading and TJ walking.

The best part about today is that we get to wear jeans for the rest of the month at work. Starting today. ROCK! I love when they do that. It isn't a huge deal, but not having to dress up every day is kinda nice every once in awhile. I wish they would decide in advance and just do it for an entire month though.

Oh Man...

I didn't fall asleep until 5 am. What the heck. I did manage to read an entire book though. I wasn't feeling something heavy like The Kite Runner so I decided to start reading LoveHampton instead. It was a pretty decent book. Good summer/beach read. I am not sure which book I am going to read next yet.

My body has finally started to stop feeling hungry all the time. I did reduce my caloric intake by quite a bit in the last few weeks so I always feel hungry, but I am learning to adjust and adapt so hopefully I can keep it up. I made some really yummy pasta for dinner tonight. I also had a potsticker Lean Cuisine. It was good but the rice that came with it was really dry. I need to go through my cookbooks again and find some more yummy things to make. I am definitely going to make the Kung Pao Shrimp again this weekend. Yum.

I am also super excited because an old friend moved to Mpls : ) We are in the process of making plans to get together and hang out. So excited!

Blah...

That is how I am feeling today.

I am irritated once again with work/my co-workers.

I am in debt big time. What else is new though right?

I actually took all of my major credit cards and store credit cards and sealed them away in an envelope for safe keeping. I need to purge my saved info from online stores though too.

I have been following Weight Watchers to a tee and have only lost 5 lbs in 2 weeks. Boo.

I have been eating a lot of roast beef and provolone sandwiches. Weird.

I am seriously loving the song Learning How to Bend by Gary Allan. That guy has one of the greatest voices ever.

I am starting to plan out my fall outfit purchases. So far I have some colored cords from J Crew and the Cardy boots by Ugg. I don't care what anyone else says, I live in the frozen frickin tundra and Ugg boots are so warm and cozy I don't even care if they aren't that cute. I will be making that purchase soon. (Right after I posted about being in debt, I know right) I will be making that purchase with cash.

In other big news, I made the big girl decision to completely pay off my car by the end of this year. I owe about $5700.00 on it still. August will be my first large payment of $1800.00.

I have 2 days off next week and I am beyond pumped. E will be in NYC with his boys Sunday through Thursday so I will have the house to myself those days. I have Wednesday and Friday off. I know it is weird not to take consecutive days off, but I have to work Saturday so I will work Monday, Tuesday Thursday and Saturday. E and I are going to go to the zoo on Friday if the weather is nice.

I am really pumped that Justin Morneau won the Home Run Derby last night. Sucks that 3 different people butchered his name. He was the MVP 2 years ago for the love of God. It was nice that he stuck it to Josh Hamilton though. J.M. is on my local freebie five list. E knows about the local list. He is totally ok with it too. He is going to see the Twins play the Yankee's next week in NYC and he told me he would tell Justin that I love him if he sees him : ) What a great boyfriend huh? I know, I am a n.e.r.d.

Fact...

If I have to hear my cubemate talk about Brett Farve coming to play football in Minnesota ONE MORE FREAKIN TIME I am going to staple his mouth shut. GRRR!!!!!!!! I don't give a crap dude. Get over it.

I will be back later with my food post and some other fun tidbits.

Delicious...

For dinner tonight I had left over Kung Pao Shrimp and some Yoplait Light Very Vanilla yogurt with fresh blueberries and strawberries mixed in. Its the first time I tried the Yoplait vanilla, but it was super good.

Is anyone else excited for the new Will Ferrell movie? I absolutely love Will Ferrell and this new one looks awesome. I am probably going to have to go see the stupid X Files movie with E to get him to go see Step Brothers, so hopefully its worth it.

I am also excited for Project Runway to start again.

I don't have much else to post about today. Sorry.

New Addition...

To my Freebie 5. Look how gorgeous he is.

Whip It Up Week 2...

Weight Watchers Kung Pao Shrimp

Ingredients:

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup sake or rice wine
2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp chili-garlic sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp Asian (dark) sesame oil
2 tsp canola oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 scallions, chopped
2 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups broccoli florets
1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained

Directions:
1. Combine the broth, sake or rice wine, soy sauce, honey, chili-garlic sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil in a bowl; set aside.

2. Heat a nonstick wok or a large, deep skillet over med-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the canola oik, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry until just opaque in the center, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate.

3. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli florets and bamboo shoots; stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture and the shrimp. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute.

I didn't use the sake/rice wine. I just subbed chicken broth. I also didn't use the scallions or ginger because I don't like either. I also used a bag of smaller frozen shrimp instead of the medium.

Whip It Up Questions

1. Was the recipe Easy to Follow? - Very. The instructions were simple, and the prep was minimal and simple as well.

2. Did the dish taste good? - Yes. The sauce didn't thicken as much as I had hoped, but I served it with Brown Minute Rice so the rice absorbed some of the sauce.

3. Would you make it again? - Absolutely. I have added it to my repeat recipes for sure. Next time I will more than likely add some chopped carrots and some water chestnuts.

Stressed...

I am pretty stressed out today. It could have something to do with the food poisoning and me not feeling well yesterday, plus some other crap between E and I. Anyway, not talking about that anymore.

My next door neighbors Al and Anita had a birthday party for their daughter. They are Native American and always make Indian fry bread tacos for their daughter's birthday. SO GOOD! I wish they made them more often and shared them with us. LOVE them. I need to learn how to make them on my own. They also had homemade mac and cheese, a fruit bar, and a cupcake and cookie bar. I had a bite of the mac and cheese and 1 taco. I ate really well the rest of the day though.

The rest of the day was pretty tame. I watched all the episodes of Secret Diary of a Call Girl, the Real World finale. Oh, and last night I finally watched 27 Dresses. Such a cute movie. Didn't help with my wedding jealousy/rage though.

Food...

Poisoning.

That is what I am suffering from at this very moment.

That is my food post for Friday. Even though it is technically 1:48 am on Saturday...

Blanking on a Title...

My Target Philly roll and I are going to have to part ways. If not 100% at least most of the time. I figured it out today when I had a package for lunch that they are just too high in calories to keep eating them on a regular basis.

I have been living off of tuna sandwiches, salads and Lean Cuisines. I need to come up with some more interesting items. Maybe I will start making stuff on the weekends and then have a bunch of leftovers to eat during the week.

I also need to stop watching TV. I see too many delicious food commercials. A guy at work today was talking about Olive Garden and I almost punched him. This whole dieting thing is tough. I am going to stick with it though because I am tired of feeling fat all the time. The relationship between food and I is going to have to change.

So Excited...

The pink jacket I posted about (did I forget to mention that I bought it?) should be here today!!! So excited. Hopefully it looks as good in real life as it did online. I have some other stuff coming from GAP in the next few days, and a few cookbooks that I ordered are coming from Amazon. I love getting packages! I bet the UPS guy thinks I am insane though. He has been here everyday this week.

Speaking of books, I just finished Chasing Harry Winston. It wasn't as good as The Devil Wears Prada, but it was still good. I also finished Such a Pretty Fat last weekend. That book was too funny. I can't wait for her next book to come out. Hopefully that happens soon. I need to think about which book I am going to read next. Maybe The Kite Runner.

My goodness...

Ok, so remember when I said that I made some decisions about my life and a big secret announcement? Well... I thought long and hard about it and there are some things that I am not ready to share, but the big change is that 2 Fridays ago I decided to join Weight Watchers. With some medical problems I have had in the past few years that essentially involved a treatment involving a massive amounts of steroids and if I am being honest with myself just sheer laziness I gained a lot of weight. I would start a diet and quickly tire of it or just get bored. So far I have been doing quite well following the WW plan last weekend not included. (It was a holiday and I drank quite a few mojitos. Bad, very bad.) I like the plan because I can indulge in things I like/crave but I just need to be smart about it. Take tonight for example. E and I ordered pizza. Instead of getting wings, bread sticks or some type of dessert we just got a thin crust pizza. I ate well during the day and had just enough points to have a few slices of pizza. Delicious. I honestly think that I will be able to follow this plan and stick with it without getting bored. I'm not gonna lie, a lot of the time I am starving, but I will adapt in a few weeks I am sure. With Whip it Up I am going to try and post a recipe that fits in to the WW plan that I am following. I am not going to make this a WW blog, but I will probably update my progress once in awhile.

Angry Food Post...

I stopped at Super Target to get sushi for lunch and some other odd items. I also stopped in at the Starbucks there to get my daily coffee. I have recently been drinking plain old iced coffee. I placed my order, waited in the abnormally long line and waited and waited and waited. I couldn't figure out what was going on since it was just coffee and ice, but they were sure taking their sweet ass time. Finally one of the 3 people working there asked if I was waiting for a Strawberry and Creme. I told him what I was waiting for and he looked utterly confused. I attempted to explain that I wanted coffee, and ice in a Venti cup. Still looking confused he asked another girl for help. She said she didn't know how to make an iced coffee and asked if I wanted an iced Americano for the same price. I was running really late for work by this point so I didn't argue. I was completely confused how they could know how to make an Americano but not know how to put coffee over ice. Strange.

The 2nd thing involving food that pissed me off today is that I have been craving a cheese quesadilla ALL FREAKIN DAY!!! Simply made it is 2 Aztec taco tortillas filled with Reduced Fat Mexican Cheese. Microwave for 1 minute and done. I thought we were running low on tortillas so I called E to see if he still had some or if I would need to stop at the store on the way home. I asked him twice, and he assured me we did. I got home all excited to make my quesadilla and low and behold. NO F'IN TORTILLAS!!!! So pissed. I ended up having a tuna salad sandwich and a pickle. So not happy since I just wanted a quesadilla.

Cuban Sandwich...

I promised you all a recipe and I am participating in Whip it Up. I am supposed to post a recipe a week so here is the recipe for this week.

Cuban Sandwich

Ingredients
4 (3-ounce) hoagie rolls, cut in half lengthwise
8 slices of smoked turkey
8 (3/4-ounce) slices low-fat Swiss cheese
8 sandwich-length pickle slices
cooking spray

For the garlic Dijon butter

1 whole head garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon olive oil1 1/2 teaspoons butter, softened

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. To prepare the butter: remove the white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves); drizzle with oil.
3. Wrap the garlic head in foil. Bake at 350° F for about 1 hour; let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Separate the garlic cloves; squeeze to extract the garlic pulp. Discard the skins.
5. In a small bowl, combine the garlic pulp, butter and Dijon mustard; set aside.
6. To prepare the sandwiches: scoop out the inside of the roll halves, leaving a 1/2-inch shell.
7. Spread about 2 teaspoons garlic butter over the cut sides of the top and bottom halves of each roll.
8. Arrange the turkey, pickles and cheese evenly on the bottom halves of the rolls; top with the top halves.
9. Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray.
10. Add 2 sandwiches to the pan. Place a cast-iron or heavy skillet on top of the sandwiches, pressing gently to flatten.
11. Grill for about 4 minutes on each side (or until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted).
12. Repeat the procedure with the remaining 2 sandwiches.
13. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally, and serve immediately.

Instead of the hoagie rolls I used whole wheat hamburger buns. I wasn't in the mood for a big sandwich. I also didn't make the roasted garlic. I just mixed the Dijon mustard and butter together, added the turkey and cheese and pickles. I also used homemade pickles that have extra garlic in them in substitution of the roasted garlic. This sandwich was really easy to make and was perfect for a quick after dinner meal. I would probably try to make the butter sauce next time I make this recipe because the mustard was a little bit too strong. I didn't have my camera handy so I didn't get a picture this week, but I will try to take pictures of my next recipe. : )

Happy Sunday...

Today was a perfect lazy Sunday. E and I slept in, went to Applebee's to get a leisurely lunch and to watch part of the Twins game and then went to see the movie Wanted. I really didn't want to see that movie at first, but I am glad I did. It is a perfect summer movie. Lots of action, an ok storyline and nothing that you really need to think about or concentrate on. Tonight we just watched some TV, cooked chicken fajitas for dinner and just chilled. It was the perfect end to a great weekend. As far as my food post like I said we made chicken fajitas for dinner and for lunch I had the California Shrimp Salad at Applebee's. It was pretty good, a little bit too much dressing, but otherwise tasty. E had the quesadilla burger and let me have a taste. I kind of wished that I had ordered that instead. It was really good. I promise that I will do better with these food posts, I am just really hot and tired right now and can't think of anything else to post right now. I will be posting a recipe later on this week : )

Yes or No...

I am thinking about getting this jacket. What do you guys think?
It looks like a good early fall coat and I love the bright color. Most of the coats/jackets I own are black or beige. I think a little punch of color would be a nice change.

Oops...

I missed my post yesterday. Oh well. I know that I was doing NaBloPoMo again, but it was a holiday, I had guests almost all day and I was having fun. My vacation has been really great. I have read some magazines, started a new book, sat out in the sun and got a bit of a sunburn as well. E and I had friends over, grilled a bunch of good food and just enjoyed out patio to the fullest. Thursday for food we had grilled burgers, veggies, and potatoes. Last night we made steak, hotdogs and sausages as well as grilled sweet corn and salad with lettuce from our garden. I drank a few too many mojitos and I am for sure feeling it today. We decided that we were tired of grilled food so tonight we went out to Buffalo Wild Wings with some friends and then E and his buddies are going to order the UFC fight. The best part is that we still have another day off of work.

Rested...

I have spent the last two days relaxing. Yesterday I went grocery shopping, caught up on some TV, started reading a new book, cooked dinner for E and I, and did pretty much nothing else. Today I assembled the patio umbrella that finally arrived, sat outside in the sun drinking iced coffee, read some more of the book and listened to the summer playlist I created. I tried as best as I could to ignore the sounds of the neighborhood and just pretended that I was on a beach somewhere with no one else around. I am in such a great mood that TJ making a great escape through our broken fence and running halfway down the block get to me. Tonight we are having some friends over for grilling and drinks. (I know, that is all we do)

I have to blog about food sometime today so it might as well be now. For lunch I had more of the salad I posted about yesterday but instead of Ranch dressing I used Daniel's Fire roasted Salsa as my dressing. Yum! I also had some leftover grilled green beans and some delicious Crystal Light. Last night we ended up skipping the pasta and had steak, green beans and salad instead. Tonight it will be grilled chicken, some grilled summer squash, some more salad and a couple of Mojitos.

I should also mention that today marks the 10 year anniversary of E's and my first date. We went to see the crap that is Armageddon. I wish I would have known then that him going to see that with me did not mean he would be willing to go see any romantic comedy I wanted. I did manage to get him to sit through 2 + hours of Meet Joe Black later on in our relationship. He did return the favor by making me sit through Any Given Sunday and the first Lord of the Rings movie. Anyway, I knew after that first date that he was the love of my life. I am happy to know that it wasn't just wishful thinking of a teen aged girl. I love him as much today as I ever have. Sure there are days that I want to wring his neck, but I would rather have those bad days with him than with anyone else. Ok, that is enough of the cheese.

I Want...

I Need...

Dear...

FedEx,

Your company really sucks. I have been waiting for my package all day just to find out that your a-hole delivery guy decided to be lazy, not deliver my package and then just said he attempted delivery with no response. I have been here all freaking day, no one rang the bell, there was no door tag, and the dog that can smell the UPS guy down the block hasn't moved. He ran to the door and made a stink when the DHL guy showed up, he freaked when the mailman came, but that is it. See a pattern here FedEx? If your driver had come to my house, my dog would have alerted me. On top of me not getting my package, I had to deal with 3 really snotty people from your customer service and t-station. I was lied to by the first one, she said that she would have the package redelivered, the 2nd one told me that the driver was there and that there was a door tag left. (Uh, no, there wasn't) The 3rd one lied and said that he would look into and call me back because he didn't want to argue with me. That was at 3 pm. Did I get a call back? No. I. Did. Not. So you know what FedEx, you can go fuck yourself.

Love,

Me

Another Food Post...

I just made the yummiest salad for lunch. It is really hot and humid here so I was trying to think of something to eat that didn't involve cooking.

Yummy Salad Recipe

2 cups of Dole 7 Lettuces Mix
1/4 cup of green peas
1/4 cup kidney beans
3 cherry tomatoes quartered
1 small carrot shredded
2 radishes sliced
sliced cucumber
5 slices of Oscar Mayer Smoked Turkey breast sliced
2 tbsp Hidden Valley Ranch with 1 tsp of Frank's Red Hot stirred in
1 tbsp Sargento Reduced Fat Mexican Cheese

It was quick, easy and delicious. I will definitely be making this again. I love mixing Ranch with hot sauce. It thins the dressing out so I don't have to use as much and it doesn't add a lot of additional calories etc. Plus, it reminds me of Buffalo wings. Delish!

I also had some White Grape Crystal light and a little bit later I will have some fruit or some more veggies.

Italy and Greece...

So this girl that I work with told me that she is honeymooning in Italy for 3 weeks. I mentioned it to E last night and told him that I want to go to Italy. He told me that if I finish Italian 4 (one of the classes I need to graduate) that he will take me to Italy for two weeks. I said that I would rather go to Greece. I thought he was just joking around but he said that if I finish the class that we will go to Italy for a week and Greece for a week. How amazing is that? You can bet your butt I will be enrolling in the next available Italian 4 class. I guess that I also need to find out how to re-enroll at the U. After I should also catch up and redo the work books etc. I will pay a tutor if I have to. Anyone in the Minneapolis area know a good Italian (cheap) Italian tutor? On top of this whole Italy/Greece thing we are also planning a trip to Anaheim for sometime next summer to go to Disneyland!!!

I totally want to be friends with Jeff Lewis from Flipping Out. That guy is so of his rocker, but he is a genius. I love all of his weirdo employees too. I am getting caught up on the episodes from this season.

For my food post today I am posting a recipe for Italian Sausage with Peppers. I am making that for dinner tonight since E loves it.

Italian Sausage with Peppers

2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 lb cooked Italian turkey sausage
2 cups penne (I use Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne)
1/4 cup chopped basil
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the onion, bell peppers, until golden, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in the tomatoes, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Add the sausage; simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until flavors are all blended, about 20 minutes. If the sauce becomes too dry, add 1-2 tbsp of water.

2. Cook the penne; drain.

3. Add the basil, parsley and penne to the sausage mixture; toss to combine.

Sushi...

So I realized just now that today is July 1st. Which means, NaBloPoMo has officially started. CRAP!!! Anyway, the topic this month is food so please check back each day to see what food I am posting about : )

Today I am going to write about sushi. Sushi is probably one of my favorite foods of all time. I got to enjoy some for dinner tonight. I will use the word enjoy loosely though since the power went out in the entire Calhoun Square while we were eating. This caused something in the building to start making a high pitched whistle. Since the power was out they also stopped serving food. Luckily I got my first round of food otherwise I probably would have had to choke someone. Anyway, I tried something new again. I got some Hamachi with cilantro, Serrano pepper and citrus sauce. Really yummy is what it equaled. I also got the Yummy roll (tuna, masago, cucumber, avocado and spicy mayo inside out with tempura flakes on top) a crunchy roll and the good ol' standby, the California roll. E had some white tuna nigiri, edamame and some chicken teriyaki. (Not a sushi fan)

I would probably eat sushi every day if I could. It is just that delicious.

Sushi and the fact that I am now officially on vacation for the rest of the week is what made me happy today.