I have recently begun to really enjoy soups. I had stand-offish feelings towards them because most of them have some form of preserved meat...or something that is supposed to resemble meat. Um, sick. Secondly, most soups have a TON of sodium in them and since I consider myself health nut-ish, I avoided them. However, I have been craving warm and comforting food ever since this cold weather blew in. So I've done some poking around and tried out some recipes...sans mystery meat and lots-o-salt. Here are two different butternut squash soup recipes I've tried:
This is from Williams-Sonoma Healthful Cookbook (a great one to have in your kitchen!):
-1 butternut squash, about 1.25 lb
-1 Fuji apples, halved, peeled, cored, and diced (these happen to be my favorite anyway)
-2 shallots, chopped
-2 C vegetable broth
-1/2 T dried oregano
-pinch of ground cayenne pepper
-2 TB thawed, frozen orange juice concentrate
-kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Peel and dice squash (obviously also removing seeds). In a large dutch oven or or large sauce pan, combine squash, apple, shallots, broth, oregano, and cayenne. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until veggies are very soft, 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and let soup stand for about 15 minutes. Using either an immersion blender or standing blender in batches, blend until smooth and then return to pan. Stir in the orange juice concentrate and 1/4 T salt, season with black pepper.
*This is way easy once you are done dealing with cutting up the squash. If I make this again, I'll probably just buy an orange and squeeze the fresh juice into the soup...the orange/sweet taste was a little too strong for my taste buds.
This is courtesy of Paula Deen:
2 pounds butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups diced onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 (13 3/4-ounce) cans chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup light cream or heavy cream
Sour cream, for garnish
In a medium saucepan, combine squash, onion, carrots, broth and salt. Simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 40 minutes. Puree soup in a blender or food processor with the butter. Whisk cream into soup. Serve in wide, shallow bowls with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
*I left out the butter and sour cream. I also used veggie stock instead of chicken, but I'm sure its good with either. This soup was also grainier than the first one, and I can't figure out why...maybe the carrots?? It was still really good, just a texture thing.
Both recipes are really good, really easy, and make plenty!!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
vices/quirks/addictions
My dear friend, Meredeth, let me know today at work that she had "tagged" me on her blog and I had to respond. I asked if it was an updated chain letter of sorts. Eh, not so much. Currently, I'm really, really bitter and annoyed with the test I just spent 2.5 hours on...it was all written...and the first test I have ever wanted to shed tears over. I'm crossing my fingers it doesn't make my bad dream about my GPA come true!! Anywho, back to Mere's list/tag/whatever. Here is a list of my 10 vices/quirks/addictions:
1. I am addicted to Ghiradelli dark chocolate squares from the freezer. I literally have at least one a day, usually after dinner...sometimes two depending on the day.
2. I am addicted to celebrity gossip. It is REALLY bad over the summer when I actually have time to check Perez Hilton multiple times a day...now I'm lucky if I can check it multiple times a week! However, I do have a lovely People magazine in my mailbox every Friday to look forward to.
3. I absolutely hate the sound/feeling/thought of crayons coloring on coloring book pages...it's a texture thing!!
4. I tuck the corner of my pillow under when I go to bed. I can't stand it being in my breathing space.
5. Grammatical errors drive me nuts...which leads me to be paranoid every time I write and send home letters to my kids' families.
6. I do my getting ready in the morning routine EXACTLY the same everyday...no matter if a weekday or weekend. I can't just sit around my house with wet hair or not use my velcro rollers for extra volume. Seriously.
7. I like to set my alarm clock for semi-random times...instead of a normal 5:45 or 6:00, I prefer 5:48 or 6:03. Don't ask me why.
8. I can only do back and forth texting for about 4 rounds...then I either call the person or give up and respond with a one word answer to signify my done-ness.
9. I can't read ahead in my People magazine. I have to read it from cover to cover. Although I save the crossword puzzle for last. Every time.
10. I like making lists of things just so I can cross off things once I've done them.
This is hard to do!! I thought it would be nice and easy; a good way to relax after my stupid test...wrong-o!
1. I am addicted to Ghiradelli dark chocolate squares from the freezer. I literally have at least one a day, usually after dinner...sometimes two depending on the day.
2. I am addicted to celebrity gossip. It is REALLY bad over the summer when I actually have time to check Perez Hilton multiple times a day...now I'm lucky if I can check it multiple times a week! However, I do have a lovely People magazine in my mailbox every Friday to look forward to.
3. I absolutely hate the sound/feeling/thought of crayons coloring on coloring book pages...it's a texture thing!!
4. I tuck the corner of my pillow under when I go to bed. I can't stand it being in my breathing space.
5. Grammatical errors drive me nuts...which leads me to be paranoid every time I write and send home letters to my kids' families.
6. I do my getting ready in the morning routine EXACTLY the same everyday...no matter if a weekday or weekend. I can't just sit around my house with wet hair or not use my velcro rollers for extra volume. Seriously.
7. I like to set my alarm clock for semi-random times...instead of a normal 5:45 or 6:00, I prefer 5:48 or 6:03. Don't ask me why.
8. I can only do back and forth texting for about 4 rounds...then I either call the person or give up and respond with a one word answer to signify my done-ness.
9. I can't read ahead in my People magazine. I have to read it from cover to cover. Although I save the crossword puzzle for last. Every time.
10. I like making lists of things just so I can cross off things once I've done them.
This is hard to do!! I thought it would be nice and easy; a good way to relax after my stupid test...wrong-o!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
N.K.O.T.B.
O.M.G.
Where do I start??? Sunday night was one of the most magical nights of my life!! Margaret, Emily, Erin, Robyn, and I went to see New Kids on the Block in Dallas. Yes, we really did. And it was, to say the very least, amazing! Jordan, my favorite New Kid, looked just as beautiful as he did when I was little. My favorite part....when he was on the stage solo and had on a white button down shirt...then he ripped the shirt apart...and the wind machine started blowing...and he was singing...and I am pretty sure I was in Heaven for a few seconds. Oh, my!! Boy has been working out!
This whole concert attendance started several months ago when Margaret called to inform me that we needed to attend the concert in a sort of reunion. She and I went with her family when we were in 3rd grade. It was so much fun then. This time, however, the ticket price and the Sunday night schedule momentarily made me question the necessity of going. After a quick rethinking, I realized I must go and we even invited our people to go with us. Then I made a genius decision to go ahead and schedule a substitute for the Monday afterwards. Yahtzee!!
I think I'll just bullet the highlights of the concert...but needless to say, the whole 2 hours were amazing, wonderful, so fun, and crazy!!!!
- EVERY song had choreographed dance moves. Some were even from back in the day.
- Danny did some break dancing on his head (!) and then on one hand (!!)
- Jordan broke into surprise falsettos every now and then
- Girls were dressed in neon clothes, leg warmers, crimped hair, side ponytails, etc...
- This was the loudest event I have ever attended
- There were fireworks!!
- I think they changed clothes about 7 times
- Donnie was a great leader...he did most of the talking and was really great with the crowd
- This concert was NOT 3rd grader-friendly...there was quite a bit of crotch grabbing, mostly by Donnie...who I believe got in trouble for that 15 years ago
- Joey was BY FAR the most into the singing
- They seemed like best friends who were having such a good time together!!
- The men's restrooms had signs posted outside that said they were now women's restrooms...sorry for the 40 guys who got suckered into attending the concert
Joey got the loudest reaction every time
If you look closely, you can see that Joey is wearing the smiley face leather jacket he used to wear...also, the piano singing/dancing was really cool
15 years later!! :)
My love
The coolest concert-goersThis was SO much fun, I still can't get over it! Natasha Bedingfield opened and was pretty good, too.
Monday morning was sooooooo nice...I stayed at Suz's and we met the rest of the girls (minus MJ :( ) for breakfast at Dream Cafe. Egg white omelet with pesto, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes, please! Then we went to Sam Moon. Is this what it's like to be a housewife and/or socialite? Because I could seriously get used to not having to go work and meeting friends for breakfast on a Monday and then going shopping...
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
what's on the menu
This recipe is courtesy of my good friend (although she doesn't know it yet) Giada from the Food Network. It is SO yummy and really easy, especially if you do all the chopping ahead of time. I highly recommend it!! (You can also make it a day ahead and reheat on the stove, throwing in the parsley and capers at the last minute.)
On a side note, my Asian meal from last week was NOT good, so I'm not posting it. Just say no to cooking tofu at home. And I made some cod cakes but they took forever to make, so I am hesitant to recommend them...although they were quite tasty.
Roman-style chicken
4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Turn off heat and add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve.
*A few disclaimers:
1-I do not cook with anything on the bone, so I used 6 chicken breasts instead.
2-I left out the prosciutto; I'm sure it's delicious, but it is part of my meat issue group.
3-I think it calls for WAY too much olive oil. You could probably use half and be just fine.
On a side note, my Asian meal from last week was NOT good, so I'm not posting it. Just say no to cooking tofu at home. And I made some cod cakes but they took forever to make, so I am hesitant to recommend them...although they were quite tasty.
Roman-style chicken
4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Turn off heat and add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve.
*A few disclaimers:
1-I do not cook with anything on the bone, so I used 6 chicken breasts instead.
2-I left out the prosciutto; I'm sure it's delicious, but it is part of my meat issue group.
3-I think it calls for WAY too much olive oil. You could probably use half and be just fine.
Monday, October 13, 2008
crossfit
Thank you, Christopher Columbus, for doing something that hundreds of years later would give me a nice three day weekend. I know it sounds completely dorky, but I was SO excited to go the grocery store on a Monday instead of the usual Saturday or Sunday morning. It was so quiet and the shelves were completely stocked with everything I needed-except shallots and butternut squash. Luckily, I enjoy finding reasons to visit Central Market, so that's what I did afterwards. I was able to sleep in this morning, watch some morning TV shows I only get to watch in June and July, and workout in the middle of the day. Mazie, on the other hand, has not appreciated my extra day at home...instead she has been outside talking to and trying to catch a squirrel...and I'm not all that sure what she would do if she were able to actually get one. The closest she has come is about 2 feet-yikes!
Anyway, I finally gave in on Saturday and let Andrew prescribe for me a little Crossfit workout. He is basically in love/infatuated with/obsessed with Crossfit. He has new Crossfit friends. He tells everyone he knows about it. And he finds ways to work it into conversations that are completely irrelevant to the subject. The theory of the workouts is that basically you're going for speed, no matter what the workout actually is. So, in a way its almost as much of a mental workout as a physical one. I have been running short distances in addition to my walking for a couple of weeks, so this is what Andrew cooked up for me:
1 lap around the track (quick jog, but not sprinting)
10 push ups
20 crunches
Do this 5 times as quickly as possible.
It didn't look too bad on paper, although I knew otherwise. He has hooked Emily into the workouts so I have also heard about their difficulty from her. The first 3 rounds were not bad. When I started running the 4th lap, I grew concerned that I was the only one at the track, and therefore when I passed out, no one would find me for a while. I made it through and by the time you are on the 5th one, you know you're almost done. I did it all in 15:03...I have no gauge to know whether that is good or not...but I'll settle with the fact that I completed it and didn't collapse on the track. It took me a while to feel back to normal, however, and when I saw Andrew later that night I asked why he was trying to get rid of me via death by Crossfit.
I decided to use my free afternoon today to workout when I wanted to. The only part of me still sore from Saturday was my chest, so I decided to do the same workout but substitute 30 jumping jacks for the push ups. Today was so much better!! I don't feel like death. I also shaved 10 seconds off my time...I don't know if I ran a little faster or if the jumping jacks just took less time than the push ups. Either way, my heart rate returned to normal a lot quicker and I feel much better than the other day.
Anyway, I finally gave in on Saturday and let Andrew prescribe for me a little Crossfit workout. He is basically in love/infatuated with/obsessed with Crossfit. He has new Crossfit friends. He tells everyone he knows about it. And he finds ways to work it into conversations that are completely irrelevant to the subject. The theory of the workouts is that basically you're going for speed, no matter what the workout actually is. So, in a way its almost as much of a mental workout as a physical one. I have been running short distances in addition to my walking for a couple of weeks, so this is what Andrew cooked up for me:
1 lap around the track (quick jog, but not sprinting)
10 push ups
20 crunches
Do this 5 times as quickly as possible.
It didn't look too bad on paper, although I knew otherwise. He has hooked Emily into the workouts so I have also heard about their difficulty from her. The first 3 rounds were not bad. When I started running the 4th lap, I grew concerned that I was the only one at the track, and therefore when I passed out, no one would find me for a while. I made it through and by the time you are on the 5th one, you know you're almost done. I did it all in 15:03...I have no gauge to know whether that is good or not...but I'll settle with the fact that I completed it and didn't collapse on the track. It took me a while to feel back to normal, however, and when I saw Andrew later that night I asked why he was trying to get rid of me via death by Crossfit.
I decided to use my free afternoon today to workout when I wanted to. The only part of me still sore from Saturday was my chest, so I decided to do the same workout but substitute 30 jumping jacks for the push ups. Today was so much better!! I don't feel like death. I also shaved 10 seconds off my time...I don't know if I ran a little faster or if the jumping jacks just took less time than the push ups. Either way, my heart rate returned to normal a lot quicker and I feel much better than the other day.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
engagement party
We trekked over to Dallas on Saturday night for Suzanna and Jay's engagement party...valet parking at the house and all!! Her aunt and uncle hosted it, along with several other people. We had a BLAST!!! We rode over with Erin and Daniel, so the ride there was already fun. Then we walked in and one of the waiters handed us wine. Yes, please! There was delicious food from Central Market and somehow my wine glass was always full. :) We were definitely in the minority group as far as being the youngins, so we all stuck together. Some of Jay's good buddies from TCU were there too which was neat because I hadn't hung out with them in years. We all headed to the Stoneleigh P afterwards to continue the party. I am loving this busy Fall; I get to see all of my bff's and their significant others pretty much every weekend. We had so much fun with everyone!!
Erin and me at the afterparty...picture taken via MJ's iphone
Erin and me at the afterparty...picture taken via MJ's iphone
The soon-to-be bride and me
We got really picture-happy
He's prettySunday, October 5, 2008
a weekend of firsts
Friday was not technically a first; but it was Emily's birthday celebration in Dallas. And I guess it was first for me to eat at a tapas restaurant. We went to Cafe Madrid and it was yummy! This picture is so typical... :)
Saturday was my first trip to Central Market with an almost 2 year old in tow...wow, do I have a new appreciation for moms and dads who do their grocery shopping with little people in the cart. I spent the afternoon with little Mason, who belongs to Emily and Eric Johnson. He was so good at the store, but he was so interested in touching and taking everything that he could get his hands on...particularly apples. Now, the main problem was not his interest in the produce...no, no...it was that the carts at Central Market have the kiddie seat up higher than other stores (or so it seemed), so I was nearly eye level with him which made steering the extra long cart even more interesting. I was constantly dodging other people, carts, and fruit displays. All in all, though, he was a pretty great shopping companion and enjoyed all the fruit samples. He even handed the checker my items to scan-too cute!
Today I went to my first Cowboys game with Andrew, Ben, and Mark. It was fun!! There's nothing like a good sporting even to bring out the classiest folks...aside from that, it was neat to be so close and see all the hardcore fans. I did not sample any of the stadium food (shocking, I know), but I did eat some faux Dippin' Dots that did not quite hit the spot I was hoping they would, but they were still good. I also spent a good amount of time looking for a Miss Jessica Simpson, but never saw her. What a fun weekend!
Saturday was my first trip to Central Market with an almost 2 year old in tow...wow, do I have a new appreciation for moms and dads who do their grocery shopping with little people in the cart. I spent the afternoon with little Mason, who belongs to Emily and Eric Johnson. He was so good at the store, but he was so interested in touching and taking everything that he could get his hands on...particularly apples. Now, the main problem was not his interest in the produce...no, no...it was that the carts at Central Market have the kiddie seat up higher than other stores (or so it seemed), so I was nearly eye level with him which made steering the extra long cart even more interesting. I was constantly dodging other people, carts, and fruit displays. All in all, though, he was a pretty great shopping companion and enjoyed all the fruit samples. He even handed the checker my items to scan-too cute!
Today I went to my first Cowboys game with Andrew, Ben, and Mark. It was fun!! There's nothing like a good sporting even to bring out the classiest folks...aside from that, it was neat to be so close and see all the hardcore fans. I did not sample any of the stadium food (shocking, I know), but I did eat some faux Dippin' Dots that did not quite hit the spot I was hoping they would, but they were still good. I also spent a good amount of time looking for a Miss Jessica Simpson, but never saw her. What a fun weekend!
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