Hiatus

Hey peeps!  While we're all moved into our new digs, and I've been cooking up a storm, I have yet to unpack my camera uploading cables, so posts are temporarily suspended until after the fourth!

In the meantime, I'll be spending some quality time with my future sister-in-law and future niece (oh, and the F, too).  Enjoy your holiday!

Image via

Jazzed-up Greek Yogurt

I can't recall if I've shared this with you before, dear readers, but here it is:  I hate yogurt.  So.  Much.  As my favorite morning radio host(ess) put it - yogurt (Greek, in particular) tastes like ear wax.  Or old people, if they were edible (they're not, peeps.  Don't start munching on your grandparents or neighbors to test the theory).  But in an effort to be healthier (UGH!) I thought I'd try and spice it up (or make it tolerable).

With that in mind, I combined 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, 2 cups of frozen, mixed berries, and 2 cups of Greek yogurt in my food processor.  And away I let it whirl, until it looked like runny ice cream, at which point I divvied it up and froze it.

Was it sweet enough?  No.  (I later added splenda to each portion).  Did it freeze well?  Not particularly, I had to chip away at it with a spoon as if I was eating yogurty ice cubes.  Did I taste ok?  Yes.  With the emphasis being on ok.  It was tolerable enough to consume with a side of raisins pre-workout, but not tolerable enough to make me love it.  Or to convince me that it wouldn't, in its usual form, taste like earwax.  But I will continue to eat it, because protein is a good thing, and there aren't enough good things in the world.

Nicholas Kirkwood via Bergdorf Goodman

Except these.  These are so, so good.

Quickie Friday: Tortellini Soup

Yes, I have made tortellini soup in the past, and published it on the blog (here).  No, this isn't the same soup, or even a variation of it.  This soup is better.  And easier.

This soup involves nothing more than store-bought tortellini (I went with a chicken and garlic), chicken stock, tomatoes, basil, garlic, and asiago cheese.  Seriously.  I don't even need to tell you how to make it, but I'm sure you can figure it out based on the ingredients, and the (poor-quality) picture above.

And from this photo, I expect you to be able to figure out one more thing:

via

I still want/need a pair of loafers.

Happy Friday!

Fabulous Frittata

I've often lamented that it is difficult to cook when one finds oneself standing in a kitchen with few ingredients and a miniscule desire to cook.  Luckily, frittatas exist for just such an occasion.

Did I have green pepper, bacon, and onions?  Yep.

Did I have eggs and tomato basil feta cheese, and a little garlic?  Sure did.

And did I also have a pan, a little olive oil, and a 350 degree oven in which to cook this quick, easy, and blissfully healthy meal?  Damn right I did.  It doesn't get much better than that, peeps.

Except for these:

Christian Louboutin via Saks

These are better than a frittata.

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

The idea of replacing one's pasta with spaghetti squash is, I'm sure, not a new one to most of my readers.  The idea of replacing pasta with anything, let alone a vegetable, let alone a vegetable that was previously unheard of, was TOTALLY new to the F.

 
F:  That meat looks good, what are we having for supper?
Me:  Spaghetti.
F:  How come you aren't boiling water for pasta?
Me:  There will be no pasta.
F:  How do you eat spaghetti without pasta?
Me:  We're having it with squash.
F:  That doesn't sound very good.

But, to the F's credit, he knows two things:  that I am a good cook, and that he gets only one option for supper, so he must eat or starve.

On this night he chose to eat.  I cooked the squash in the microwave and used a store-bought marinara to go with my meat and spinach (I added ample spices, of course, to my liking).

I think the F was shocked at both the texture of the dish (the squash being slightly crunchier than pasta) and how much he liked it.  That being said, I think he'd still raise an eyebrow if (or when!) I make this again.

He might also raise an eyebrow if I brought these home:

Sergio Rossi via Barneys

But for an entirely different reason.  Are those not the most stunning laser cutouts you've ever seen, peeps?

Excuse me while I wipe the drool up off of my desk.

Quickie Friday: Balsamic Roasted 'Maters and Broccoli

First things first:  it's good to be back, peeps.  Once I use up all of the old stuff (as in old, crappy pictures taken in the old, crappy apartment kitchen) you are in for some treats.  For your eyes and your stomach.  I promise.  In the meantime, let's get back to old stuff.

Not a bad pic, all things considered, and certainly not a bad side dish.  I blanched the broccoli, threw it in a baking dish with some large-diced tomatoes, then roasted the whole thing with salt and red pepper at about 400 degrees.  When things were looking roasty toasty and happy, I pulled it out of the oven and topped it with balsamic and parmesan.

Perhaps not the nicest side, visually, but certainly tasty, which is what I ask of all of my sides, really. 

I ask that my shoes, of course, be visually pleasing.  Not unlike these:

Well hello adorable neon wedge from Target . . . mind if I take you home?

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming . . .

. . . to move.

I hate moving.  Specifically, I hate packing, unpacking, lifting heavy things, and stressing out the dog.  However, the new home comes with a VERY big perk (besides the pool, that is) . . . a BIG kitchen.  A big kitchen with nice countertops and natural light so my food photos won't suck.  I'll be gone for a few days, peeps, but when I come back I'll be back in a BIG way! 

Stay tuned . . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy birthday to my precious little Arnie!  She turns three today, and (because of the impending move) we'll be celebrating at the end of the month and in early July, when one of her favorite people comes to visit!  Don't you just want to kiss that cute wienie face, peeps?! 

Crockpot Taco Soup

The title of this post is a lie, as this soup can hardly be called soup . . .

Anything with that much meat is chili . . . amiright?!  Seriously.  This is, by no means, soup.  But when I found the recipe for this "soup" (which was similar, but not identical, to this recipe) I figured I'd give it a whirl.

And it doesn't hurt that one of my regular opinions about food is that "if you can top it with tortilla chips and sour cream, it must be delicious."  The chips and sour cream also cut the spice nicely, and made the "soup" even more filling than it would have been, otherwise!

And speaking of things masquerading as things they are not, let's talk about these:

Brian Atwood via Bergdorf Goodman

Is it a bootie?  Is it a pump?  Is it a sneaker or a ballet slipper?  Or is it some sort of weird feline hybrid snaking its way up your leg to cut off all circulation to the ankle?

Weigh in, peeps.  I need you on this one.

Quickie Friday: Bean-y Chicken

What do you get when you throw four chicken breasts in a crockpot with some chicken stock, cumin, garlic, cayenne pepper, white pepper, a jar of salsa verde, and (a few hours later) some white beans?

Bean-y chicken.  Or at least that's what I called it.  Served over quinoa, this dish packs a protein punch and is super easy to make.  And it's low-calorie and high in fiber, so it will fill you up.  It's the perfect week-night meal (and the leftovers make a great lunch), even if it isn't that easy on the eyes.

The easy-ness on the eyes of these shoes is debatable.

via

Say what you will about J.Simp. (and Lord knows people have been saying many things about her lately, what with being knocked up for an eternity and then getting $4 mill. for no longer being so and losing weight), but sista knows how to make a fun pair of shoes.  These are no exception, and I find them adorable.