Happy Christmas Eve!! I can’t believe it’s already here. Furthermore, I can’t believe I’m working today. It seems that everyone either has the day off or took it off. We get out at 3:00 p.m. and since all we have planned for tonight is an 8 p.m. Christmas Eve mass in Upstate NY and then relaxing with my parents, I didn’t see the point in taking a whole day off and using up my time.

Hence, I’m at work and the place is a ghost town. As was the bus and the subway down here. It’s an eery kind of quiet.

Do you have fun Christmas Eve plans?

I know people whose friends throw Christmas Eve parties, but my group has never really done that – Christmas Eve and Day are pretty much family-time for us. I am looking forward to a party on the 26th though!

So here’s a quick recap of yesterday’s eats:

Breakfast was a multi-grain English muffin with half peanut butter and banana and half cranberry relish I made the other night. And the remainder of the banana on the side, with a glass of light cranberry juice.

Lunch was leftover quinoa! It tasted even better the next day, I think because it was marinating in soy sauce all night.

My afternoon snacks were blueberry Greek yogurt with granola.

And a few chocolates. The first chocolate I chose had a cherry filling that I just didn’t like. I’m not a big chocolate and fruit person – are you? So I had to go back in for a different one…and then I may have had one more (unphotographed).

I had a bit of headache toward the end of the day, so I didn’t end up hitting the gym after work. Instead, I came home, made dinner and we watched a movie and then I sort of packed.

Dinner was grilled cheese with apple and a glass of wine. I was jealous that so many other people were already on vacay and I wanted to feel like I was too – hence the wine.

Close up:

Can ya see the apple? It was a wonderful addition to this traditional sammy.

What do you like to add to your grilled cheese (if you eat it)? I’m also a fan of adding tomatoes, not with apple though.

After dinner, Hubby and I watched Revolutionary Road and had mixed reactions. I didn’t love it, but didn’t hate it either. I thought it was an interesting view of suburban married life and I thought Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio gave wonderful performances. It was a little dark at times, but that didn’t bother me. Hubby thought it was very slow and boring. We agreed to disagree on it.

Then I read my book for a bit and went to bed. This book, Ahab’s Wife, really has me hooked. Every few chapters I keep being utterly surprised by what happens in the main character’s (Una) life and how she copes with it. There have been a few moments that have caught me off guard with the amount of crudeness discussed or displayed, but the way it’s written allows me to digest it, accept it and move on. In this respect, the book reminds me a bit of John Irving’s style of writing where the absurd is never shocking and the shocking is never absurd.

I also think it’s got to be hard for writers to convey the “shock factor” in a novel. In movies, the visual aspect is key in getting this across, but in books, less is sometimes almost more, as it allows the reader’s mind to fill in the gaps.

Anyway – enough book rambling.  I’m really excited to head upstate tonight after work and see my family. The Murph is coming with us in the car – that’s always interesting. When he was a kitten he loved the car, but as he’s gotten older he seems to have developed car/motion sickness. So we have to keep him in his little carrier and not let him look out the window.

Happy Christmas Eve all!! Safe travels and maybe I’ll post tomorrow – maybe not. We shall see.

Today marks the coldest day of December in Florida. Brrr!

I’m writing this post in my warm pajamas, socks and slippers, with a hot-bodied dog on my lap. Comfy, cozy!

After work I headed to the mall for some last minute Christmas shopping. How is it possible that I am still not done?

Are you done with your holiday shopping?

As I was running out to my car with several shopping bags in hand, I shivered in the cold breeze. I knew a hot dinner was in store.

Warm-the-Belly Dinner

Keeping my promise not to go to the grocery store this week, I assembled a dinner using food we had on hand.

I wanted everything to be hot to warm up my belly, so tonight’s dinner featured a grilled cheese sandwich (on a honey wheat Arnold sandwich thin), Campbell’s Select Harvest caramelized French onion soup and steamed broccoli and carrots.

Grilled Cheese and Steamed Veggies

French Onion

My Bowl

I adore simple dinners. 

I see a nice cup of hot chocolate in my future…

Two parties down, one to go! I have tons of pics to put up, lots of things have been going on this past week (hence the limited blogging) that I want to share with you. I decided to break up the pictures into a few posts so yah don’t get bored. We are now a week away from Christmas (I know…crazy) and just two weeks left in 2009! My weight loss goal is pretty much NOT going to happen. I mean I’m sooo close, but I just don’t think I’m going to be able to lose 7 pounds in 12 days. I’m kind bummed, but its ok I worked hard and to think that I started this goal with 25 pounds to lose in three months, I’m ok with only losing about 20 of it.

Ok on to the food! YAY! Earlier this week we went to Mr. Gaunt’s mom’s house to help her decorate her tree and have a little family dinner. We really want to start doing a weekly dinner at her house (like on Gilmore Girls…Friday night dinner anyone?) in the new year, we just have to figure what day works best. This week Mr. Gaunt’s mom (we should really give her a nick name…hmm…I think I’m gonna go with Ms. G) so Ms. G recently discovered Clean Eating, one of my favorite food magazines, and decided to make the cover soup. It’s a vegetable soup with Quinoa and Chicken sausage. I tried to find the recipe on their website, but it’s not there. Maybe Ms. G will post it in the comments (wink wink) anyways it was so freaking good! Sometimes vegetable soups are a little bland, but this one was full of flavor, I loved it!

To go with the soup we had the ultimate comfort food Grilled Cheese! Of course we made it healthy with whole wheat bread and fat free cheddar, but the best part was adding thin sliced Macintosh apples into it before grilling! So good and totally changes the flavor. I will never make grilled cheese without apples again. So yeah both of these recipes are in the January/February issue of Clean Eating, go buy it!

And a sneak peek at my tree decorating post tomorrow…

I’m a simple woman, with simple tastes.  But food should just taste freaking delicious, always.  Especially if you’re paying some ridiculous price for food that you could make better at home.  This rant really hit the boiling point about two months ago when I went to some hip restaurant in Los Angeles with a few friends.

It all started when an acquaintance at school invited me out for dinner with a few classmates.  I know this acquaintance:  a very bright man with a penchant for food whose price is inversely proportional to its quality.   “Don’t go,” I thought.   “The food will NOT be nearly as good as he seems to think it is.”

I was hesitant.  ”Well, I dunno…”

“Seriously, you should go,” he says.  ”Best grilled cheese I’ve ever had in my LIFE.”

Ok, I’m already taking this with a grain of salt.  My guess is that one of two things is happening here:  (1) he was intoxicated when he ate this famed grilled cheese, or (2) because the grilled cheese was so expensive, he was convinced that it had to have been delicious.  Wait, these situations are not mutually exclusive…

I decide to go.  Mainly because I’ll get to see some classmates that I have not seen since we were all together in London this summer.  The other reason is that I’m giving this acquaintance a chance to prove to me that I am, indeed, wrong in my opinion of his taste in food.

I was right.  I was right all along.

Grilled cheese:  $18.00.  Bowl of tomato soup:  $12.00.

I took one look at the grilled cheese and thought, “Son of a bitch.”  Sourdough bread oozing with cheese, lazily placed next to a bed of greens with minimal dressing.  This looks like something I would make after a long day without a care in the world for how it looks.  For $18, where is the god damn presentation?  And the soup?  Looks decent enough, but in a bowl whose depth matches Paris Hilton’s musical talent.  Looks are one thing, but I’m hoping the taste will make up for it.

False.

The cheese, you know, the star of the grilled cheese production?  Flavorless.  Flavorless goop.  It actually makes me gag a little bit.   The last time I gagged because my food was so very bad was in Barcelona.  At a restaurant where the aforementioned acquaintance took me (seriously, who goes to an Asian fusion club/restaurant in Barce-fucking-lona?).  I’m stubborn, what can I say.

Now I’m starting to get angry.  What makes it worse is that my very good friend ordered the same thing as me and took a bite of hers as though she had taken a bite out of heaven.  I may have lost a little respect for her taste at this point.  I try the  soup, praying it will at least cover up the taste of the grilled goop slapped between two slices of bread.

Wrong.

Now I’m fuming.  The soup:  definitely from a can.  You can usually tell because you should taste the sort of tinny preservative and salty flavor.  In fact, it tastes an awful lot like Campbell’s tomato soup.  Can’t tell the difference?  Buy a can of Campbell’s tomato soup and then go find a recipe to make tomato soup from scratch (I recommend Tyler Florence’s roasted tomato soup).  You WILL taste a difference.  I paid $12 for soup that costs about 1/10th the price to buy at the super market.  I feel hoodwinked, bamboozled, led astray, run amok.

I politely force feed half of the grilled cheese and have a few more sips of the soup.  I wonder how much each bite cost me?  Hmm, that’s neither here nor there and it’ll just piss me off more.  I keep my mouth shut because my mom always said, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”  So I don’t say a thing, a god damn thing.  Because my only vindication at this point would be to walk into the kitchen and ream the chef.  But, I am not Gordon Ramsay.  And although I am fucking certain he would agree with me, until I get to that level of authority, I will just have to take my business elsewhere.

In fact, I have a recommendation for you if you have found yourself in a grilled cheese and tomato soup predicament as I had.  Take your car over to the Edison in downtown L.A. and order yourself the grilled cheese and tomato soup.  You will thank me.  Not only will it be freaking delicious, but it will cost you about half the price ($13.00).

So that is my long rant.  And that is the experience that has sparked my fervent desire to cook more and come up with new recipes and test them out.  Mainly because when I think, “I can make this better at home,” I probably can.  In addition, I just watched Julie/Julia and thought, “why the hell not?”

And that leads me to the purpose of this blog.  I want to come up with at least one recipe per week and test it out that same week for the next year.  So by December 21 of next year I will have 52 recipes and lots of failures peppered with some triumphs.  Julie Powell learned to cook through “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”  I’m going to learn through trial and error.

 Joseph and Mary Christmas Billboard In New Zealand

OK. am I twisted? Because I find this really funny. A billboard sponsored by a local Anglican church that shows Joseph and Mary in bed has set tongues wagging in New Zealand, with the Catholic Church condemning it as others found it funny. The controversial billboard, erected by St Matthew-in-the-City Church in Auckland, shows a dejected-looking Joseph under bedcovers beside a sad Mary. Underneath the image, a caption reads: “Poor Joseph. God is a hard act to follow.” The dude just can’ quite match up to the big guy. Church archdeacon Glynn Cardy said the billboard was intended to lampoon the literal interpretation of the Christmas conception story and highlight the real significance of the festival. “What we’re trying to do is to get people to think more about what Christmas is all about,” Cardy told local media. “Is it about a spiritual male God sending down sperm so a child would be born, or is it about the power of love in our midst as seen in Jesus?” The billboard has so far drawn the ire of the Catholic Church in New Zealand, which called it “inappropriate” and “disrespectful.” It was also condemned as offensive by family values group Family First. You knew they were going to have something to say, didn’t you? “The church can have its debate on the Virgin birth and its spiritual significance inside the church building, but to confront children and fhttp://www.stmatthews.org.nz/nav.php?sid=498&id=999amilies with the concept as a street billboard is completely irresponsible and unnecessary,” Family First director Bob McCoskrie told news website stuff.co.nz. Lighten up. I’d drive by it just for chuckle on my way…well, anywhere. Unfortunately the sign was defaced and covered with brown paint several hours after going up by an offended Kiwi. If you want to read more about this controversy here’s the church’s website: http://www.stmatthews.org.nz/nav.php?sid=498&id=999

Discount for Your Grilled Cheese Tattoo

Got a tattoo of a grilled cheese sandwich? If so this is your lucky day. An Ohio restaurant is offering lifetime discounts to people willing to make an indelible display of their love for grilled cheese sandwiches. Melt Bar & Grilled in the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood specializes in spins on the grilled cheese and says anyone with a tattoo of the classic sandwich will get 25 percent off.  I wonder if it comes with a pickle? The restaurant has hooked up for the promotion with a tattoo shop, which is offering its own discount on grilled cheese designs. See, even if you don’t have one, it’s still your lucky day.  John Forgus of Voodoo Monkey Tattoo says he’s been getting creative, giving one person a tattoo of Popeye holding a grilled cheese sandwich instead of a spinach can. OK, this is officially the strangest business promotion idea I’ve seen. Can I get some cheese and ink please?

Woman Flashing Boobs Struck by Distracted Driver

There’s a certain irony in this story. There’s also bare boobs, drunkeness and mayhem, all the ingredients of the perfect story. Cherelle May Dudfield was struck by a vehicle after she ran out into the road following a dare by friends.  Always a smart move. The 18-year-old had been drinking with her mates when the incident happened, and had to be treated in hospital for cuts she suffered. I told, you alcohol. The teenager was also landed with a $240 fine for disorderly behaviour. “I stood on the centre line, flashed a couple of cars with my boobs, got back in and they [her friends] told me to do it again, so I did,” said Dudfield. “And then I saw a car coming towards me, on the middle of the centre lane driving up towards me, so I decided to run. And then I got hit.” See, boobs and mayhem. To demonstrate exactly how silly she had been, she later re-enacted her stunt for a TV station – but this time she was fully sober, and no one crashed. Yea, let’s recreate this, only on video, to see if we can cause another accident.  And Dudfield also gave a repeat performance to cows on her farm. Cows on her farm? Why is she flashing cows? Has she been running in the wrong social circles? Was one of her friends that dared her named Elsie? or Bossie?  However, police officers did not see the funny side of her exposure, which happened in the small New Zealand town of Invercargill. “This was obviously an alcohol- involved offense,” said Olaf Jensen, of Invercargill Police. “This girl put herself at risk with the actions she undertook, not only herself, but the motorists on the road.” Leave it to these investigative geniuses to get right to the heart of the matter.  Hey Olaf, quick thinking there.

Building a Life-size Stagecoach From Toothpicks

When I first saw this, I thought, OK, tiny model made out of toothpicks, let’s check it out.  I never dreamed it would be full size. Terry Woodling spent 15 years creating the Wells Fargo replica using wooden sticks and glue. Known as Mr Toothpick, he made models for years but this was his most ambitious project.It cost him more than $1400 but the model was bought for $160,000 by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! “I never kept track of the hours I spent working on it, only the years,” said the 72-year-old from Warsaw, Indiana. Amazing.

Earlier this week, a news story made the rounds making the somewhat tongue-in-cheek claim that the Hubble Space Telescope had imaged a “cosmic Christmas ornament” in the sky.  Here’s the image…

The article then goes on to state:

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a festive view of the cosmos in time for the holiday season, with some saying the picture of a star nursery looks like a wreath, maybe a Christmas tree, or even Santa.

The spacecraft observed a group of young stars called R136, which is only a few million years old and inhabits the 30 Doradus Nebula, part of a relatively nearby satellite galaxy of our Milky Way called the Large Magellanic Cloud.

In the photograph, hundreds of brilliant blue stars are surrounded by a ring of warm, glowing orange clouds of dust. The colorful portrait evokes a giant wreath of pine boughs studded with glowing jewels — sort of. And in the hollow center, the dark shadow has the distinct silhouette of a Christmas tree. Really!

Finally, if flipped 90 degrees clockwise, the image even resembles the face and beard of Santa Claus himself. Somewhat.

Well, whether or not this heavenly view actually has anything to do with the season on Earth, it does teach scientists about what’s happening up above.

This humorous story does a good job of hitting upon the point I wanted to make: what you see in such images, whether they are of “Santa” in a cosmic nebulae in the sky or “Jesus” in a rusty clothing-iron, is the result of a well-known phenomenon called pareidolia. We see familiar patterns because we are trained, by both evolution & our upbringing, to see familiar images even when there’s nothing more than random noise present.

In short, pareidolia is in your head, and different people “see” different things.  More than anything, pareidolia tells us a lot about ourselves and what we’re thinking rather than what we believe we’re looking at.

I like cheese. I like garlic. I thought putting them together would be a splendid idea, with a touch of truffle. Although I don’t want to be snooty, I agree that truffles smell delicious. The mushroom-y, fungus-y truffle that is friggen expensive. And although truffle oil (least, most truffle oil) is merely some sort of oil with chemical additive that smells like truffle, it still smells divine. Here is my grilled cheese sandwich. I shall name it the GG sandwich. And I feel proud because I’m almost certain I came up with it entirely on my own. Well, I did but chances are someone did the exact same thing.

When I made this recipe again for a special friend of mine, it was noted that the garlic flavor was much too strong. Well, first, the garlic wasn’t roasted to the point where it was just soft and mushy and heaven. It still retained some of that bitter/spicy garlic zing that so many people hate (I love it, especially with my nem chua). If it had been roasted more, I think it would have been more palatable for those who aren’t as good friends with garlic as I am.

GG Sandwich (makes 2 sandwiches)

4 slices rustic-y bread (like Boudin’s sourdough or at least something with a more substantial crust)
4-6 slices Jarlsberg cheese
1 garlic head (yes, head, not clove)
2 tbsp salted butter
extra-virgin olive oil
truffle oil (I used white truffle oil that I found at Whole Foods)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut about 1/3 off the top of the garlic head. Drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic in foil and pop it into the oven for 45-50 minutes.

When the garlic is done, take it out of the oven, let it cool a bit, and pop the cloves into a bowl. Preheat a griddle/frying pan/pan on medium heat. Mash the garlic up, add some pepper and truffle oil. Note, this is really all to taste. Melt the butter in a bowl.

When the pan is ready, smear the garlic paste on one side of a bread slice. Arrange the cheese slices (about 2) on top of the slice of bread. Brush the butter onto a sandwich top and place that side face down on the pan. Brush remaining side of the sandwich with the remaining butter. Cook until crisp and deep golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes per side, flipping sandwiches back to first side to reheat and crisp, about 15 seconds. Serve immediately, preferably with tomato soup.

The Classic Tomato Soup from Martha Stewart’s website is quite good.

Who doesn’t love a grilled cheese? Throw bacon on there, and you’re in heaven! And also on your way to the cardiologist, if you do it too often. But Paula Deen made her sandwich look so good and so delicious that I had to try it. I came up with this recipe to let me enjoy the sandwich without worrying about an extra 20 minutes of cardio the next day.

Grilled Apple, Bacon and Cheddar Sandwich with Roasted Red Onion Mayo - Anthony J. Caruso

INGREDIENTS

Sandwich:

2 slices (½ inch thick) 100% whole wheat bread

3 slices thick-cut bacon, fat trimmed, cooked crisp

2 slices reduced fat cheddar cheese

½  Granny Smith apple, cored, sliced thin

Roasted Red Onion Mayo, recipe follows

Butter spread (recommended: Smart Balance Light)

Preheat a seasoned grill pan or griddle over medium heat. Assemble this sandwich just as you would a traditional grilled cheese sandwich: spread 1 slice of bread with some Red Onion Mayo, then top with 1 slice Cheddar, the bacon, the apple slices, then 1 more slice of Cheddar, finishing with another mayo-slathered slice of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread and transfer to the hot grill. Grill about 3 minutes per side, since this sandwich is so thick. Remove to a cutting board and cut the sandwich in half on the diagonal to serve.

Roasted Red Onion Mayo:

1 medium red onion, chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 cup low fat whipped salad dressing (recommended: Miracle Whip Light)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

On a small rimmed baking sheet, toss the red onion, olive oil, salt and pepper together. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the onion is very soft, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and let cool. Transfer to a food processor and buzz until finely chopped. Add the mayo and pulse until smooth and combined.

Here’s the skinny:

First, I switched the bread to 100% whole wheat. Whole grains are wonderful for your system, but white breads are like eating plain sugar.

I cut the bacon from 4 slices to 3. Also, I trimmed the bacon of excess fat. You would be surprised how good bacon is (and how much fat is left) when you trim off all the white stuff on the ends. When you cook up the bacon, there is still a good amount of grease in the pan, showing you are still going to get flavor, but you are cutting out the excess. It’s that difference that takes the dish from a heart attack to simply flavorful.

Also, I cut the cheddar from 4 slices to 2. You get plenty of cheese, and, with all the flavors going on in the sandwich, extra cheese is just extravagant and overpowers the rest of the sandwich. I also used reduced fat cheddar, made with 2% milk. Fat free cheese does not melt as well as it’s reduced fat and full fat siblings. By cutting down on the cheese and using reduced fat cheese, you are saving yourself a great amount of saturated fat and calories.

Butter is extremely fattening. Now, they have butter spreads made of heart healthy oils. The one I use has only 8% of the daily allowance of saturated fat in one tablespoon. In butter, there is 36%. That is a huge difference. You are doing yourself a huge favor by getting a light butter spread.

As far as the Roasted Red Onion Mayo goes, I swapped out low fat whipped salad dressing for the mayonnaise. The salad dressing adds a little extra zip. You can use fat free if you like, but it’s a little harder to come by and has a little more sugar in it. The reduced fat is still extremely low in fat – it’s not worth the extra sugar added.

Whether you have this as a snack, for lunch, or alongside a soup or salad for dinner, I hope you enjoy this amazing (and now much healthier) sandwich!

…watching over me. Seriously, they’ve brought me some mighty merit hence the 41/43 score that I received on my Scarlet Letter Final Exam and the 44/50 on my timed writing! I thought I failed, remember? I guess the beta carotene works as brain juice, too. Well, I guess we can all expect hands with stronger pigments of orange if I’m pulling of a 4.0 this semester!

Maybe if I eat enough yellow carrots, my hands and soles of my feet will start to regain a somewhat normal pigment. Wishful thinking. Hell, I ain’t ashamed of orange extremities!

Unlike my Scarlet Letter final, this bar did not receive a high grade in my book. Don’t shoot me, but I’ve been rather disappointed with the seasonal Clif bars lately. They all taste the same, more or less! Thus, I plan to stick to my 18 rabbits, Laras, and Heart Thrives for packaged treats for the time being.

What is worthy of kudos, however, is a classic that’s dear to many of our hearts-

Grilled cheese and tomato soup

I wish everyone the happiest of Hump Days!

And to get you thinking (and laughing, more likely)– who was your first boyfriend/girlfriend?

I’ve been thinking a lot about mine. Although I was only in 8th grade, it was love. Poke fun if you must, but it was a magical experience <3

no, i am not talking about sandra lee.  i am talking about me.. janetha b!  before i elaborate on the title.. how about a little business?

• if you have not yet entered my æbleskiver giveaway please do so now~ it will be ending on wednesday at the stroke of midnight. hum, so i guess that actually means it ends thursday if you want to get technical about it. but whatevs, enter the giveaway and try to win a rad pan. end of story.
• oh wait! not end of story. the awesome people at aunt else’s want me to let you in on a little holiday discountage!  so if you were thinking of purchasing an æbleskiver pan for you or for someone you love.. you can now get 10% off any order!  get the discount by ordering directly on their site, www.auntelse.com or through their Foodzie store, www.auntelse.foodzie.com! here is how: when checking out, in the ” Add special instructions to the seller” section~simply type “10% off from meals & moves promo”
• my girl holly is still trying to raise $$$ to help build a well in cambodia~she wants to raise $1000 by christmas. PLEASE take a jaunt over there and donate.. every penny helps.
• make sure you vote for averie in the best of raw awards!
• christmas is just over ten days away. feel free to freak out if you are a procrastination station like me.

alrighty then!

i woke up feeling discombobulated because i only got four hours of sleep.  if you could see me now you would witness me shaking my fist at the season finale of dexter.  yes, we simply had to wait for the finale to make it’s way onto channel 131 last night and yes, we simply had to stay up until 1:30 AM watching it.  and yes, it was worth it.  any other dexter fans out there? sad ending.. sigh.

anyway~i was still sick and stuffy this morning.  i didn’t have much of an appetite but i had to go to my monday morning sales meeting breakfast because.. well.. it’s all a part of the job i suppose.

egg whites scrambled with chicken, feta, mushrooms & spinach.. water.. coffee..

yeah. sometimes i drink my coffee from a straw. gotta keep those pearly whites pearly and white, ja know?

i doused this with cholula (favorite hot sauce ever) in hopes it would clear out my sinuses.  and then i ate maybe a third of it.

well, the cholula didn’t do the trick so i made my boss stop at walgreens on the way back to the office so i could stock up on some sudafed.

while there, my boss picked up the charlie brown christmas tree.  behold:

we went to walgreens specifically because someone had told him he could snag the tree there.  to my boss’ disappointment, there were no more charlie brown trees left in stock.  but there WAS the display tree.  the base was broken, but they offered to let him purchase the display. i am pretty sure he paid around fifteen washingtons for this sad, pathetic little tree. you should have seen him jump for joy and his face fill with glee when they told him he could buy the display. it’s the small things in life, isn’t it? i will have to take a photo of the tree in his office tomorrow.

today was spent at a different desk:

i am getting a new computer at work (holler!) and so for the past few days i have been sitting at the extra desk and my feng shui is all sorts of messed up.  hopefully i am back at my comfy own desk manana.

that you see there in the giant mug AKA bowl is lunch.

1 cup oikos+1 cup shredded spoonfuls+good amount of PB2

inhaled this around 1 PM.  i didn’t eat again until about 7 o’clock.  my appetite is skeewampus when i am sick.  yep.. skeewampus. not even a word~yet it describes my appetite to a T.

after work instead of hitting the gym i hit the mall.. and almost killed myself.. but barely made it out alive AND with all marshall’s christmas gifts!  thank goodness that task is complete.  i still have to get a few odds and ends for some family members and coworkers but other than that i am basically done with the shopping christmas prep.  hallelujah.  i hate the crowds.  i have hours upon hours of at home christmas prep though.. oy vey, i will save that for another day.

when i got home from hell the mall i was pretty dang starving actually.  i munched on some oh! nuts dried pears to tide me over until dinner was ready.

enter: semi-homemade.

all this girl wanted was soup and a grilled cheese for dinner.  like i said, i want carbs when i am sick.  protein (other than greek yogurt) just doesn’t sound appealing at all.

SO~ i went with what i was craving and went against my 40% carb-40% protein-20% fat ratio method (which is the way i usually eat)..  know. a rebel without a cause.

i didn’t want just any old grilled cheese so i decided to fancy it up a bit.

earlier today i saw my girl k eating some muenster cheese and have not been able to stop thinking about it since.  what can i say, i love my cheeses.

i picked some up at the store and decided to make a grilled cheese sandwich using the muenster and.. wait for it..

sun butter.

my roommate drew basically thought i was ridiculous for pairing cheese with the sun butter~but, unlike ménage à trois,  it is one of those things you shouldn’t knock until you try it!

i put some smart balance on the outsides of two slices of multi-grain organic bread..

slathered a nice amount of sun butter on the insides of the slices and then sandwiched about two ounces of muenster in between and i was ready to grill!

meanwhile, i took the easy way out with my soup:

but i did fancy it up (hence the semi-homemadeness) with drew’s leftover broccoli~

see~ look’s like i made it from scratch

once the grilled cheese was all melty and perfect i cut it (diagonally, of course) and admired the oozing combo of cheese and sun butter~

my semi-homemade dinner was served!

italian vegetable soup + broccoli & grilled muenster+sunbutter sandwich

of course i dunked the sandwich in the soup. this combo was fantastic.  it just may be my new favorite variety of grilled cheese!  move over goat cheese and tomato.  this was cheesetastic.

oh and for the record: chunky sun butter is WAY better than creamy. those are sunflower seed bits you see in my home run stretch of cheese there.

now i am so full

semi-homemade adventures in baking!

tomorrow is national cupcake day so i decided to whip up a batch for the office.  i didn’t want to make them from scratch but i still wanted them to be different and creative.  i decided to make some white chocolate & cream cheese filled spice cupcakes with coconut pecan frosting. that’s a mouthful! TWSS.

step 1: mix the spice cake according to the box, subbing olive oil in for vegetable oil

step 2: fill cupcake liners 1/4 the way full with batter

step 3: mix 8 oz cream cheese+1 egg+1/2 cup sugar

step 4: add 6 oz white chocolate chips to the mix

step 5: spoon some of the cream cheese mixture into the cupcake liners

about this much:

step 6: top the liners with more batter so the cups are about 3/4 the way full overall

like this:

step 7: bake at 350 degrees [f] for 18 minutes.. or until a toothpick comes out clean as a whistle. p.s.~i don’t really think whistles are that clean. i mean, they have to have all sorts of saliva stuck inside of them from all that blowing, right?

step 8: let cool

step 9: while you wait for them to cool, hang out with your roommate’s dog because your dogs are at your boyfriend’s house. good thing mister yulek is a sweetie!

step 10: frost those bad boys with some pre-packaged coconut pecan frosting and wish you had thought to pick up some whole pecans and some shaved coconut for garnish.  oh well, the co-workers won’t mind.

step 11: don’t eat them. they are for national cupcake day, which is tomorrow. but go ahead and admire them and your semi-homemade handiwork

check out the cream cheese and white chocolate hiding on the inside!

there you have it. my how-to-tips on being a homemaker.. the easy way.

i gotta go to bed guys. it’s 11 PM and i am a sick bird.  oh yeah, you saw that i didn’t work out again.  i just wasn’t feeling it. and guess what? i don’t feel bad. not one bit.

Qs~

1. any good semi-homemade tips you would like to share with the class? don’t be shy.

2. what is your favorite kind of cupcake? i hope you eat one for national cupcake day
xo. janetha b.

Three exams DOWN. Oh boy, was it ever a special moment on Saturday at approximately 1:30 pm when I handed in my last completed exam of the week and walked out of the building into the bright and sunny winter fresh air. And to boot, I walked out with my graded clinical psych paper in hand that I rocked. Totally didn’t expect that one either so that was a nice little treat.

One left to go. This Friday. 3:30. Dun dun dun…

It’s a first year geo class though so I’m not investing too much stress into that one. Four days of casual studying mixed in with cleaning, Christmas shopping and general free time should be plenty.

This weekend, after finishing up my clinical psych exam, I did no school work and wow did it feel fine. Weird, but in the best way possible.

I did, however, do some cake baking for my brother’s 18th birthday on Saturday. Being a big time chocolate fan, he requested a chocolate cake. Surprise. So I used the recipe for Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake which I read nothing but great reviews for. I halved it because I kind of figured a giant double chocolate double decker cake was a bit much for our small bunch (and a bit dangerous to have those leftovers kicking around…).

My expert cake decorating skills are at it again. Yes I left the mud puddled icing like that on purpose. I kind of thought it looked cool at first… whatever, it’s not like this cake was being served to the Queen.

Just the bro. I think he handled the icing puddles alright.

Prior to cake we ate Indian food. This was my first taste of actual restaurant Indian food, no joke. I ordered Bhartha (aka eggplant curry?). Mmmm. Had never tried this dish before but I tasted very similar to an Amy’s frozen Indian meal I had once. Guess Amy’s knows what they’re doing! Wasn’t a huge fan of the naan because they buttered it. I don’t know if their butter was off or if I just don’t really like butter anymore since I so rarely eat it but it kind of ruined the taste of the naan. Guess I need to ask for it dry next time.

Oh and despite the fact that I made a smaller cake to keep leftovers to a minimum, I still managed to eat cake slivers, crumbs and tidbits at every meal. Yes, yes I did. Hey, birthday cake only happens once (or twice, or three or four times…) a year…Ehem. At least I did cool things like melt it onto my oats at breakfast! Cha cha cha.

Other than that my weekend was without excitement. I had no energy nor desire to go out Saturday night and was in bed by midnight, much too exhausted from many late nights and early mornings of studying to fathom doing anything requiring energy. Plus winter puts me into hibernation mode. Who really feels motivated to go out at night in the freezing cold?!

And since I’ve hardly updated in the past couple weeks, it’s time for…

The Best of Eats: Exam Study Edition

Featuring foods that tasted (or at least looked) pretty darn good.

Naturally there has been some squash. I am once again turning quite orange (most noticeable on the palms), a phenomenon that is present year round but really kicks up in the winter when roasted squash becomes a prevalent component in my weekly diet.

At one point I made lazy chickpea cutlets without oil or lemon because I decided to see if no oil would make a difference and because the first time I ever made them I found them too lemony. These were…bland. Next time some oil and some lemon are in order. I ate them anyway.

I frequently ate plenty of Corn Bran cereal (among others)

A good amount of pretty veggieful platters

Cottage cheese and oranges. Mmmm.

And again with an egg white scramble and some morning sunlight.

And once more, with an english muffin with tuna replacing the cottage cheese and eggs.

SUSHI for the first time in ages. The grocery store version but heck I’ll take it. Sushi is sushi. Real stuff soon hopefully?!

So many apples. So much iced coffee. My study time saviours. Yes I still drink iced coffee right into the winter. Paired with many layers of clothing and a hot water bottle of course.

And I’m normally not a huge pop drinker but a few of these were pretty appreciated during some of those on the verge of crashing moments.

You know what else helped? Shots.  But not just any kind of shots, shots of…yogurt? No alcohol in sight for me for a little while now but shots of strawberry yogurt with cocoa powder and blueberries are a welcome post dinner study treat.

Some mornings were especially worth waking up for when they involved things like Brilliant Blueberry oatmeal Banana Brulee-style with a slight twist: banana and almond butter melted together, then all stirred into the already cooked oats. So. Delicious.

Lunches were cool too. I had a grilled cheese for the first time in ages. I had been craving grilled cheese for days before finally making this. It’s just that time for year for it! I made mine with half garden vegetable cream cheese and half cheddar cheese. Weird? Maybe. Tasty? Definitely.

And winter also clearly calls for SOUP. Plain and simple tomato and roasted red pepper soup, dolled up with hot sauce and spinach immersion blended right in. Ow ow.

And as much as I love starting off early morning exam days (who schedules exams at 8:30 am, really now) with bowls of instant oats with pumpkin, banana and nut butter…

I love ending them about just as much with oats cooked savoury style with spinach, salsa, cream cheese and hummus.

And that about concludes today’s The Best Of Eats, hope you enjoyed the show. Now’s about time to start thinking about studying for that last exam. The trickypart… turning those thoughts into actions. Actions I would prefer right now include blasting some tunes and making some lunch and baking some treats and building some muscles and reading some mags and dusting some shelves… anything other than actions involving studying really. Guess we can’t get what we want all the time though.
Hardy har, sigh, and ciao for now!

Tonight Mike made a wonderful red pepper and corn chowder soup.  He used:

Whole milk

Cumin

Diced red peppers

Corn (boiled then de-cobed)

1 chopped red onion

1 chopped white onion

Mike started with boiling the corn on the cob, and after it cooled a bit scraped it all off.  While the corn was cooling, he sautéed the red peppers and onions.  He took the mix of this and added it to a pot with the whole milk and boiled, blended with an emulsion mixer and let it simmer.  This was served with a garnish of avocado and a dusting of cyan and Spanish paprika.

With this soup Mike served a grilled cheese made with German style rye bread filled with Casatica Di Bufala (a buffalo milk) cheese from Lombardy Italy.  The cheese it’s self is delicate and has an earthiness and sweetness with a gamey tang. The soup its self had a bit of a kick, which the salty avocado softened.  If that wasn’t enough the gilled Di Bufala kept the heat tamed. The whole sandwich was beautifully gooey, and lip smacking delicious!

This was all paired back to an Imagery Artist collection, Viognier from the Russian River Valley.  This wine was fruity with a nose of lavender.  An excellent pairing!

Corn Chowder Soup

The other day I was passing through our neighboring town when I spotted “Grilled Fromage” a new little cafe/restaurant that has recently opened.   I had heard rumors that it was the mecca for all grilled cheese (cheese toastie for the Brit in me) lovers so I thought I would go in and check it out.

A bright and eclectic decor is rounded off nicely with an old school atari (complete with asteroids), random LP sleeves on the walls and a large cartoon man on the wall with a speech bubble proclaiming “first you get the cheese, then you get the power, then the women”.  I’m sure big Al Pacino would love it, even if its not quite right.

Then main reason for a visit though is to try one of their 54 types of grilled cheese.  Thats right 54. Mine “the big cheese” came complete with bacon, chicken, bell peppers and of course cheese.  Each of the different toasties is given a name that somehow links in to its filling, a few of the selection can been viewed on their website.

Eureka! I’ve found the solution to the potato soup problem.  Extra salt and pepper.  It’s spoon-lickin’ good now.

This morning, into my oatmeal I put dried apples, cranberries, cinnamon, milk and sugar; finding it needing something, I added a dash of vanilla. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either.  And I hate how I can eat bowlfuls of oats and still be hungry. Boo!

It’s a good thing I can cite “loss of electrolytes due to sweating” as an excuse for my eating habits, because I swear I’ve consumed enough salt today to kill a horse.  Salt in my oats at breakfast (they don’t taste right without it!), extra salt in the spud soup at lunch, salt on my GNP&J (you don’t get the full groundnut flavor without it!), salt like CRAZY on the popcorn I made for/after dinner.  I’d forgotten how good plain old salty popcorn is, and my second-ever attempt at making it the old-fashioned way was a smashing success. I shall do this more often. Any suggestions for good popcorn flavorings?

Oh yeah, and I ate some unsalted trail mix…but I put salt on that too.

Day 114: Pink Sauce Pleasure

So, I think because I’ve been reading Eat, Pray, Love (excellent book) I’ve been hankering for Italian food lately.  I first considered making mac ‘n cheese for breakfast this morning, then the DOC’s Pink Sauce for Pasta. I decided against both at the time, but I did end up making the Pink Sauce for lunch.  I wanted to use up the cabbage in the fridge so I boiled it and put the sauce on that—so good.  Last time I said it tasted just like an Italian restaurant, and while it might be a pretty low-standards restaurant, I stand by my statement.  Mmm. I might eat the leftovers again for dinner.

Later: I had two eat-me-now-cause-I’ll-be-bad-by-morning tomatoes on my table, so what did I do with them?  Made a grilled cheese & tomato sandwich.  And it was the best frigging grilled cheese & tomato on tea bread I’ve ever made or tasted.  I fall more in love with those Laughing Cow slices every time.  Dinner started out as a choice between grilled cheese and leftover fried rice, but of course it ended up being both.  What could be healthier?

Also: remember that time when I had something like six loaves of bread in my freezer/fridge (brown, tea and sugar combined)? Those days are over.  All I have left is a small heel of brown bread.  I have ceased to be a bread whore, thank God.

Ingredients from my local Italian Market!

I live in “Little Italy”, a vibrant neighborhood in beautiful downtown San Diego.  I have the luxury of walking to great Italian Restaurants and even have a great little neighborhood market that sell amazing Italian ingredients.  It’s another rainy day in San Diego and suffice it to say I am loving it.  I guess it’s my Scottish blood that makes me love the rain.

The market had a loaf of Black Olive Artisan Bread  - baked fresh by Bread & Cie , a local San Diego Bakery.  Along with this I selected some sliced Asiago Cheese, Fresh Basil, Roma Tomatoes and a delectable Spicy Sopressata (Salami) Salumi.  I also picked up an amazing fig compote with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and a tube of Sun Dried Tomato Paste for use in future Grilled Cheese Creations!  I find myself thinking of all the possibilities that make for a great Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

I sliced the bread and the Sopressata thinly then rolled & chopped a few fresh basil leaves.  Using my tried and true olive oil in a non-stick pan, I placed two slices of the bread in the pre-heated pan and covered them with two slices of Asiago Cheese; covering the pan with a lid to melt the cheese faster.  Once the cheese began to melt, I covered one side of molten cheese with the chopped basil and thinly sliced Sopressata.  It dawned on me that a couple of slices of Roma Tomato would be the perfect addition.  I flipped the other side on top and it was grilled to perfection!

The Finished Product!

Mmmmm.....

The inside....

Today I have a symbolic logic exam looming over my head–which, come to think of it, is probably why I had the drive to start a blog today. This dinner is another product of my procrastination. It’s a spicy take on grilled cheese and tomato soup (it’s actually sauce, but go with me) and is inspired by the fact that I’m going to be awake all night–I wanted something hearty to go on. To make this dinner for two, just add some extra potatoes and make two slices of bread. Do not double the sauce, for the love of god. I have so much left over: tomorrow, I’ll be eating some banging spaghetti.

Before you embark on this wonderfully simple meal, I’d like to remind you to please taste your food as you go and to add spices gradually. This is packed with a lot of flavors I love, and since I’m terrible at measurements and I’m new at this, go with your instincts. I promise, it’s delicious.

tomato sauce with cannellini and garbanzo beans

5 cloves of garlic

1 small onion

1 can whole peeled tomatoes

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can canelli beans

1.5 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp crushed red pepper

1/4 c red wine

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp oregano

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sesame seeds

sweat garlic and onions in extra virgin olive oil for 3 minutes, then add beans and tomatoes. Stir with spoon, breaking tomatoes for about 1 or 2 minutes. Then season to taste with spices, salt and pepper. simmer for 45 min to 1 hr. Add sesame seeds when there is about ten minutes to go. Stir occasionally.Meanwhile get those oven fries going.

red bliss oven fries

3 medium sized red potatoes, washed and cut into eighths

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper

mix together and cool for 30 min in 375 oven, or until they are golden brown (do not trust my timing my oven is a piece of crap)

grilled cheese with goat cheese and manchego cheese

pad of butter

1 slice bread (preferably ezekiel 4:9)

a little goat cheese (five small-average sized crumbles)

as much manchego cheese as you want, or 1/4 c

place bread in hot pan butter side down. sprinkle cheeses evenly on top. wait 3 minutes. flip bread over so cheese is on pan. wait 1 second. using a metal spatula, flip. scoop up fried cheese bits and smear cheese together with the bottom of a spatula. serve hot with oven fries and tomato sauce.

Bon Appetit,

Brittany

I took a lot of pictures. They will be up by next Friday. After I get the cord to my camera.

Smoked Gouda w/Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Bacon, Sliced Avocado & Purple Onion

It’s sunny and not as chilly in San Diego today but there is still a delightful feel of fall in the air.  I decided that I needed a bacon fix today so I started things out by slowly frying up 5 plump strips Of NimanRanch Applewood Smoked Bacon.  You can buy Niman Ranch Bacon at Trader Joe’s and I can assure you will be thrilled with the quality.  Check out the Niman Ranch website  http://www.nimanranch.com/index.aspx and see for yourself.  It’s all about the ethics surrounding the food we eat.

The Niman Ranch Mission: Niman Ranch and its U.S. farmers and ranchers raise livestock traditionally, humanely and sustainably to deliver the finest tasting meat in the world.

We are proud that all our livestock is:

Niman Ranch Bacon!

• Humanely Raised on Sustainable U.S. Farms and Ranches
• Never Given Antibiotics – Ever
• Never Given Any Added Hormones – Ever
• Fed All Vegetarian Feeds

I was told recently that the Niman Family no longer owns the ranch, but I am still impressed with the quality of the product and the practices that they subscribe to.  Chipotle Mexican Restaurants also use Niman Ranch Pork for their food; a huge reason why I will eat at Chipotle!

Mmmmm Bacon!

Be sure to cook the bacon slowly and evenly so it gets nice and brown.  Don’t be in a rush.  Most things in life are better when done slow & easy.  Please make a note of that guys… I like my bacon crispy, especially for sandwiches because I like to break it into tiny pieces and sprinkle it on the gooey cheese goodness when it begins to melt.  After its cooked to your liking, remove it from the pan and place the strips on a double folded piece of paper towel to absorb the grease.  Use another piece to pat the top.  Then set it aside to cool until ready to make your sandwich.

The same as yesterday I used olive oil in my pan in place of buttering the bread.  Olive oil is still high in fat but it is a good fat and healthier than butter.  I actually prefer the taste of it too but that could be because I have used it in place of butter for so many years.  Be sure to buy a good quality extra-virgin type.  Trader Joe’s has several great selections at a very good price.  I had some TJ’s Smoked Gouda slices in my fridge and I thought this cheese would fare well with the bacon.  I leave the brownish rind on because I like it but you can cut it off.  Smoked Gouda takes a while to melt so covering the pan will help speed that along.  once it starts to swell and bubble , that is when you want to add the bacon pieces to one side.  To balance out the saltiness of the bacon I added some thin slices of a firm avocado.  Avocado has a buttery texture that compliments the bacon and the gouda.   I also added a few pieces of thinly sliced Purple Onion and placed it on top of the avocado.  Gently slide the other side of the bread on top of the side with the bacon and avocado, being careful to keep all the ingredients firmly in place.  Continue cooking until bread is at desired brownness on both sides.  Slide gently on plate and allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting.  I added a little sautéed cherry tomato compote to the plate for garnish-yum!

Hinterland Brewery - Pale Ale - Green Bay Wisconsin

I decided to pop open the Hinterland Pale Ale to enjoy with my latest creation.  I am afterall, a consenting adult of legal age who deserves to be pampered and it was 2:00 PM.  I popped open the beer and poured it into one of my favorite glasses.  Details on the beer later but with regard to pairing with the grilled cheeses…It was perfect!  This mellow Pale Ale complemented the salt and smokiness of the grilled cheese sandwich perfectly!

The great thing about creating grilled cheese sandwiches is that there really is no right and wrong choice.  That is a beautiful thing when cooking cause it takes the stress out of the process.  Cheese is one of my favorite foods and I can think of few things that don’t go well with the various styles.  Stay tuned as I experiment with some of the amazing suggestions I received yesterday on Twitter and via the comments section here.  Remember…It’s all about the journey!  CHEERS!

Grilled Cheesegasm! Oh My....

I am the worst (or best, depending on how you look at it) procrastinator ever, I swear. I think I’ve read maybe half a chapter today. Of course, I have big plans to do some practice questions once I post this, but chances are I’ll just fall asleep. Oops!

In my defense though – I had some things to do today. Things that were definitely more interesting that my psychology textbook anyways.

I was up bright and early (what? I thought that was over!), and threw together a quick breakfast.

Kashi Honey Almond Flax cereal with craisins and shredded coconut.

And a glass of my favourite – Happy Planet Mango Peach Party.

Yay! Cereal!

Why was I up before the sun when I have no classes? Well, I had my first Nutrikids workshops to do at an elementary school, almost all the way out at the university. Our group had two classes to present to this morning. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I think it went pretty well. Our second classes was better, maybe because we were better with our presentation, but they had tons of questions and fostered alot of discussion. Plus they ate all of the veggies we brought with us, and I think we turned some of them onto the wonder that is hummus, so I figure it’s a win!

I noshed on a Coconut Cream Pia Larabar on my transit ride home, but took no picture. I’m sure it’s something you are all very familiar with by now.

Once home, I threw open the fridge to grab something to eat while I figured out what should be for lunch. Hello pepperoni!

I was starting to feel the first signs of a sore throat coming on. All I wanted was something a) warm (as it’s still frigid here), b) easy to swallow (that’s what she said?), and c) relatively bland. I looked around, and came up with this.

Deliciously simple potato & cheese perogies, with the requisite sour cream and wee bit of butter.

It met all of my lunch criteria. Too bad it just doesn’t play nice with the camera.

I also broke out the first mug of tea for the day.

Then I considered studying, but realized I was too tired for that. I should have had a nap then and there, but I puttered around, doing nothing until I fell asleep during the evening news, missing out on dinner. Doh! But no worries, mom had it all waiting for me when I woke up (gotta love moms).

Creamy tomato soup.

Grilled cheese on whole wheat. I’m still not 100% sure why mine was cut into quarters.

A couple of dill pickles.

Warm, comforting, and easy on the throat. Two thumbs up!

I did finally channel my studious inner student and broke into the readings, while going through a couple of mugs of tea, and taking a break to dissect a pomegranate. Hey, somebody had to do it.

And really…that’s about the extent of my day. I’m hoping to avoid getting whatever cold this sore throat is signalling, so I think I’m going to do a few practice questions, then hit the sack. Night!

Grilled Havarti with Caramelized Onion & Oven-Dried Tomato

The weather turned chilly in San Diego this week and in spite of my unemployed status, I am feeling very happy about things!  Whenever it is cold and rainy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches come to mind and we’re not talking Kraft processed cheese on wonder bread in this beer geek’s casa.  Today I whipped up a yummy little creation that was simple, delicious and affordable.

I started with a few slices of organic purple onion from California and caramelized the rings in a saute pan with about 1 tablespoon of my staple item, Trader Joe’s President’s Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Add Salt and Pepper to taste.   Be careful to cook slowly so they get that yummy look of perfection. While doing this I placed about 8 (cut in half) small cherry tomatoes on a tray sprayed lightly with olive oil and baked them in the oven for about 15 minutes until soft and slightly shriveled.  You can also add them cut side down to the pan with the onions (after caramelized) and let cook for a few minutes until they turn into sweet deliciousness.  After mine are finished in the oven I add them to the pan with the onions and mix gently to add the caramelized goodness to the tomatoes

Remove onions and tomatoes from pan and wipe clean.  I use olive oil in place of butter because I try to watch the foods I eat and also because I am an olive oil whore err…fan!  I pour enough to coat bottom of pan and then place two slices of Trader Joe’sSourdough Wheat Bread, flat ends touching in the pan.  Heat is set on Medium.  Place one slice of Trader Joe’s Lite Havarti on each side of the bread. I choose lite again because I try to watch what I eat but regular is great also.  I have to save calories for my stupendous craft beer selections!!!

Trader Joe's Lite Havarti

Cover the pan for a minute or two until the cheese melts and the bread begins to brown. I like to see it start to bubble but be sure to pay attention to the bread browning also.  Once ready, spoon the caramelized onion and tomato mixture onto one side of the bread, on top of the cheese.  Add to taste but remember to be sparing enough that it doesn’t make the sandwich mushy.  Flip the opposite of the bread over onto the side with the mixture.  Flip the entire sandwich once to check that both sides are sufficiently browned.  Remove from pan and place on a plate.  I used the extra caramelized onion and tomato mixture as a side on my plate because I absolutely adore the combination.  Let the sandwich cool for a couple of minutes while you admire the pure beauty of your delicious creation.  If appropriate…pair with your favorite Craft Beer Selection.  I would likely choose a divine California IPA like Stone Ruination – a staple item in my home. Cut in half, curl up on your favorite chair and enjoy!

Day two has gone swimmingly, as did the rest of day one.  Yay. This time is just easier for some reason. Usually the first few days are hard.

Good news today. . .my Mom got called back to work after being laid off for 10 months. I don’t know how this will affect me diet wise, as I know there will be more “convenience foods” in the house. Those are never good.  She got so nervous  she started smoking again. I hate that because she was doing very well; eight months to be exact. It’s easier for me now though. I don’t have to go outside to smoke like a house-broken dog being sent out to do his business.

It’s a bad Fibromyalgia day today. I’m pretty much hurting all over. Some sort of hot comfort food sounds wonderful. I’m thinking a grilled cheese with wheat bread and swiss.

What’s the perfect remedy to a week full of tests, projects and papers that go on for days? Happy Hour, of course!

I tried out Blue Star Cafeteria’s Happy Hour for the first time this week after a long day of class and schoolwork. I’d heard that the specials offered Monday through Friday from 3-7 were pretty great and I had been meaning to try out Blue Star’s Happy Hour for a while. I’d only visited the restaurant once before during brunch and the food was really, really good and the ambience of the restaurant is adorable too.

Happy Hour at Blue Star really runs the gamut. Half-price appetizers, $3 off pizzas and wine and drink (cider included!) specials as well. We made it there at about 6:30 so if you’re looking to try a few things and really relax, I recommend arriving a bit earlier. Located on Burnet just north of 45th Street, Blue Star has tons of parking and a fair amount of seating inside.

I started with a few choices but I of course had to try the sandwich offered on the appetizer menu:

GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH 7.95
Imported swiss, provolone, cheddar & gorgonzola cheese, on sourdough served with apple & dried fruit chutney and dijon mustard

The deviation from the traditional cheddar of course made for a dressed-up grilled cheese and I’d rank this among one of my favorites (aside from homemade, of course.) The gorgonzola added a really surprising bite to the sandwich but the chutney balanced it out quite well.

I also had one of their sliders with bleu cheese (one of my favorites) and a pair of small crab cakes. Try the sliders, not the crab cakes.

I wanted to give Blue Star a 3.5/5 stars but decided that the great prices and excellent variety warranted at least a 4.

Tonight’s dinner was created from staples I always have on hand:

• frozen veggies
• soup
• bread
• cheese

I knew I wanted to use the box of V8 butternut squash soup that has been haunting me everytime I open my cubbard.

Box of Soup

As indicated by the severely torn box of soup in the above picture, I’ve  clearly never opened a box of soup before. I felt quite ravenous hacking away at the box. Just gimme my soup already! I let Sadie lick it clean and tear it up for good measure when I was done. Who’s the boss now, huh soup box!?

Butternut Squash Soup

Thank you to the readers who gave me suggestions as to what to do to transform my butternut squash soup craving into a meal. I followed your suggestions and decided to pair the soup with the old stand by: a grilled cheese sandwich.

Grilled Cheese

I made mine on a whole wheat Arnold’s sandwich thin and Ryan’s on Publix light wheat bread. His and hers grilled cheeses.

We also split a box of Green Giant Healthy Vision frozen veggies.

Green Giant Healthy Vision Veggies

Grilled Cheese and Veggies

At the dinner table Ryan and  I concluded our dinner was fit for a five year old. We loved every last bite. The soup in particular was really, really good. I’m a fan!

Low Calorie Christmas Cookies

Ryan affectionately calls me his little cookie monster because I’ve been known to polish off an embarrassing amount of freshly baked cookies on more than one occasion. They’re just too darn delicious!

I love baking Christmas cookies for Santa (and myself ). Nerd alert: My sister and I always bake cookies to ‘NSync’s Christmas CD. It’s amazing. There’s just something about that song “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” that makes me wanna sing and dance!

Were you a Backstreet Boys fan or an ‘NSync fan… or just a hater? I definitely preferred ‘NSync. I love my Justin Timberlake (though J.C. was my fav at the time…  I had a soft-spot for Joey, too!) .

Annnyway, in my latest Examiner article, I’ve compiled a list of low calorie Christmas cookie recipes. Click here to check it out!