Secret Work

My secret work yesterday was making dinner and a sweet treat for Bethany. Today was her first day back at work as well as Braden's first full day of daycare.

I made her chicken enchiladas and brownies. I prepped everything last night, and today I took everything over to her house before she got home from work. I made rice too, but totally left in my fridge, cause I'm forgetful like that. My plan was to be in and out before she got home... but traffic was horrible on the way there, and she got home right before I left. It was nice to be there and hear about her day.
I made two for me and ate them for dinner when I got home. So good!
The brownies were my first brownies ever from scratch, and probably my second or third in any form. They were lavender chocolate brownies with a hint of espresso. Pretty. Freaking. Awesome.
It's nice to do little things for the people you care about. I love Bethany and she's doing such an amazing job as a single working mother, and I'm excited about being there for her for whatever she may need. Including the making of brownies.
♥

Happy Happy ^_^

I had a lovely day.
This is my lovely day face.
↓

♥♥♥

Today Bethany took Braden to his first partial day of daycare. It was rough, but everybody did great and was fine at the end of the day. Bethany returns to work tomorrow (she's active duty Air Force) so today was good practice.

After dropping Braden off at 0900, we got coffee, ran some errands on base, and then went to lunch. After lunch we hit up the glory that is TJMaxx. I found lots of awesomeness that made it's way into my home.

Exhibit A: Cute wood carving of a cupcake.
Exhibit B-E: Mrs. Meyer's Lavender dishwasher detergent (I've been looking for this everywhere. Sweetness.) A cute purple bumblebee To Do list on a clipboard, monogrammed paper napkins for guests, and Mrs. Meyer's Geranium surface wipes.
Exhibit F: Blue cherry blossom print table runner.
Exhibit G: new dog treat jar. I'm in love with it, and may redecorate my kitchen based on it. A dog treat jar. For serious.
P.S. I got all this stuff (there were 2 bottles of dishwasher detergent) for less than $60. I love that store.

I also found a tattoo studio that I really liked, and Bethany showed me this really cool dog boutique (yes, a "boutique") called 3 Dogs & a Chick. Check out their website here. If you have a dog, that is.

Bethany showed me the Landing today! It's really pretty, and it was fun to be outside since the weather was gorgeous, it felt like spring! We walked around and talked and drank iced coffee, it was a good time. I love spending time with my Bethany Bear! (Can I call you that? Haha)

I'm off to do secret things that will be revealed tomorrow. Good evening, all.

Lavender Spritzer

This was delicious and super simple.
In a saucepan, bring 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water and 2 tbsp lavender flowers to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, and let the syrup cool completely.
Pour your desired amount of lavender syrup into a glass, and top with sparkling water. I used San Pellegrino. Or you could use champagne, which I'm sure would be fantastic.

♥Carbs

I will never be rail thin. Because I love food.
Namely, carbohydrates.
I'm not cooking very much lately, rather I'm cooking large meals and eating them for a few days in a row. It's nice knowing that there is something tasty in the fridge should hunger strike.

My latest kitchen creations

Ziti with broccoli, grilled chicken tenderloins, cippolini onions, garlic, white wine, lots of lemon juice, and black pepper. Soak your cippolini onions in boiling water for a few minutes, the skins will pull right off. Anyone who has attempted to peel a sweet little cippolini will appreciate that tip.

Tonight's meal: Butternut Squash Risotto with vanilla, black pepper, cardamom, and onion.
I've made this before, without the cardamom, and loved it. It was time for it to be made again, as there are several squash hanging out on my table.

Real words

I haven't posted very many "this is how I feel" blogs, so here goes. No pictures of food.

Things have been pretty damn quiet on the home front. I miss Ricky every day, as do the dogs, but we're doing just fine here.
Last week I got a new job at Starbucks. I'm really excited about it. Funny how I always gravitate towards coffee and espresso. It makes me happy though. I was miserable at a desk job. Not only did it make me feel fat and lazy sitting at a desk all day, but I was bored out of my mind. I need to be standing, walking, smiling, and doing something that I think is fun. I start on the 25th, and it can't come soon enough.

On a sadder note, I think I'm losing one of my very good male friends. Don't you hate when that happens? Your great guy friend gets a girlfriend, and that seems to be the end of it. Sad how petty little things can come between friendships. C'est la vie I suppose.

The weather here has been cold, and today it's been raining for almost 12 hours. Being a native PNW girl, I'm not one to complain about the rain.

I'm loving all three books I'm reading at the moment (see sidebar) but The Happiness Project is really speaking to me. Having dealt with anxiety and depression for the greater part of my adult life, it's nice to read about someone taking such a practical approach to bettering her quality of life.
My exercise and healthy eating regimen is still going strong. I was afraid that after a few weeks I'd get tired of it, but it stuck and I couldn't be happier. Although this afternoon I made nachos, so to keep myself from feeling terrible I'm working out twice. Ha.

I'm off now to make some peppermint tea and read some more. Oh, and wash my bed linens again because apparently, if you're a dog, it's totally okay to run with muddy paws all over someones bed. I love them.

Poese time

I love having company. I really love when company comes for dinner.

Tonight I spent time with the Poese clan. I made chicken sausage (spicy, Italian) with peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and Herbes de Provence. Because as we all know, Herbes de Provence makes everything taste amazing.
I served my chicky sausage-peppery combination over whole grain penne with some more arugula.

For dessert I just topped some Talenti Lemon Sorbet with fresh blueberries.

Then Braden had his 930th photo shoot...

...and Maggie got jealous.

Look! Three of my favorite things!

Cephalopods for dinner.

The fabulous Brittany Reaves came over tonight to eat squid and watch American Idol and generally be awesome.

It was a grand time.
I decided to make squid on a whim. It was pretty and white and fresh at the grocery store, so I bought it. Silly me making something I've never made before for company.
I live dangerously.

It turned out great! Sauteed calamari (bodies and tentacles) with shallots, garlic, butter, white wine, and fresh thyme served over orzo with a salad of watercress and baby arugula.
And then cupcakes.

I made a quick batch of cupcakes from scratch. Seriously, I look back on my cake mix days and wonder, "What the hell was I thinking? This doesn't take any time at all!"
Dark chocolate spice cupcakes with candied ginger and lavender buttercream.
The cupcakes were spiced with ground ginger, fresh nutmeg, cinnamon, lavender, vanilla, and a touch of maple syrup.
They were awesome. As were their cute little striped cupcake liners.

♪♫♫♪♪♫

... that's the veal stew song.
I have been being such a bum. I ate out this past weekend, at Panera Bread (damn you Panera!) and at... crap I don't remember. Somewhere in Pensacola on Saturday.
I needed to cook.
Something fabulous.
Something that would fill my house with a delicious aroma that would remind me that yes, I do in fact like to cook, and I don't suck at it.
Nope, I don't suck at it at all.

Whilst perusing the aisles of the great Publix, I found veal.
Don't give me that PETA BS. Have you ever had veal? It would change your mind.
No, they don't raise the baby cows in dark boxes, in underground dungeons or whatever dark thoughts you have about it. I can't feel bad about veal, because I love lamb. And that would just be a double standard. I used to be a vegetarian, for serious. For quite some time. But... look. If we aren't supposed to eat animals, then why are they made of meat? ;)
I get it. I get how some people can feel bad about it. But to me, we're all animals. Animals eat other animals. When you watch Discovery, do you want to scold that leopard for eating that baby gazelle? Do you want to tell him that he could get his protein from chickpeas? That leopard would scratch your face off.
Lesson being: Don't try to separate me from my veal, I suppose. I think I got off track.
VEAL.
Tonight I made veal stew. Veal, zucchini, celery, potatoes, carrots, onion, vegetable stock, butter, smoked salt, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and love.
Thickened at the end with a roux of butter, flour, and vegetable stock.

Enjoyed thoroughly.
I am now off to watch the glory that is Anthony Bourdain and have a couple glasses of Gewürtzraminer. Happy Monday!

Happy Happy Sunday

Yesterday Bethany and I saw this whilst at Starbucks.

Look closely, and you'll see that those faces belong to 2 life-sized dolls of the flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz. Weird. Hilarious. Confusing. Are they waving? Wtf.

Today we went to Destin to do... I'm not really sure. I found an engagement calendar and B&N, which made me happy. I get one every year but apparently I waited way too long this year, and was lucky to find one. It's cute, it's by Pomegranate and it has famous paintings of women reading. Right up my alley, I suppose.
Yesterday and today were good shopping days. I got 2 pairs of my favorite jeans at the Gap, plus a really soft cobalt blue Angora sweater. I ♥ Gap.
I also purchased 2 pairs of cute yoga pants from Old Navy, they were on sale. Hooray!
Today I set my hair appointment at the Aveda salon in Destin, had a nice lunch of onion soup and half a tomato mozzarella sandwich at Panera Bread, had an encounter with the WORST barista I've ever seen, and bought a coir doormat with a "P" on it at Bed Bath and Beyond. Strange place.
I also picked up this bookThen I spent some down time at the Poese household, cuddling with Braden and talking about silly things with my awesome friend Bethany.

Exhausted baby!

How could I not?

Deutsch Food and Baby Instructions.

Last night Bethany and I had German food at a place called Helga's in Niceville (deceiving name).
The food was pretty good, not the Germany food I remember, but the owners are from East Germany, so that might explain it. I had the Jaegerschnitzel and fries with a glass of dry red, and it was tasty tasty.

Then, Braden decided that it was cry time. Good thing he came with directions.

So Bethany scooped him up, and it took him a minute...

...but he felt better.

Then he waved goodnight and went to sleep.

I got an email this morning from Ricky with this.
Dali + Star Wars?
Awesome.

And now for something completely different.
I am madly in tv-lust with Anthony Bourdain, and I'm so excited to watch the new season of No Reservations on the 11th.

Missing yoga, but there's tea...

I'm working later than expected, so there is a chance that I won't make it to yoga tonight.

If I miss it tonight, I'll definitely be going Saturday morning at 0900.
I'm making the most of it by having a nice hot cup of blueberry tea.
For lunch today I had a spinach salad with mushrooms, bell peppers, and radishes, some acai juice, and some pineapple, strawberries, and kiwi. I feel healthy.

=)

The man on "Scariest Places on Earth" shares my maiden name. We must be related. ;)

I've been tired. In as many ways as that can mean.
Night before last I just had leftover curry for dinner, and was in bed by nine.
Last night I made homemade pizza again (whatever, it's tasty!) but made my sauce a little differently.
First, I roasted halved plum tomatoes, white onion, and unpeeled cloves of garlic with a little drizzle of olive oil at 300º for about 2 hours. The onions and garlic went in at the 30 minute mark.

Then I took my roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic and combined it with red pepper flakes and fresh oregano in the food processor. I gave it a good whirr and then spread it on my prepared crust. Thank you Publix, for selling balls of fresh dough.
I made two pizzas and froze on. Both were topped with my favorite combination of the sauce, chopped Kalamata olives, goat cheese, and fresh basil, and baked for 12 minutes at 500º.

Then, to cap off my easy going afternoon, after my workout and shower, I took a nice hot bath. I mixed together baking soda, epsom salts, ground ginger, and a pinch of green tea and let that dissolve in the tub. It was awesome.I'm so glad it's already Thursday. I have a yoga class tonight that I'm really looking forward to because I've had a terrible pain in my right shoulder for weeks now, and then only one more day until the weekend. I've got some serious yard work I want to get done, so hopefully the weather will be agreeable.
I stopped by Lark's Nest again (I must stop!) this morning and picked up a tasty-riffic double shot 12 ounce soy sugar-free hazelnut latte. Bliss♥