Catch of the day

Dinner...and yes, I caught it!

Wish you were here!

This is my view for the next week...

Ahhh...a week of doing nothing

I'm so excited! We're leaving for a week's vacation to the beaches of North Carolina. It's our annual trip with Choppers' family. Lots of good southern cookin'. I'm sure by this time next week I'll be completely sick of biscuits with sausage gravy and fried fish. But I never tire of real sweet tea.

I'm bringing my Emeril Essence just to be safe. Choppers won't let me bring my favorite chef's knife. He's afraid someone will use it to fillet a fish. I guess I'll make do. Or maybe I won't cook! Ha!

Process? What Process?!?

Have you ever thought you were following a process, a defined way of doing things, using a system and then just like that (insert snapping sound) your whole understanding of how to get the job done is obliterated?

It's a lot of fun, isn't it? This is the special dilemma I get to deal with today. Working with someone who has explained the process, trained me on the process, and then single-handedly defied the process! Oh, and it just happens to be the president of the company and thus, owner of the process.

Needless to say my business associate and I are left feeling and looking foolish - as though we are incapable of performing our contracted duties and oblivious to the...well, you know.

Sheesh.

Thankfully though, I have in front of me a nifty little recipe for a lovely dinner that will let me forget about all this b.s. for a little while - Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas. Yum. And you can bet your ass that something is already chilling in the fridge!

Summer's end salad

Sunday is my favorite day to cook. It's a bit of a ritual in our home to have "Sunday dinner" - something really yummy, indulgent, and of course, including dessert. But today, I also added "Sunday lunch" after assessing the dwindling bounty in my little garden.

Precious little grape tomatoes, and a lovely bit of basil...
Cute-as-a-button yellow teardrop tomatoes...what shall I do with these?

A simple Panzanella would be the perfect fit. So I also harvested a chubby little cucumber, threw in some red and green peppers, capers, and some red onion - that someone else grew for me. Now for the bread. I had some seeded variety on hand, and that would do. Into the skillet with you!It was delicious. And my summer tomato cravings will soon give way to something less healthy...like mashed potatoes. But until then, here's a peak at the finished product.

Okay, I can't resist sharing these with you too. While they didn't make it into the salad, the color of these habaneros is so beautiful, I felt them deserving of their very own photo!

Am I blushing?

Wow! I received this super-cute award from the lovely, talented, and witty Over My Head. I am so appreciative for this, especially since I am so new to the blog world. Thank you Monica!

I now need to bestow the same love onto seven other bloggers. Which I will as I discover more wonderful blogs just like the "fabulous reads" I've already found! Any recommendations?

Sushi Soiree

We had quite the international dinner party the other night. Friends came over for a hands-on sushi extravaganza! Thankfully a couple couples had working knowledge of the proper assembly techniques, and owned the necessary accoutrement so we could do this for real. Because, even though Choppers and I had purchased the most beautiful salmon and tuna from our favorite sushi restaurant, we really only came to the party with two pair of chopsticks and a 10 pound bag of rice.

Nevertheless! The results were beautiful and delicious...

I'm quite confident we broke all the rules for proper sushi making, but isn't that what's fun about cooking (or in this case not cooking)? Taking something and making it your own. We had a bevy of supporting cast members to the fish—asparagus, scallion, avocado, egg, cream cheese, cucumber, etc. But my favorite was my homemade spicy mayonnaise, because what's better than a spicy tuna hand roll?

1/2 cup good mayo
2 Tbsp Sriracha
1 Tbsp Hot chili sesame oil
Mix together and refrigerate at least two hours to allow everything to meld into spicy deliciousness!

What d'ya think?

How does the new "look", look? I was inspired by the super-cute "Over My Head"...but figured I'd take baby steps before I got really serious!

Just took the scale out of the box...

...and I lost two pounds this week! Woo hoo! Despite sneaking a handful of oh-so-yummy potato chips last night while Choppers was walking the dog. We have been very good about doing our crazy workouts and following the menu all week. Well, with a few exceptions. One can't or really shouldn't, cook without olive oil. I mean, it's a good oil, right? So, a few tweaks here and there. I'll admit, I have had some crabby outbursts in the evening. Either from gastronomic dissatisfaction or Chardonnay withdrawal. But now I am motiavted to continue on! And I even kind of like my new scale. It's sleek and unassuming. And it turns off really fast.

Bonus post!

Monday Night Football AND the Packers! This could only be better if Favre was still in gold and green.

New shoes! New shoes!

Oh! I'm so very excited!! I got my new flip flops today! Two pair! I know, I know, summer's almost over. BUT I am going to the Carolina coast at the end of the month, and I just know I will wear these all the time around the house. They're too fab! Check them out...

I bought them in navy too. Yes, navy! Can you make out the little flower in the middle? Rhinestone! I think I must have been a parrot in a previous life what with my love of shiny and sparkly things! These are a great excuse to throw a dinner party (as if I needed one). Scale be damned! I want to be a sparkly hostess with the mostess!

To scale, or not to scale?

I'm thinking of buying a bathroom scale. And the thought of it makes me cringe.

But, I am embarking on a new "program" that I've been hearing about for months - P90x - and apparently I need to have my before measurements, so I can track all the pounds and inches that are going to be falling off over the next 90 days as I "BRING IT"!

I meant to buy the scale yesterday. I talked myself out of it because I couldn't find a coupon for Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I mean, I shouldn't have to pay full price for something that is going to depress me, should I? I really don't think I want the scale.

However, I am excited to have just received my new body in a box. I'll keep you posted on just how buff I get. But wait, does this mean I have to put my beloved Chardonnay up for 90 days too? Oh boy. I better consult the training manual...and yes, get that scale.

Nebraska rocks!

Home again! We had a great vacation AND lots o' meat! I did have that salad, and have been eating fish and/or some sort of crustacean since our return from the big O yesterday. So here's one of the many, many highlights from our long weekend. Box seats at a Nebraska football game. Ever heard of the "sea of red"? It's nuts. Did they win? You bet. Go big red!

We contributed as much red as we had...