My Grocery List

I am about to head to the store, here's what I'm looking to procure:

feta cheese

bread

salad material

3 onions

1 lb butternut squash

3 pears

fresh rosemary

fresh ginger

soy milk

pecans

linguine

broccoli

veggie broth

sesame oil

dark kidney beans

1 small can diced tomatoes

veggie chorizo

tortillas

4 bell peppers

mushrooms

Monterrey Jack cheese

olive oil

asparagus

lemon

sm. pkg sliced almonds

12 oz salmon

1 sm. bottle dry champagne

1 whole vanilla bean

heavy cream

Italian parsley

1 potato

tortilla chips

milk

eggs

This week's menu

Tonight: Shrimp and feta penne

Sunday: Butternut squash-pear soup

Monday: Broccoli Lo Mein

Tuesday: Veggie chorizo kidney bean wraps

Wednesday: Couscous stuffed bell peppers

Thursday: Salmon with champagne vanilla sauce and rice

Friday: A nice dinner out on the town!

I wonder how much my groceries will cost? My guess is ~$75.

Update: It actually came out to $100. But that's $100/6 meals, which is about $16 per meal for two people and it creates a free lunch the following day. If we ate out for 6 nights at, let's say, $30 total each time and then went out for lunch for 6 days for $8 a pop, the total amount spent on food would be $228. Plus, don't forget breakfast! Anyway, that's my diatribe on why eating at home is the way to go.

Update-o-rama

Here are some random things, accompanied by visuals!

1. I saw a cat circus!

2. I heard there was a flea circus coming to town. Let's hope some person doesn't decide to visit both circuses in the same day!

3. Speaking of cats, Miro's going to be a big brother this spring because he won't stop telling us how bored he is now that Mom and Dad are both gainfully employed. We're hoping for an orange one.

4. The new Telefon Tel Aviv album is currently keeping me sane whilst driving to work in start/stop Chicago traffic each morning.

5. Dave and I have had two very successful nights of our film series "Swallow Your Cinema," except last night I used Orville Redenbacher's "Popping and Topping" popcorn oil for the popcorn and, although no one complained, I'm pretty sure I used waaay too much.

6. My job is awesome and I am so thankful and thrilled to be there each day.

7. I'm going to a Bulls game this weekend to see them play my old hometown team, the Houston Rockets. I don't care if I appear to be becoming a super fan, Bulls games are so much fun.

8. We got a postcard from FRANCE today from Joe T and Anastasia and it made my night!

Israeli couscous for the win

I made this recipe last night for the mister and a guest and it was so easy and yummy. Israeli couscous are just like regular couscous except they're much larger and have this great chewy texture. Almost every Israeli couscous recipe requires that you do a little sauteeing before you boil them to optimize the texture.

You can find the original recipe here, but below is my tweaked version. I served this alongside some fried eggplant topped with crumbled feta cheese.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (1-pound) box Israeli couscous
  
• 3 cups veggie broth
  
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• small package slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the couscous and cook until toasted and lightly browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Carefully add the veggie broth, and the juice of 1 lemon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the couscous is tender, but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the couscous, if needed.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked couscous with the remaining olive oil, remaining lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper and let cool.

Once the couscous is room temperature, add the fresh herbs, and dried cranberries. Toss to combine and serve with toasted slivered almonds on top.

The 80s

were the best, okay.

A Kiddo DB

It seems there has been a call amongst my friends to post photos of themselves as kiddos, so here is me in the months/years following October 1983.

Back when it was just me and my folks...that sure didn't last long!  According to the age difference between me and my sister, this photo was taken right around the time my mom became prego with her.

Hello from MARINE WORLD TEXAS, 1987-ish.

This photo strikes me as amazing because I am making almost the exact same hand-to-grin pose as Laura W. in her kiddo photo!  Whoa!

Word to Your Grannie

Does anyone out there know how to crochet grannie squares? I just discovered this lovely blog called Granny Along which is run by a large group of grannie fanatics from around the globe and I'll have to admit, I'm a little envious! I need a social circle like this in my life! Grannie squares are soooo much fun and can be used to make lots of things. So far I've taught one friend up here to become my grannie ally...anyone else know the moves? So many wonderful things we could make together...

These are just some of the amazing things these folks are making!  And lookie at this one I found, just in time for Thanksgiving!

That was easy.

While walking somewhere the other night, I thought to myself, "I'm going to take a photograph of something for Annie H. and post it on my blog.  But what could I possibly snap?!" And then I looked up.

Alright, I'm just going to admit it.

I have a huge crush on Barack Obama.  Every night since he won the election I have had some sort of dream where he and I "pal around."  No, not like that!  We're just really close friends in my dreams and I have a secret crush on him that he doesn't realize and Michelle is usually there and we're friends too.  But, ladies and gentlemen, I just finally have to admit that for the first time in my life I find our (soon-to-be) President irresistible inside and out.  The end.

Note: my nose-partner will surely be irked by the news as I've added B.H.O. in addition to my other imaginary paramour:  Donald Draper.

Note II:  however, he does reap all the benefits of these men lighting my fire but being presently unavailable so he shouldn't complain too much.

YES WE DID

AND I WAS THERE!

TOMORROW!

I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT TOMORROW!!!!

GO VOTE!!!!!!!!!!