August 18, 2009
I love eggplant. Unfortunately, Eric does not. But, it’s a great meal to make when I’m home by myself–usually quick, healthy and a great portion for one. I’ve been eating quite a bit of eggplant since it’s in season.
When my new Everyday Cooking came with a recipe for Eggplant Focaccia, I had to try it. I rarely cook on a weeknight, especially not anything fancy. But, last night I decided it was worth the wait. (Did you know that Focaccia needs to sit for almost an hour before you bake it?!)
During my 1-Hr Wait
Finally around 8 I sat down to dinner, way late for me. The foccacia was yummy. Salty, but yummy. Next time, I’d cut the eggplant a bit thinner and make twice as much because between dinner last night and lunch today, it’s nearly gone.
The best part of the meal though, was seeing Lionel Richie at Trader Joes when I was buying the dough. I wonder if those three bags White Cheddar Popcorn were for Nicole…
August 17, 2009
The past two months at the Saturday SnB I’ve hit the Coffee Bean for a citrus muffin. They are so good I’ve been thinking about them most mornings on my way to work. Still, I’m not about to pay $2.75 a muffin even if it only is once a month.
I did a little searching online and couldn’t find any great recipes for citrus muffins. Not wanting to wing it entirely I did a trial run using this recipe.
The glaze is perfect but, the recipe calls for the juice of a lemon and an orange. The muffins were way to juicy. They didn’t rise well, I’m thinking my next batch will just use half an orange, more zest and some vanilla. I can’t wait.
July 31, 2009
For a few months before our wedding, Eric and I followed The Abs Diet, which basically, just gives you 12 foods that you try to incorporate into your meals and gives you a schedule for eating six times a day (yum). We bought the cookbook to go along with it, mostly for the smoothy recipes.
The dinner recipes are pretty good too. Just the other night we decided to revisit the cookbook and try out the meatball sandwiches. So fantastic. The meatballs are just made of ground beef, saltines, onion, garlic and ground flax seed. Browned in a pan and served with tomato sauce. It’s been a little while since I made something that made me say “oh wow” in the first bite…these did the trick. Served with fresh corn, it was a perfect summer meal.
July 30, 2009
This week, Eric and I drove to Huntington to pick up my birthday gift. A new (to me) bike.
We’ve been looking for one for weeks, scouring Craigslist and driving throughout LA to try out bikes. We wanted one for a great price, in great condition and of course, that would fit me. We also wanted to get a bike that would be great for beach cruising and riding light trails when we go camping. We have big plans for taking my new bike around–riding along the beach from Santa Monica to Manhatten, to the Hollywood Farmers Market, to the Grove, I could go on.
There’s something about riding a bike that always makes me feel like a kid. I can’t wait to go for a ride.
July 15, 2009
It’s been a crazy two months at Casa Astor. Eric was on tour for two weeks, then we were in PA for Eric’s CD release concert (went great) and back to LA with friends in town, then I was off to Chicago for a work trip, then we were celebrating the Fourth and last weekend, my birthday. So, it’s been fun but a bit tiring. I feel like I’m just having a moment to come up for air before my parents arrive for a visit, tomorrow.
There’s been lots of sewing, knitting and cooking going on over here to fill you in on but first, I have to show off a gift that arrived at my door last night.
We registered for this sugar and creamer set for our wedding to go along with the Sausilito dishes we got from Pottery Barn. While we didn’t get them as a wedding gift, my sister sent them for my birthday. I actually squealed when I opened them. I love our dishes and kitchen colors (amber and cobalt with lime accents) and these are perfect. You can’t truly appreciate the cuteness of the sugar spoon, but you’ll have to take my word for it or come over for coffee.
Eric and I were just talking about how important the little things are to really enjoying every day. This one definitely makes the list. Thanks Heather (and Mike, Ben and Gavin, too)!
May 15, 2009
Oh prom….
I love prom season. Even now. Last Friday night Eric and I went for a walk in our neighborhood and saw a bunch of kids getting ready for prom. It was really cute.
My first prom was Eric’s senior prom. We had actually only been dating a few months. I had actually started making my prom dress only three or four weeks after our first date but just didn’t tell anyone because he hadn’t officially asked me yet. I didn’t want to be presumptuous but I also didn’t want to have to crank out a dress at the last minute. I absolutely love this dress still. The back did a really intricate cross with the straps, which unfortunately, I don’t have any photos of here.
My favorite things about this photo are:
1) Eric’s glasses and the collar button…it was the look for tuxes that year, he’s so cutting edge
2) My shoes (hot)
3) The necklace which I bought on our choir trip to London. I still have it and actually considered wearing it at our wedding.
My Senior Prom
This is the only photo I could find of my senior prom. I actually hosted a “pre-prom” party this year because I wanted an excuse to serve mini quiche. We had a great time with lots of friends and family stopping by to see us all in our dresses. I actually made and designed this dress. You can’t see the detail at all…but, it had a really pretty lace insert. I stressed out over that dress, and it’s actually the reason I didn’t make my wedding dress.
Things I love about this photo:
The flamingos. I actually forgot about this until just now but every month for an entire year, my mom, Nicole and I stole the flamingos from my neighbor’s front yard when they were out of town or on a walk. We’d decorate them and then put them back. Ah the things we did to amuse ourselves in Central PA.
Both of my proms were at the Valencia Ball Room in York. We had dinner at both and Eric and I really did have a fabulous time both nights. We never had a limo, but Eric was very excited to borrow his dad’s Mazda 626. Both years we went to after prom parties at friends’ houses where we watched awful movies and played board games until dawn. Great fun.
Eric actually hadn’t had a great junior prom–more or less ditched at the dance–and I remember hearing the story from a mutual friend of ours and saying how much it sucked because he was such a nice guy. Who knew that so many years later we’d be married.
While we’re at it…check out Michelle Obama’s prom dress. Thanks Natalie for being such a great hostess.
May 7, 2009
I am by no means a prolific cook. I don’t claim to be. I mess up a lot. But sometimes, it confuses the crap out of me.
For example, it is not hard to make soup. I’ve done it before! So, after Easter, when we had a bit of the ham bone left, I thought, I’ll freeze it and we’ll make a ham bean soup. I buy it from Campbells all the time…
Last week I decided to defrost the ham bone and give it a whirl. Seemed simple enough. Soak the beans overnight (or all day while I’m at work–This is the first time I’ve done that, I was shocked at how those little suckers puffed up.) So, I get home, add the beans, onion, ham bone and tomato into a pot per the directions. Simmer for two hours. Remove the ham bone. Simmer for two hours more.
I go to remove the bone and could barely breath. It smelled awful. I couldn’t bring myself to call it there. So, I decide, “maybe it’s just not done.” I keep cooking. another 2 hours go buy. I’m thinking, “this is gross.” Eric is refusing to come into the kitchen because he thinks it smells so bad.
So, instead of being the logical, reasonable person (who spent ~70 cents on this meal) and just get rid of it. I decide, to let it sit. So it sat. Until Friday, when I swore up and down I was going to eat it.
Friends. I do not know what happened to that little soup but it sucked. And I still can’t bring myself to throw it away.
I did however decide I needed a quick, yummy meal. So I made baked mac and cheese instead and served breaded eggplant on the side. Soo much better than my yucky, yucky soup.
May 6, 2009
Last night Eric and I skipped dinner and had a mini-Cinco de Mayo fest on our balcony.
Cinco de Mayo
We actually also used the only wedding gift we had left that we haven’t used yet, the tray which you see above. It was excellent.
Eric and I love Mexican food and tequilla so we absolutely adore Cinco de Mayo. We even celebrated at my office. We had Mexican breads (I had a yummy empanada style lemon flavored one) then for lunch we got a taco platter from Rubios. It was so delicious and I ate so much that I actually didn’t have dinner at all –which combined with the drinks in the evening, meant that I was asleep on the couch before the end of American Idol. Ah well…there’s always next year.
April 29, 2009
I haven’t really posted too much on this blog about our cat, Foxy. We adopted her from the Pet Orphan’s Fund in Van Nuys almost 3 years ago. She’s incredibly social and comes out when we have friends over, follows me from room to room when I’m at home and usually runs to the door to great me when I get home from work.
I did the convincing when we decided to adopt her. Eric wasn’t so into it but was willing to make the compromise since he know how desperately I wanted a pet. That means I usually handle feeding and tending to her and Eric pays attention to her when she hops up in his lap.
Last night when I got home from work, we noticed that Fox was limping. I wasn’t too concerned but we did check to see if she cut her paw or had any pain when we touched her leg. She seemed fine, so I figured it was just a muscle and went about my business. My opinion is that we’ll take a few days to see how she does before getting too concerned.
Two hours later, I realize, Eric is carrying her from room to room in the apartment. He carried her to the couch so she could cuddle with us while we watched AI, then he carried her to bed when I was ready to go to sleep.
She’s definitely feeling better this morning and was up poking a round while I got ready for work. But really, God only knows what’s going to go on while I’m at work today. For all I know, I could come home to her in a motorized cart Eric’s devised so she doesn’t have to put weight on her leg. Heaven help us if we have kids.
April 27, 2009
Did you ever have one of those days where you feel like you’ve got your act together? Those days are rare for me and today I’m having one. In fact, I’m hesitant to type it because I feel like it might all fall apart.
I actually have accomplished the following (in addition to my job). Today I:
Set up accounts to track all my expenses online. (Okay, in truth this was Eric and it was yesterday but it’s a big deal for me)
Started a pot roast in the slow cooker before I left for work.
Got all my birthday cards/gifts etc. ready for the month of May.
Did some grocery shopping on my lunch.
Donated some books to the library while picking up a book I had on hold.
And it’s not even 5 o’clock yet.
Go me.
