December 21, 2011 • 1 note

Our first Christmas party

We hosted our first Christmas party with all of our friends and it was a blast.  I spent two days cooking, cleaning and baking but I think it all paid off in the end. We had a great white elephant exchange with some fun gifts such as: “situation” snuggie, justin bieber ornaments, shake weights, The hangover kit, Bill Clinton cork screw, and red neck margarita glasses are just to name a few. 

 My cheese platter:

December 21, 2011
This little girl is recovering from a nasty virus but she is feeling better!

This little girl is recovering from a nasty virus but she is feeling better!

November 26, 2011
She’s a tired puppy, she will sleep at any angle.

She’s a tired puppy, she will sleep at any angle.

November 21, 2011

Request

Please pray for my father-in-law. Cancer sucks so bad! He is a fighter so I am confident he can beat this for the 2nd time!

November 21, 2011 • 53 notes • justbesplendid
justbesplendid: Gooey chocolate cake by The Edible Perspective

justbesplendid:

Gooey chocolate cake by The Edible Perspective

November 9, 2011

I love the CMAs. Lots of good performances!

November 6, 2011 • 2 notes
Ran the hot chocolate 5k yesterday! Our motivation was ” we run for chocolate and champagne!” the fondue at the end was awesome. We followed it up with a fun filled day of drinking. We even started our own bar crawl and at each bar we would find a new person to join our party. We gained 6 people by the last bar. So random but a great way to meet people. The only thing I have to remember is I’m getting older, I can’t drink like I used too….much longer recovery needed!

Ran the hot chocolate 5k yesterday! Our motivation was ” we run for chocolate and champagne!” the fondue at the end was awesome. We followed it up with a fun filled day of drinking. We even started our own bar crawl and at each bar we would find a new person to join our party. We gained 6 people by the last bar. So random but a great way to meet people. The only thing I have to remember is I’m getting older, I can’t drink like I used too….much longer recovery needed!

November 3, 2011

Recipe madness

So I LOVE cooking and I am obsessed with recipes. I get a few cooking magazines and tear out all the ones I want to try but it is getting out of hand.  Now that I have an Ipad I want to download a recipe application to start organizing all of these so I don’t have to go through a HUGE binder and mess with a bunch of paper.  Anyone have any Apps that you can recommend?

November 3, 2011 • 7 notes • maryrambin
This sounds fabulous! maryrambin: Craving sea bass the other night, I found this easy bon appetit recipe on Epicurious. I had never steamed anything in a skillet so the filet didn’t turn out very pretty (hence the stock photo), but it tasted amazing due to the 3 hours of marinating.  My cooking skills are improving, but I’m not quite good enough to make the food look as good as it tastes. I paired it with Basmati rice I made with light coconut milk (1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup milk. 1/2 cup water. Simmer covered until liquid dissolves.) I’ll make this at least once a month with different white fish and veggies. The recipe serves 4 so feel free to cut in half.  For two people, make the entire marinade and just use 2 filets. Sea Bass with Citrus and Soy via Epicurious (published in Bon Apetit Magazine March 2002) 1/2 cup pineapple juice** 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice 1/3 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger 2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 4 6-ounce sea bass fillets ** I had the juice bar at Whole Foods juice a whole pineapple. Mix first 6 ingredients in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Add fish; turn to coat. Chill 2 hours, turning fish occasionally. Place steamer rack in large skillet. Arrange fish on rack. Pour marinade into skillet under rack and bring to boil. Cover skillet and steam fish until just opaque in center, about 8 minutes. Transfer fish to plates. Remove steamer rack from skillet. Boil marinade until reduced enough to coat spoon, about 6 minutes; spoon over fish. Top with green onions.

This sounds fabulous!

maryrambin:

Craving sea bass the other night, I found this easy bon appetit recipe on Epicurious.

I had never steamed anything in a skillet so the filet didn’t turn out very pretty (hence the stock photo), but it tasted amazing due to the 3 hours of marinating.  My cooking skills are improving, but I’m not quite good enough to make the food look as good as it tastes.

I paired it with Basmati rice I made with light coconut milk (1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup milk. 1/2 cup water. Simmer covered until liquid dissolves.)

I’ll make this at least once a month with different white fish and veggies. The recipe serves 4 so feel free to cut in half.  For two people, make the entire marinade and just use 2 filets.

Sea Bass with Citrus and Soy

via Epicurious (published in Bon Apetit Magazine March 2002)

  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice**
  • 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 6-ounce sea bass fillets

** I had the juice bar at Whole Foods juice a whole pineapple.

Mix first 6 ingredients in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Add fish; turn to coat. Chill 2 hours, turning fish occasionally.

Place steamer rack in large skillet. Arrange fish on rack. Pour marinade into skillet under rack and bring to boil. Cover skillet and steam fish until just opaque in center, about 8 minutes. Transfer fish to plates. Remove steamer rack from skillet. Boil marinade until reduced enough to coat spoon, about 6 minutes; spoon over fish. Top with green onions.

November 3, 2011

Who knew trying to plan a trip to Europe would be so hard!  Where to go, how much will it cost, on our own or with a tour?!?!?!  AAGH  Anyone have any tips?