Photos of the Day

These pictures sum up my Thanksgiving.

It was a hard day, given the fact that my grandma was stuck in the hospital when we were able to get the rest of the family together for the first time in 23 years, but my brother and I were able to pull through and realize what was important.  Given the circumstances and knowing that Grandma would want us to enjoy our day, we decided to be silly and have some fun.  It sure gave her a much needed laugh too when we visited the hospital this evening.  I would call this a pretty awesome day and a semi-successful celebration.

Happy Thanksgiving!

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” – Albert Schweitzer

May your day be spent sharing laughs and love with those who mean the most to you.

7 Day Forecast

Can someone tell me what's wrong with this picture?

This is our 7 day forecast for this week.

Umm yeah, from 70 degrees to 39 degrees highs in 5 days???  That's St. Louis for ya.
I start with a light jacket for today and end with my winter coat and probably still freeze my tush off on Friday. 

The Next Iron Chef

Tonight it is on -- after 7 competitions and a double elimination last week, the final 2 chefs compete!!
Who will become the newest Iron Chef? 

Chef Marco "Where's the Parchment Paper?" Canora or Chef Marc "the Forge" Forgione?

It will be an exciting battle in Kitchen Stadium for sure and you can bet I'll be tuned in. 
Also, I'm waiting to see what Canora will whine about this week.  I joked about the parchment paper incident all day on Monday -- even when everyone else looked at me like I had 3 heads.

My Best Friend

I went to the wedding of the son of one of my co-workers last night and this was their wedding song.
My Best Friend by Tim McGraw

I never had no one that I could count on
I've been let down so many times
I was tired of hurtin', so tired of searchin'
'Til you walked into my life

It was a feelin'
I'd never known
And for the first time
I didn't feel alone

You're more than a lover
There could never be another
To make me feel the way you do
Oh, we just get closer
I fall in love all over
Every time I look at you

I don't know where I'd be
Without you here with me
Life with you makes perfect sense
You're my best friend
You're my best friend, oh yeah

You stand by me and you believe in me
Like nobody ever has
When my world goes crazy, you're right there to save me
You make me see how much I have

And I still tremble
When we touch
And oh, the look in your eyes
When we make love

You're more than a lover
There could never be another
To make me feel the way you do
Oh, we just get closer
I fall in love all over
Every time I look at you

And I don't know where I'd be
Without you here with me
Life with you makes perfect sense
You're my best friend
You're my best friend

You're more than a lover
There could never be another
To make me feel the way you do
Oh, we just get closer
I fall in love all over
Every time I look at you

And I don't know where I'd be
Without you here with me
Life with you makes perfect sense
You're my best friend
You're my best friend, oh yeah
You're my best friend
You're my best friend

I don't think I had heard this song before the reception last night, but I'm in love with it now and I can't get it out of my head.  Feel free to check out the CMT Invitation Only performance here: My Best Friend/Something Like That

As for the reception, it was a lot of fun and I'm so glad that in spite of everything going on right now, I was able to attend   We danced and sang and I even won a lunch bet after coaxing BP to the dance floor.

After all was said and done and I drove home, I realized how very lucky to have found my best friend.

Cure for a bad week?

I stopped into the mall on my way home from work tonight and visited 2 stores in my limited amount of free time -- Vitamin World and a shoe store.  If a boost of serotonin and new black boots, purchased on sale!, don't fix my week, there is no hope for a good weekend.

Quote of the Day

Tonight, as I was sitting at the stoplight at my exit, the radio station I was tuned into starts playing Kanye West's Stronger.  Not a huge Kanye fan but there was one line in the song  that totally summed up my off of the wall day --
Now th-that don't kill me, can only make me stronger 

The rest of the song, not the least bit relate able, but that one line had me pumped for the last 2 minutes of my ride home. 

Hopefully tomorrow is a better day, across the board.  It's Wednesday so that means there is at least one good thing to look forward to -- my weekly lunch date (ham & cheese paninis and home-made oven fries).  Let's hope the rest of the day is somewhat drama-free and smooth as well.

Just one of the guys...

Wish me luck -- I'm playing poker with the guys from work tonight. 

MO invited the regulars over for a poker party and ironically I'm the only girl from work that both knows how to play poker and the only girl that they are willing to put up with while playing cards; so, I became the only girl invited to the guys' poker night.  Nice....

However, just to prove that I am still a girl, I did offer to make snacks for the night as well.

Vember 13th

My sweet, precious Nicole is no longer the toddler holding my hands and dancing while listening to Hanson's MMMBop, or the first grader sitting in my bedroom pretending to do college homework with highlighters and ledger paper or the 10 year old that thought it was so cool to have a girls only weekend at her older cousin's place and have ice cream sundaes as a midnight snack because there were no parents around.
No, today my little Nicole is 14 years old and much smarter, more confident and much more social and outgoing than I could have imagined being at that age.  She's an honors student, a talented dancer and a great friend to those who have the pleasure of crossing paths with her and she continues to make all of us proud.

While Nicole may no longer call her birthday Vember 13th, today is a very special day.

 Happy Birthday Girlie!  Hope you have a fabulous fun-filled day!!

A little bit of luck & a lot of talent

 
Congrats to Jonathan Duhamel, this year's WSOP Main Event Champion.  He won a whopping $8,94 million Monday night after beating John Racener.  Of course Racener can't complain with his second place prize of $5.55 million either.  Heck, if it were me, I would mind finishing in 747th place and nearly doubling my buy-in., but I'm no professional.  In fact, right now my main goal is to not finish dead last in the poker nights with my friends. 
You can be sure that I'll be watching the action from the final table when ESPN televises it in the next few minutes -- maybe I can pick up a few pointers for our next poker night.

Oh and if you're following hockey this week, did you catch that the St. Louis Blues are on top of the Power Rankings for the 2nd week in a row?  

That's right, the Blue Note continues to dominate and have won 7 in a row following a big win on Sunday in New York.  Goaltending has definitely been key for the success so far this season and both Halak & Conklin have pulled their weight.  It's great to see the team succeeding.  Let's make it 8 in a row tomorrow night in Columbus boys!!

Bieber Fever hits the 'Lou

St. Louis is all a buzz tonight as this guy has come to town --

My teen cousins Nicole and Emily are there with my aunt, decked out in home-made Bieber Fever t-shirts and screaming their heads off like I did when the Backstreet Boys came to town 13-14 years ago.  Incidentally tonight there is a live Q&A online with New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys which has been dubbed a Once In A Lifetime event.  Somehow I'm ok with missing it.....sorry NKOTB and BSB.

A wish for a very special lady

Happy Birthday Grandma!!  

May your day be an enjoyable one!!

I've committed to making dinner for the family for this special occasion and in honor of my Grandma and the inspiration she has given me with cooking, I'm going to try to recreate her amazing roast beef recipe.  I know it won't be exactly like hers, but a decent duplication would suit me.  But, even if my dinner fails, just getting to spend the time together is well worth it and in my book, that's success.

Just doing my civic duty

No matter what your political views are,

Today is a big day across the country and in order to make sure your voice is heard, you have to make an effort.  There are many important issues and races on the ballot here and I intend voting for what I think is best for the greater good of my community and hopefully the country.

Plus, one of the best things about today --
It's the last day for seeing and hearing all of the mud-slinging ads!  That's definitely a breath of fresh air!!

From my neck of the woods...

to yours...
 

Beautifully Stated

I was going through my work email today and trying to clean out some of the older items I've saved over the years and I came across this poem.  It's author is Timothy Harrington II and it describes some of the experiences and emotions I've faced in the last few days.

Beautifully Stated...
As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will.  You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time.  
You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.  
You'll fight with your best friend.  
You'll blame a new love for things an old one did.  
You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. 
So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. 
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

I feel like I've had to take a step back and re-evaluate decisions I've made and situations I've put myself in.  Through this reflective phase, I've been working to be able to let some things go and start over.  But most of all, through the happenings of this week, I've learned that I'm stronger than I ever thought I could be.  Sure, life is a roller coaster filled with many obstacles, but I control my happiness.

M-I-Z & more

It's been a great sports weekend in this part of the Midwest.

Some of the headlines include --
Missouri Upends BCS-leading Oklahoma
The Tigers Upset No. 3 Sooners 36-27 and even Coach Pinkel agreed, “It’s huge, it’s gigantic, it’s a long time coming. I’m just real proud of our team.”

M - I - Z!!

Actual pic from a friend & Mizzou alumni of the field storm

Blues Celebrate Sweep Success
The Blues swept the last two Stanley Cup champions at Scottrade Center this weekend,
winning 4-2 against the Blackhawks on Friday night and completing the exacta Saturday night with a 1-0 overtime victory over the Penguins.

I've been critical of our goal tending in the past, but this guy (Halak) is definitely earning my respect!

Danica Patrick Ready For Gateway Debut
Unfortunately she finished 22nd in the race, but good news for Brad Keselowski, he finished what he couldn't get done three months ago, winning Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series 5-Hour Energy 250 at Gateway International Raceway.

The positive vibes started on Friday night and the weekend has continued to be an exciting one.  The week ahead already appears to be jam-packed.  That fact alone is enough of a reason for me to enjoy the rest of my Sunday.

(By the way, I'm ignoring the loss that my beloved Rams just suffered to the Bucs in the last few seconds of the game.)

Perfect Start to the Weekend

On Wednesday, I got an email that peaked my interest. 
It was for one of our local radio station's annual holiday concert events.  In the past, I've gone to The Point's Ho Ho Show and seen Alien Ant Farm, Puddle of Mudd and even Bush -- all great bands.  This year, the radio station decided to put on 4 shows. 

The first being....

That's right, the boys from Shinedown are coming back to St. Louis!!!

Tickets for the show went on sale today at 5 pm. 
I was aiming to be home in time to order tickets as soon as possible since the venue is a fairly small one, holding only 1,000-2,000 people, and I knew tickets wouldn't last that long.  Well, I got outside, started talking to a few co-workers and ended up not pulling out of the parking lot until 4:59 and that definitely didn't leave enough time to get home so I promptly pulled back in, parked and ran upstairs to log back onto my computer.


I BOUGHT MY TICKETS!!!  I'm so excited!! 
Not only do I get to see my favorite band, but they are performing an acoustic show.  Awesome!!!

After a seriously busy and nearly catastrophic (ok, maybe not in the sense of the entire world, but for my purposes it could have been) week at work, I didn't mind sticking around a few minutes longer. 
Now, let the weekend begin!!!!

Checkin' In

Finally, a day to just say, "Ah, I think I'm gonna take it easy."

It's been go-go-go here for quite some time and today, I decided to just spend the day at home enjoying the peace and quiet and awesome fall weather.
Even though there isn't much on the agenda for Sunday, here are some high points from the weekend --
* 2 date nights with Broccoli after I dealt with a highly stressful week.  Cooking dinner together Friday night was not only a lot of fun as we compared cooking notes from Alton Brown but it also provided some much needed comic relief.
* Working at my side Accounting gig yesterday and finally getting all pending items cleaned up.  DH and I have been trying to accomplish this since I went back to work for him in April.  It's a huge relief for me that his books are up to date and that we'll actually be ready for the end of the year when it rolls around in 10 weeks time.
* Rams winning their 3rd game of the season by beating the San Diego Chargers 20-17 today!!  Woo hoo!!!
This actually might help me in my football picks for the week considering I was the only one to have faith in my guys.  Also, I love Steven Jackson's comment after the blood bath they took last Sunday in Detroit -- 
"Sometimes you need a butt-whippin' to let you know where you really are."
Yes, Steven, I totally know what you mean, happens for me in the corporate world on a regular basis too.
* Jamie McMurray scoring another victory at Charlotte last night.  (Ironically, I missed the race and ultimately his win.)  But, it made me smile to see this when I checked the results earlier today --

Yet, I'm still wondering why the heck the guy who won the two biggest races of the year and has continued to prove himself with decent finishes all season isn't in the Chase???
(NASCAR officials, if you are reading this post and some of my previous comments on the topic, please fix the points system for next season.)
* Finding out that one of my favorite Food Network personalities has a new book coming out in less than a month.  YES!!!  Claire Robinson is releasing 5 Ingredient Fix based on her show and I'm thinking this cookbook presents the perfect opportunity for a personal challenge.  Haven't totally come up with a plan of action yet, but there are a few things milling around in my head.  :)
* Topping off my weekend is the fact that both The Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef America have new episodes premiering tonight.  And since I've made this a day of rest (well, besides the two hours at the gym this morning), you will find me on the couch absorbing all I can about great chefs and interesting cooking techniques.

10 cubed

Happy 10/10/10!! 
Besides it being a cool date, it's also a special day here.

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!  

Thank you for all of your wisdom and for always looking out for both mine and Ryan's best interests when we had other ideas in mind.  And sorry for the few gray hairs we've left you with, but I know I can speak for both of us and tell you that we are grateful for all of your support and encouragement as we've grown up. 
Enjoy your day!!!

Another Rams Victory

From stlouisrams.com --

Total Team Effort Yields Rams' Second Straight Win

It’s called a winning streak and don’t look now but the St. Louis Rams are officially in the midst of one.
With an emphatic 20-3 win on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome, the Rams claimed a victory for the second week in a row. And they did it in total team fashion much like they did last week against Washington.

The win was even bigger for me as me and my long-time friend from Seattle have been ribbing each other for the past two weeks.  He's been to town for previous showdowns between the Rams and Seahawks and couldn't make it in for this one, but I was sure to provide text updates of the score throughout the game.  His response at half-time, "we're a 2nd half team."  Yeah, don't think so bud.  It was with great pleasure that I sent him the final score Rams 20 - SuckyHawks 3. 

Don't worry, I'm sure he'll get me back with future sporting events.

The Time Has Come!

Season 3 of The Next Iron Chef starts tonight and we're pumped!! 

Broccoli and I can't wait to see what's in store for these 10 contestants and we're excited to find out who joins the likes of Season 1 winner Chef Michael Symon and Season 2 winner Chef Jose Garces along with Iron Chefs Morimoto, Flay and Cat Cora.
I've read the chef bios and seen some of the previews and haven't determined a favorite as of yet.  I'm sure that will come shortly.  Usually within an episode or two I've picked my winner and root for them throughout the competition...we'll just have to see who reigns supreme (in my eyes).

In the words of the Chairman of Iron Chef America,
"So now America, with an open heart and an empty stomach, I say unto you in the words of my uncle, Allez cuisine!'"

Let the battle begin!!

Less than 100%

I still don't feel all that great but thank goodness I have a weekend to recover a bit.  I ended up feeling so yucky the last few days that I came home early from work on both Thursday and Friday, which is something I NEVER do, no matter how awful I feel.  But, I finally decided to give up my fight and just take care of myself before it got any worse.  Plus I can't let this linger either, especially with all of the stuff coming up in the next two weeks.
I think the combination of the weather going from highs in the 80-90s to highs in the 50-60s in a matter of days had something to do with it along with the fact that everyone else has been passing stuff around at work for the last month.
It's times like this that I wish I worked in my own little bubble or at least had the option of working from home when I felt it necessary.

Because my head is not fully with it at the moment, I've decided to just throw out other random facts from this week --
- Dairy Queen emailed me their Blizzard of the Month Flavor -

Looked delicious, so I went to check out the nutrition facts for this yummy treat -- umm, yeah, not ordering one of these ever again!  The mini (which I could eat like 5 of those) has 14 grams of fat (10 grams saturated) and 370 calories.  The calories alone would equal a meal for me and I'm sure I'd still want dinner after this treat.

- Speaking of pumpkin, my dad picked up two cans of pure pumpkin for me to cook and bake with this fall and I'm very excited at the possibility of using it.  Who knows, I might try to make my own healthier Pumpkin Pie Blizzard with some of it!  Pumpkin was hard to come by last year due to a bad harvest, so he made sure as soon as it was shelved at his store he grabbed a few.  Thanks Dad!

- On the Dad front, I called him Thursday night just to check in and see how his week was coming along.  We chatted about our normal weekly events and then started talking about football and how well the Rams played against the Redskins.  My dad tells me that on my lunch hours, I should go visit Rams Park, which is conveniently located across the street from our office.  I asked him why and his response was -- "Sam Bradford is worth about $50 million right now and your cute, you could nab him in a second." 
I just laughed.  Don't want to break it to my dad that I don't think Sam Bradford would go for it nor would Broccoli be to thrilled that I'm trying to nab a quarterback at lunch time.  LOL

- I went to dinner with some of my girlfriends the other night and we reminisced about our dear friend Sherri and our lake trips.  Tomorrow is the two year anniversary of losing her to breast cancer.  It's still hard to believe that she's not here enjoying life.  With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I urge you or for my male readers, urge all of the important women in your life to be aware of the importance of early breast cancer detection.

I believe that's all the randomness for now.  Hope you're having a great weekend!

Dinner of Champions

And the verdict is in....
My Sunday dinner featuring potato soup, while not perfect (we decided it needed chives or chili powder), was absolutely delicious!  I paired it with an Italian panini and was thoroughly pleased with my first attempt at this hearty soup.

Broccoli and I were also able to watch this guy put up his first win as a St. Louis Ram while enjoying our yummy meal!

Congrats Sam Bradford and the rest of the St. Louis Rams!
You pulled off an exciting win against one of the best in Donovan McNabb and the Washington Redskins.  And for me, there is not much that beats a Sunday afternoon at home watching pro football and when your home team puts up a big win, it's that much sweeter.  Overall, the weekend was pretty great.

I headed back into work with a fairly clear mind and felt I had a decent grip on what my week had to offer even with month-end falling on Thursday.  Yesterday was a good day.  It was busy but I was able to get all of Monday tasks accomplished, help out with some AP data entry and leave 5 minutes early because I had to run home and grab my tennis shoes so that I could go to the gym.

Today, I woke up not feeling 100%.  Not totally sick, but my head was pounding and my stomach was in knots for some unknown reason.  I made it through my day even when I convinced myself I was going to take a half day because there still was quite a bit I needed to take care of today and leaving early would just push me that much farther behind for month-end.
I've decided to take it easy tonight and watch the marathon before the BIG FINALE for one of my favorite shows on Food Network --

That's right -- tonight, four Chopped Champions compete for $50,000!!  I can't wait for Ted Allen to say, "Chef Madison, you are the Chopped Champion." 

It's almost as nice as hearing Chef Lindsay.  (Yeah, I'm dreaming a bit.)

Happy Fall Ya'll!

It's gone from 90 degrees on the first full day of fall (Thursday) to a whopping 54 degrees today.  That's St. Louis for ya.  I'm definitely not ready for fall or winter!  The one good thing though is that the cool down has got me in the mood to start cooking soups and stews and other hearty dishes.  I made a pot of chili in mid-August and it just wasn't the same.
So tonight I promised Broccoli one of his favorites for dinner -- potato soup.  I hope I can live up to his expectations because this is one of his signature dishes.  I've never made it before and I can't even say that I've tried it, but you know me, I'm always up for a challenge.  I'm trying to put a healthy spin on it as well so we'll just have to see if my little experiment works. *fingers crossed*

Speaking of dinner, I was on my own last night and usually when that happens, I stick with leftovers or a bowl of cereal.  However, last night, I decided why not try out something I've been meaning to test anyway -- a homemade low-fat tuna cake.  I would have to say it turned out fairly good.  I probably could have added a bit more spice to it (the hot sauce and jalapenos just didn't cut it), but other than that, I wouldn't mind making it again.  I paired it with steamed broccoli and cherry tomatoes.  Overall, a fulfilling dinner and it was extremely colorful on the plate.

The weekend has been an enjoyable one.  It's always easier for me to justify staying in and getting some things done at home when the weather is cool and crisp and I've done my fair share of that the past two days.  Now I'm ready to watch the Rams take on the Redskins and catch the end of the race at Dover.

Stuck in my head

Actually listened to a song from Paramore on the radio yesterday evening while I was driving home from the gym.  Now, I've heard this song numerous times before and I've even caught the video on VH1, but I never really paid attention to the words until I listened closely to them yesterday and now I can't get it out of my head.  It's seems so true and relate-able.  If you haven't heard it before or if you're curious about the band, I encourage you to check it out.
I'm posting the lyrics just because they seem so powerful to me, especially after the last few days I've experienced.

The Only Exception by Paramore

When I was younger
I saw my daddy cry
And curse at the wind
He broke his own heart
And I watched
As he tried to reassemble it

And my momma swore that
She would never let herself forget
And that was the day that I promised
I'd never sing of love
If it does not exist

But darling,
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception

Maybe I know, somewhere
Deep in my soul
That love never lasts
And we've got to find other ways
To make it alone
Keep a straight face

And I've always lived like this
Keeping a comfortable, distance
And up until now
I had sworn to myself that I'm
Content with loneliness

Because none of it was ever worth the risk

Well, You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception

I've got a tight grip on reality
But I can't
Let go of what's in front of me here
I know you're leaving
In the morning, when you wake up
Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream

Ohh---

You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception

And I'm on my way to believing
Oh, And I'm on my way to believing

Busy day

I definitely didn't take it easy today, which might cost me when I head back to work tomorrow, but I'll take my chances and hope to goodness that I can at least manage to tread water for another 5 days.

Cooking has definitely been a therapy for me today.

Wanna see what I've been up to?
I wrote and posted a few of my recipes to contests online --

Seafood Creole

Sauteed Chicken with Creamy Garlic Sauce

Peaches and Cream Smoothie

Made a healthy and yummy meal for my Monday lunch date from my sauteed chicken recipe --

Sauteed chicken with creamy garlic sauce, smashed potatoes and green beans

Planned and prepared my lunches for the week -- 

Monday: Parmesan zucchini and a fruit medley

Tuesday: Sauteed chicken and roasted veggies

Wednesday: Veggie pizza and a tomato salad

Thursday: Sauteed chicken and steamed broccoli

Friday: Fruit and yogurt parfait and veggies with southwest dip

This is all in between catching the NASCAR Sprint Cup race (still bothered that McMurray didn't make it into the Chase), watching the Rams fall short and lose to the Raiders and tuning in to numerous cooking shows for further inspiration, surfing the web for further recipe research and dinner ideas and trying to absorb a few chapters out of the book I started reading yesterday.

Hope you had a relaxing weekend!

Raining on Sunday

Around 9 pm last night, it started raining and it stormed through the night.  It's not too often that we get an all night storm with thunder and lightning but when we do, most people in St. Louis freak out about it.  So when I headed for the gym around 6:30 this morning, I figured I'd be the only insane chick in there.  Would you believe there were 20 or so people in there that early?!?  Usually on weekend mornings, you're lucky enough to see maybe 5 of the "regulars" working out that early, myself included.
 I guess I'm not the only one who had enough of the storms and tried to put their early morning to good use...

*By the way, did you catch the title of this post?  It's a classic Keith Urban song.  And no, I'm not planning on hiding under the covers all afternoon.  :)

Dinner: Possible!

While at lunch yesterday, Broccoli mentioned dinner possibilities for our date night tonight.  He was thinking we could stay in, watch movies and make homemade pizzas.  As soon as I heard that, the wheels in my head started spinning, nearly out of control, but I contained myself before it got too crazy!
I have been wanting to try to make flat breads for a while now, but never found the courage to buy and use yeast.  This was the perfect opportunity!  I even went so far to tell him that I would try to make my own pizza sauce.  He was a bit hesitant for me to do all that work, especially since I had told him I was always nervous when trying out completely homemade dishes that I've previously thrown together using store-bought semi-homemade ingredients, but he humored me.

This was a great learning experience for me because usually I try to find quick ways to make a healthy and yummy meal but with this I had to take my time and not take as many shortcuts as I normally do.  I followed the instructions for the packet of Fleischmann's yeast and was extremely patient with my dough.  I threw together my tomato paste, stewed tomatoes and numerous herbs and spices for my sauce and let it simmer for a good length of time.  I also shredded my own mozzarella cheese, cut up numerous veggies and cooked up pork sausage, which incidentally I was able to turn into Italian pork sausage with little effort.

And the result -- SUCCESS!  We had the best pizzas either of us could have asked for!  The crust was perfect, the sauce was hearty and our toppings completed the masterpieces.
Broccoli made a traditional pepperoni and sausage pizza with provolone and mozzarella cheese and I went for the healthy veggie alternative with peppers, onions, tomatoes, zucchini and crushed red pepper.

Because apparently I was thinking more about eating and less about my camera, I didn't get pictures before we cut into them, I do however have pics of the leftovers --

The "Broccoli"

The "Lindsay"

Delish!!!

Like my Dad told me a few weeks ago when I made homemade blueberry muffins, you never realize what you're missing using store-bought ready made ingredients until you go back to homemade items and then there is no comparison.   Now I'm wondering how many other dishes have I cooked over time that I can go back and make my own.  It will have to be an ongoing weekend project, but I just may take on this mission.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Sam's the Man: Spagnuolo Names Bradford Rams' Starter

“We’re confident, the staff’s confident, the team’s confident,” Spagnuolo said. “It’s well-deserved. He deserves this opportunity.”

I'm confident too -- so confident that I picked the Rams to beat Arizona in today's game!  Don't let me down Sam!!  You better bet I will be watching today's game. 
Perhaps its the start of a new Greatest Show on Turf era.  We'll just have to wait and see...

I'm definitely pumped and ready for football season!!

Just call me Jamie

I drove out to celebrate my triplet cousins 13th birthday earlier today and while I was there I dropped off my car with my Dad so that he can get some work done on it for me next week.  Since I need a car for practically every aspect of my daily life, my Dad and Aunt agreed to let me use the "extra" car (previously my Grandma's) until I can come back out and pick my car up.
In case you are wondering, the "extra" car is a Chevy Impala and on the ride home tonight, I was totally pretending to be Jamie McMurray.  Of course, I had to obey the speed limit somewhat, but it still was fun.

I'm still pulling for McMurray and hoping that he can pick up the last few points to make it into the Chase.  (A girl can dream, can't she?!?)

As for the birthday party, we had a blast!  All 4 of my cousins are hilarious and definitely keep me on my toes. 

Happy Birthday Sam, Zach & Em!  And thanks to my Uncle and Aunt for being such great party hosts!

What a bargain!

I was so proud of myself for this purchase that I had to post a pic.

This is the dress I wore to Joe's wedding.  I bought it on clearance at Kohl's last weekend. Not only was it on clearance, but I also had a $10 coupon since they are remodeling my local store and my extra MVC pick your day 15% off coupon.
Total price for my amazingly awesome black dress -- $4.00!!!  I clean up quite nicely too!  LOL

Broccoli and I had a great time at the reception.  It was a bit of a road trip (70 miles) but well worth the drive.  The location was cozy and beautiful, especially as the sun set and stars started to light up the night sky.  In fact, I actually wouldn't mind driving back out that way another weekend and visiting some of the areas prominent wineries -- maybe not to drink wine, but at least to enjoy the scenery.

As for my Sunday, well, it was back to reality. 
The nice thing is that I have one more day off and I am taking full advantage of the fact that I have no firm plans for my day!

3 Day Weekends are the Best!

We've made it to September and I have another 3 day weekend!  Woo hoo!  It's just exactly what I needed right now!!
Besides a few celebrations on Saturday and some side Accounting work, I think I'll plan on some major relaxation during the remainder of my time off.

Saturday is the big Arch Rivals game here in the Lou -- Mizzou vs Illinois.  My boss is throwing a Mizzou game day party on Saturday at his house along with a last push party for the slumping St. Louis Cardinals.  I plan on stopping in for a bit mid-afternoon before I attend a friend's wedding.
One of my best friends from my college days is getting married on Saturday and the reception is later in the evening.  It's crazy to think about Joe getting married!  We have been Blues hockey buddies and he and I got through some silly times together when we were in college years ago.  I'm very happy for him and his fiancee and I wish them a lifetime of happiness together.

As of right now, I have nothing formally planned for Sunday and Monday besides a couple hours of Accounting for another friend's business and a few good workouts at the gym and considering the next few weekends will probably be booked with other family and social events, I'll take the free time with no complaints!  This may just be the perfect time for me to do more cooking research and recipe creations.  Who knows, I might even come up with a spectacular idea for another food competition!

Hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable Labor Day weekend!

Let The Battle Begin!

Minus a few bonehead moves on my part, this weekend has been a great one.  And I'm definitely glad I decided to make it a 3 day weekend -- having Friday off was a welcome break from the bedlam at work.  I have no clue as to what I'll walk into tomorrow but I'm going to try my best to walk in with a clear mind and a positive attitude and just see what happens.

As for the weekend, I spent Friday night and a good part of yesterday out at my Dad's.  The local Catholic Church was holding their yearly picnic and it's a family tradition to spend some time enjoying the festivities.  I got to hang out with my bro and 4 cousins and had a blast joking around and goofing off with them, especially since it's not all that often that our schedules work out to where we are all around at the same time. For teenagers, they have busy social calendars!

Today, I got back into my routine and hit the gym first thing this morning for a much needed workout.  After only taking a day off from there, I missed my stride elliptical workout and was happy to hop back onto it as well as push myself through my weekend weight-lifting.  I really needed the good workout this morning after I found out what was in store for my weekly food-themed date with Broccoli.

If you remember, last weekend he cooked for me.  The weekend before, I cooked for him and probably everyone else in the bi-state region (based on the amount of dishes I made for different functions).  This weekend, he had a competition of sorts planned for us -- think Chopped and Iron Chef America rolled into one.  While we could use ingredients I had in my kitchen to make our meal, we also went to the grocery store to pick up 2 ingredients we had to use in our meal. 
The secret ingredients from the store --  boneless pork loin chops and navel oranges
Our challenge --  our meal had to include an entree with a vegetable and a fruited dessert and it must be completed within 40 minutes in my tiny galley kitchen.

It's a challenge enough for both of us to be in my kitchen at any given time (and neither one of us is big by any means!), let alone both be cooking a separate meal to wow the other person with, but we completed the food challenge and had so much fun while doing it.  Broccoli's Iron Chef impressions are hilarious too and I spent a good part of my cooking time just laughing like crazy -- he's the Chairman, Alton Brown, Kevin Brauch all in one!!
So without further ado, I give you our creations for the We're Inspired By Food Network meal challenge.
Broccoli's dinner -- Taco Pork Loin Chop and Chocolate Cookies with Orange Marmalade Sauce and Whipped Cream

My dinner -- Grilled Pork Loin Chop with Peach Chutney, Mozzarella-topped Grilled Zucchini and Sour-Cream and Orange Glazed Sugar Cookies

Both meals were amazingly yummy and while we know we're amateurs in the kitchen, this definitely allowed us to experiment a bit.  I know it also proved to me that some of the food ideas that I have in my head, may actually be successful in practice.  And as you've probably guessed already, we're working on our next cooking challenge.  Stay tuned!

In any case, hope you had a terrific weekend!  I'm off to watch the new episode of Iron Chef America, which ironically is featuring the secret ingredient BROCCOLI.  :)

One lucky girl

After watching the season finale of the Next Food Network Star with me last Sunday and feeling inspired, I was treated to a fabulous dinner tonight....

Broccoli grilled these yummy shrimp and served them over roasted tomatoes and green beans and in that cute little bread bowl is a homemade cheddar cheese dip.  He even whipped up a delicious dessert of homemade strawberry turnovers!  (Sorry, no pic of dessert, I gobbled it up before I got a picture!)

It was an amazing meal and an overall awesome date night.  Gotta love a man that knows his way around a kitchen!!  I'm heading to bed happy and with a full tummy and it doesn't get much better than that!

Just Breathe

The past week at work was nearly unbearable.  Business has somehow skyrocketed in the past few weeks and it finally hit my workload.  Both my Accounting and HR/payroll positions required my full attention and I couldn't offer it to either one.  It was extremely strange, given that this week is usually the week I fly through numerous projects and even have the time to help my department get caught up, but by this Friday morning, I just about convinced myself that maybe I was no longer cut out for the craziness of the corporate world.

Of course there is a silver lining to most obstacles I face when it comes to dealing with work and nearly all of it involves that boost of confidence.  A quick phone call at lunch time on Friday was the start, even though I wouldn't admit that at the time and then a relaxing dinner at home topped it off.  After dinner, I decided to hit the gym for a mind-freeing workout.  It's amazing what one hour of cardio can do to clear my head and help me de-stress.

I'm still not 100% certain what I want to do in regards to work and I thought that I'd have a better idea after stepping back and spending my weekend at home taking care of my household stuff and spending time with my favorite people.  I know there are some things that are only going to get worse unless I speak up, but right now I'm hoping to steer clear of any major transitions.  For now, I think I'm gonna hold on tight and see what the new week brings and act on one of my options as I see fit.

You're my best friend...

At 2:30 in the morning, this song might not make a whole lot of sense to many people.  Heck, you might be wondering what I'm doing up thinking about music at this hour, but it speaks volumes to me at this exact moment.

Queen -- You're My Best Friend
Ooo. you make me live
whatever this world can give to me
It's you, you're all I see
Ooo, you make me live now honey
Ooo, you make me live
You're the best friend
that I ever had
I've been with you such a long time
You're my sunshine
And I want you to know
That my feelings are true
I really love you
You're my best friend
Ooo, you make me live
I've been wandering round
But I still come back to you
In rain or shine
You've stood by me (girl)
I'm happy, happy at home
You're my best friend.
You're the first one
When things turn out bad
You know I'll never be lonely
You're my only one
And I love
The things that you do
You're my best friend
Ooo, you make me live.
I'm happy, happy at home
You're my best friend
You're my best friend
Ooo, you make me live
You, you're my best friend.

By the way, Freddie Mercury and John Deacon were pure genius.

Did you see it?

Just finished watching the finale for the Next Food Network Star and while Broccoli and I made fun of Aarti and her Aarti Party, we didn't want to see her actually win!  Since I'm such a good sport, I will offer my congratulations.

So, congrats Aarti on getting your own show on Food Network and congrats to Herb and Tom for being such fierce competition!!

Oh, also if you're wondering about the challenge from earlier today, passed with flying colors!  Woo hoo!!

Today's challenge

I'm testing my cooking experience and patience today...we'll see how well I hold up.
Today's tasks:
 1.) Lunch with my parents
    - fettuccine with veggies and bacon bolognese
    - chocolate chip cookies
2.) Dinner with Broccoli
    - Mexican stuffed green peppers
    - grilled peaches
3.) Birthday cake for another work birthday tomorrow
    - Chocolate and whipped cream cake

Tonight is the finale to this season's Next Food Network Star.  It's something silly that Broccoli and I have become hooked on over the last few weeks but we will be anxiously awaiting to find out who wins!  (Go Herb!!)

Enjoy your Sunday!!

Best brownies ever

My chicken burritos were a hit at lunch today AND I made what was declared the best batch of brownies ever!!  (Previously, my brownies were ranked in the top 3 of all time for one of my co-workers.  This time there was a general consensus that these were the absolute greatest.)  It's definitely nice to know that my cooking and baking is appreciated and enjoyed. 

I tested out another new recipe tonight for tomorrow's promised lunch with Coco.  In the words of Rachel Ray, it's more of a chicken and veggie stoop instead of a soup or stew but it was simple enough to make, while being extremely healthy and flavorful.

I've been intrigued with cooking and baking in between trying to catch up on the latest food programs on tv and I've been inspired to keep pushing the envelope with new flavor combinations and even healthier dishes.  We've joked that I should apply for one of the many cooking contests on Food Network but I know better than that.  For me, this has been a fun and creative outlet and an enjoyable hobby.  I'd probably be the biggest disaster on a set -- wait, that might make for good entertainment, maybe I should reconsider.  Nah....not unless I can take my food supporters with me to cheer me on and keep me sane through the challenges.  :)

In other news, I finally won Cardinals tickets at work today and I'm able to go to the game on Saturday!  Cardinals and Cubs in STL on a Saturday afternoon...woo hoo!!  Doesn't get much better than that! 
I owe a tremendous amount of thanks to SS for drawing my name.  Thanks SS, you're the best!  Hopefully I won't let you down and I'll bring home a winner!

Wonder Woman

An amazingly busy night but I feel on top of the world right now.  It's crazy how some nights I can get so much done when I put my mind to it and other nights I feel like a blob.  After work, I ...
-- hit the gym for an 65 minutes on the elliptical (burned 933 calories!  woo hoo!!)
-- made a fabulous lunch for my weekly lunch date (yummy chicken burritos)
-- baked brownies with chocolate ganache for a birthday at work
-- did a 20 minute core workout at home
-- watched the season finale of Hell's Kitchen
-- gave myself a manicure and pedicure and repainted my nails

and now, I'm catching up with all of the latest news on the web while trying to decide what kind of food experiment I'm going to try to create this weekend.  (I'm thinking kabobs, but that could change before the weekend gets here!)

Work wasn't too bad today either.  It was busy, but the day flew by and I feel like I got a lot accomplished.
I love days like today...

All 10 of us made it home from Chicago in one piece -- albeit a bit (ok, majorly) tired but it was a fun-filled weekend for sure.  Here are a few highlights from the weekend.

Alabama Slammers @ 9 am on the bus ride north

Looking out our 18th floor window @ the Renaissance

Posing before the concert

Bon Jovi -- One Amazing Concert!

Jon Bon Jovi -- dreamy, even in a Blackhawks jersey!

Being the "responsible" purse lady, while...

The 9 other girls, took a ride on this! (My fear of heights held me back!)

Watching scenes for the new Transformers 3 movie being filmed outside our hotel

-- Experienced a water taxi on the Chicago River
-- Caught the end of the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Convention (only because we needed a potty break on the way back to the hotel from the concert)
-- And, also attempted to run through (not in, but through) a half-marathon with our luggage when we were trying to get to the bus stop yesterday to come home.

Overall, it was a great trip and we can't wait for our next big adventure!

Chicago, here we come!!!

Day off -- check
Suitcases packed -- check
Bus tickets -- check
Hotel reservations -- check
Concert tickets -- check

I think we're ready to go!!

In a few short minutes, the girls are heading out for our MUCH anticipated trip to Chicago to see these boys...

I'm definitely looking forward to this trip with some of my favorite girlfriends and getting away from the 'Lou for the weekend.

I trained my boss to handle my cash receipts and month-end duties yesterday.  It's the first time in 5 years I won't be there to close the books.  Hopefully I succeeded at training him on one tiny aspect of my job so that I don't walk into any craziness on Monday.  Wouldn't be so bad, but my backup (Coco) is going on the trip with me, so she won't even be there to lend a hand should he have questions.  Sure, I'm available by phone too, but month-end will probably be the last thing I'm thinking about today.  :)

Hope you have a great weekend too!!

Kissing bricks

From Nascar.com --
Thanks to a genius pit call from Kevin Manion, Jamie McMurray became the third driver to win Daytona and Indy in the same year, putting his owner in the record books.

Congrats Jamie on another spectacular race at the Brickyard!!  

I was sitting on my couch sweating bullets the last 10 laps of the race, but I had my faith in you pulling off the win.  Even Broccoli, who could care less about Nascar racing got into it and was intently watching the finish.  He wasn't nearly as excited as I was by the win, but he'll come around soon enough.  :)  

And as for you Mr. Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, who said that Jamie McNobody was a fluke in the world of Nascar and should have let Earnhardt Jr. win the Daytona 500, you might just wanna eat your words now.

Finally, congrats to Chip Ganassi Racing winning the 3 biggest races of the year.  That's definitely one for the record books!

Flashback

I was at the gym this morning doing my hour of cardio and watching the Top 20 Countdown on VH1.  I felt like I was back in my teenage years with the music artists that they were showing -- Hanson, Eminem, Christina Aguilera all had songs in the Top 20 this week.  They have all change dramatically from their debuts, but its nice to see them making a comeback.  Plus, it kept me entertained.

I am a bit disappointed though...in 8th grade I told everyone that I was going to marry Taylor Hanson when I was old enough.  Guess I should forget about that dream.

5 years and counting

 
Today is my 5 year anniversary with my employer.  For most people, this day would come and go and they wouldn't care less about it, especially since it's work.  For me, this day is extremely special.
For one, I have met amazing friends and some of the greatest people in my life while working for this company.  We have had some terrific memories over the years, we've faced hardships together and we've maintained our "family" through all of our experiences.

This anniversary also signifies a milestone for me personally.  My position here began my career as an Accountant.  Sure, I had been an Accounting clerk while in college, but this was my leap into the real world.  I had never made a commitment to an employer like I did when I started.  I was an unknown to the President and all of the Directors at our company, a small detail that made them somewhat hesitant to bring me aboard, but I made a promise to them that if they hired me, they would not regret it.  Two and a half years into my position, I was promoted and received more responsibility in the form of Administrative payroll, 401k and HR guru.  You know that you've made a name for yourself and the job you do when your given the task of processing the President's bi-monthly paycheck.

I go into work grateful for the opportunities and learning experiences the company has provided and even through the stressful times, I know there is no other place I want to be at this point in my life.
Most of all, the past 5 years have taught me to be confident in my abilities and work hard to achieve success.
July 18, 2005 was more than just my first day at a new job, it was the start of a great journey and another day of that journey starts tomorrow morning at 7:15.