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!