I've Been Misted

Yesterday I got the H1N1 flu mist. I wasn't going to get it because a) I'm pretty sure I had it last year, & b) I didn't want to stand in those long lines they're showing on the news. Well, apparently a lot of people aren't getting it because they too think they've already had it & can't get it again. They're saying unless you were diagnosed by a doctor with H1N1, you probably didn't have it.

And those long lines? Totally not the case in Metro Nashville, at least not for the mist. I went yesterday at 3:00pm, parked right in front of the door, went straight to a nurse, was back in my car 5 minutes later. Seriously. A man was leaving as I came in & a grandmother was there with her 2 grandsons. That's it.

Right now, Metro is out of the shot version, which is why it's a good time to go if you can get the mist. I'm sure it's busier on days when they have the shots. If you're between the ages of 2-49 & not pregnant, you can get the flu mist. The Metro Health Dept is at 311 23rd Ave N. Hours are Mon-Fri, 7am-4pm. More info here.

I did have some side effects from the mist last night. Basically I fell asleep on the couch around 7:30, woke up around 10:00, was a little dizzy, tried to wash my face, but had a hard time leaning over the sink without tipping over, so gave up & went to bed. I think I had a low-grade fever, too. I had the whole hot/cold thing going on all night. But I feel totally fine today. Now if I can just stay away from anyone with H1N1 for the next 1-2 weeks, I'm in the clear.

Five-Spice Scallops with Noodles

This recipe comes from my Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast: Weeknight cookbook. John & I are big fans of scallops & keep saying we're going to start cooking with them. Well, after finding out how much they cost ($13.99/lb), scallops might not be a regular occurrence after all.

Five-Spice Scallops with Noodles
Serves 4

Oranges, 2
Salt & freshly ground pepper
*Fresh Chinese egg noodles, 1/2 lb
Large sea scallops, 1 1/4 lb
Chinese five-spice powder, 2 teaspoons
Peanut or canola oil, 4 tablespoons
Ginger, 1 tablespoon finely chopped
Garlic, 3 cloves, minced
Sugar snap peas, 1 1/4 lb
Dry white wine, 1/2 cup
Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons
Green (spring) onions, 4, white & pale green parts, chopped

1. Prepare the oranges & noodles
Grate 1 teaspoon zest from the oranges & squeeze 1/2 cup juice, & set both aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles to the boiling water & cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender, according to the package directions. Drain & set aside.

2. Cook the scallops
While the noodles are cooking, sprinkle the scallops on both sides with the five-spice powder & season lightly with salt & pepper. In a large frying pan over high heat, warm 3 tablespoons of the oil. Working in batches if necessary, add the scallops in a single layer to the pan & cook until well browned on the bottom, about 1 minute. Turn the scallops & cook until well browned on the outside & just opaque in the center, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the scallops to a plate.

3. Cook the vegetables
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same frying pan over high heat. Add the ginger & garlic & stir-fry just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar snap peas & stir-fry just until tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Stir in the orange zest & juice, wine, & soy sauce & cook until slightly reduced, 1-2 minutes. Add the cooked noodles & green onions & toss gently to combine. Divide the noodles & snap peas among 4 plates, top with scallops, & serve.

Kim's Notes
Those "fresh Chinese egg noodles" were a mother to find. Trader Joe's didn't have them. Publix didn't have them. Harris Teeter didn't have them. Alas, John's Thai friend Wrench directed us to the K & S Market on Charlotte. John bought some kind of weird shrimp flavored noodles that smelled horrible, but tasted okay.

This dish wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. It needs more fire. It's fairly bland for something called "five-spice." I think we'll try it again with different noodles & more, spicier spices. Suggestions welcome.

Pumpkin Recipes

Photo credit: Closet Cooking

Can I love Closet Cooking more? No. Today he posted his Top Ten Pumpkin Dishes. First on my list? The pumpkin pie milkshake. I'm also interested in the pumpkin pie & pumpkin ice cream. Enjoy!

http://closetcooking.blogspot.com/2009/10/top-10-pumpkin-dishes.html

Weekend Wrap-Up

Friday night:
I didn't sleep at all Thursday night, so I ended up leaving work early on Friday & coming home & sleeping all afternoon. Woke up & cleaned the house, then watched Confessions of a Dangerous Mind on DVD. This movie came out in 2002. No idea why I never saw it. I really liked it. Why isn't Sam Rockwell in more movies?

Saturday:
I've been going through some growing pains at work lately. As I get closer to graduation, the stress of where I'm going to go & how I'm going to go has really been taking its toll. On Saturday morning I met a friend for coffee & advice. God bless her. She was just what the doctor ordered. She listened, she understood & she gave me some much needed guidance. I feel like a 100 lb weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Next on my Saturday agenda: meeting MK for shopping & lunch. I used to see MK a couple times a week because we worked-out together in the mornings at the Green Hills Y. Since I've switched to lunch time work-outs Downtown, I hardly ever see her. It was good to catch up. We shopped, we ate, we talked about our ridiculous/hilarious Halloween costumes. It was a good time.

Saturday night:
In an effort to save money, John & I decided to stay in on Saturday night. We got Indian take-out from a place down the street & watched The Shining. John & I try to watch it every year around Halloween. It really is one of our favorite movies. "Stop swinging the bat. Put the bat down, Wendy. Wendy, give me the bat. Give me the bat. Give me the bat. Stop swinging the bat. Give me the bat. Wendy! Give me the bat. Give me the bat!"

Sunday:
Lately our Sundays have been filled with yard work, house work & general chores, but oddly we had nothing to do yesterday, so we decided to drive around & see where the day took us. John is still trying to decide what to be for Halloween, so we drove up to Rivergate & hit some of their Halloween superstores. Then we drove to Adams, TN & went to the Bell Witch Cave. It was $10/person to go in, so we basically just looked around & left. Conversation upon leaving the cave:

John: Man, that's a big bull.
Me: Which one is the bull?
John: That big, black one.
Me: Oh, I can never tell the difference between bulls & steers.
John: Bulls & steers are the same thing.
Me: Really?
John: Yeah, they're both male.
Me: Then what's the female called?
John: A cow.
Me: But how do you tell the difference?
John: One has a penis & one doesn't.
Me: Oh.......

Beef Stew

Crockpots, start your engines. It's beef stew time! This is a combination of 2 different recipes out of the Fix-It & Forget-It Cookbook. Lauren recommended this book to me a few years ago & I've certainly gotten my $10 out of it. Highly recommend this book to any fellow crockpot gourmets. A Side of Rice, you should definitely buy it.

Beef Stew
Serves 6

1-2 lbs stewing meat, cubed
2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes, Italian style
8 oz can tomato sauce
14 1/2 oz can beef broth
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tsp paprika
4 celery heart ribs, chopped
3 potatoes, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped

1. Combine flour, salt, & pepper in bowl. Dredge meat in seasoned flour, then cook meat in skillet until browned, 8-10 minutes. Place meat in crockpot.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl, add salt & pepper. Pour over meat in crockpot & mix well.

3. Cover. Cook on high 5-6 hours, or low 10-12 hours. Stir before serving.

Bon appetit!

Flicker Add A Person Feature

For those of you with Flickr accounts, Flickr has added an "Add A Person" feature. So all of you who make regular appearances in my photostream & have a Flickr account, consider yourself tagged. Carolyn, Katie, Courtney, Alexis, Ali, Jessica, Tiffany, I'm talking to you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16828091@N04/

Movie Review: Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day

I've spent the past 2 days at home, sick with either a cold or a mild version of H1N1. Regardless, I've logged a lot of couch time. I cleaned out my TiVo backlog yesterday, so today I decided to tackle my Netflix pile. Someone had a Facebook status recently about how much they loved the movie Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day, so I put it in my queue & watched it today. I LOVED this movie. Loved! It came out in 2008, so some of you may have already seen it.

It's based on the 1938 book by Winifred Watson. It's set in London right before WWII. Miss Pettigrew is a governess who ends up working for Delysia Lafosse as her social secretary. Delysia has 3 boyfriends she's trying to keep from finding about about each other & Miss Pettigrew helps her sort it all out in a 24-hour period.

The movie stars Frances McDormand & Amy Adams. I don't know why, but I love Frances McDormand & will watch any movie that she's in, i.e. Raising Arizona, Mississippi Burning, Fargo, Almost Famous, Laurel Canyon, & Burn After Reading.

On a 5-star scale, I give this movie a 5. Definitely check it out!

Stop, It's Chili Time!

Tonight I made my first chili of the season. God bless chili. I have two recipes that I alternate between. One is a little fancier & has a lot of veggies & the other is more "home on the range". Tonight I opted for home on the range. I recently saw a third recipe I'm interested in trying. It's in the October issue of Martha Stewart Living. It calls for peeling whole tomatoes, which I didn't even know you could so, so it may be a little above my pay grade. We'll see.

I got this recipe from my mom, who I think also has multiple chili recipes. Does everyone have more than one chili recipe? I picked up a bag of Frito's today, so it looks like we'll be eating our chili in Frito pie form tonight. I can't wait!

Mom's Chili

2 lbs lean ground beef
2 cans Del Monte chili style diced tomatoes
1 full size can tomato sauce
1 can Bush's chili beans
1 can refried beans
1 1/2 packages chili seasoning
Salt & pepper

You guys know what to do. Brown the beef, drain it, add it all together & cook. Tonight I added onion, garlic, oregano & Tabasco. My mom likes to serve her chili on top of angel hair pasta. I actually like to do that, too, but tonight we're going Frito's style. Topped, of course, with cheddar cheese & sour cream. Yum!

Front Porch Makeover

I Halloween-ed up our front porch today, via a visit to the Farmer's Market. Two mums, 7 pumpkins, & about 100 trips to Michael's later and..... Voila!

Full photostream here.

Happy Halloween!

Hot Corn Dip -- Success!

I saw this recipe on Closet Cooking & have been dying to try it. Ladies poker night on Friday was the night. It was a huge success. I highly recommend it, although I do suggest doubling the recipe. It doesn't make very much. Full recipe here.

Bon appetit!

Face Off

I randomly get asked what kind of eye cream I use or what night time moisturizer I use, so I thought I'd break it all down. Sometimes I switch out my daily moisturizer & eye cream, but the products you see above are pretty much my staples.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
I've used this for a long time now. It really is the best. I wear water-proof mascara & this takes it right off. Plus, it's fairly cheap at around $6 a bottle. I think I go through 1-2 bottles a year.

Kiehl's Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser
I love Kiehl's. I used to exclusively use them for all of my facial needs, but as I've gotten older, I've switched to more anti-aging friendly lines, like Olay. This cleanser is a staple though. I've used it for at least 8 years now. I doubt I'll ever stop using it. I have dry, sensitive skin & this is perfect for me because it's non-scented & it's moisturizing. These bottles will last you a good 6 months, if not longer. It doesn't foam though, so if you're the kind of person who likes foam, this may not be for you.

Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub
Sometimes I buy scrubs from either Kiehl's or Mario Badescu, but I always end up going back to Aveeno. First of all, it's $6, opposed to the $15-$20 I'll spend at the other 2 places. And I like that it comes in a tube. I like to keep it in the shower & this product is more user-friendly than the more expensive ones that come in a tub/pot/jar. It looks small, but it lasts a long time. I think I only buy 2 a year. Also, if this matters, I'm pretty sure it wins the Allure magazine award every year for best daily facial scrub.

Mario Badescu Eye Cream
I've been using Mario Badescu eye cream for about 5 years now. I started getting lines around my eyes at 28, so I switched to this eye cream because most of their eye creams are targeted to woman trying to minimize fine lines & wrinkles. I think it's worked. I definitely don't feel like I have an issue with lines & wrinkles. Maybe it's the eye cream, maybe I'm not old enough yet. Regardless, I'm a huge fan of this product. I switch back & forth between the Ceramide Herbal & the Hyaluronic. Locally, Cosmetic Market carries it, but if they're out, I order it online. Fairly cheap for non-drug store eye cream, under $20 & lasts a good 6 months.

Olay Complete SPF 30 Defense Daily UV Moisturizer - Sensitive Skin
This is my summer moisturizer. At some point in the immediate future, I'll switch to something a little thicker. My skin is so dry, it actually peels in the winter. It's ridiculous. But for now, it's still doing the job, and again, it's fairly cheap. If you're really in a pinch, both Target & Wal-Mart make a generic version of this. I've used the Target one before & I can't tell a difference.

Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream
This is one of my favorite products. I've actually got friends who use it just because I wouldn't stop talking about it. At one of my yearly dermatologist appointments in my late 20s, I asked if I should start using a more "grownup" night cream. She said I should, but that I don't need to buy the $300/jar ones. She said she uses this & it's what she recommends to all her patients. Sold! I went out & bought it that day & have used it every night since. I love it. It has a light scent, which I usually can't do, but this doesn't irritate my skin at all. And it's cheap! It's $17/bottle. I dare you to find another anti-aging night cream for under $20. I think I go through 2-3 a year, but I also slather it on in the winter, so you may not need as much as I do.

Creamy Skillet Penne with Mushrooms & Asparagus

Success! This recipe was soooo good! As usual, it came from The Best 30-Minute Recipe cookbook. Obviously, if you don't like mushrooms, you won't like this dish, but if you do.... OMG, it's so good! Mom, you'll like this one. You should try it. Due to the fact that I'm married to a carnivore, I may add some Trader Joe's roasted garlic chicken sausage next time, but it definitely doesn't need it. My man just appreciates his meat. Without further ado:

Creamy Skillet Penne with Mushrooms & Asparagus
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
10 oz sliced white mushrooms
Salt & ground black pepper
1 shallot, minced
*1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed & minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz penne (2 1/2 cups)
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed & cut into 1" lengths
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

MAKING THE MINUTES COUNT:
Cook the mushrooms right away. Prepare & measure the remaining ingredients while the mushrooms cook.

1. SAUTE MUSHROOMS: Heat oil in 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add white mushrooms & 1/2 teaspoon salt & cook until mushrooms are browned, about 8 minutes.

2. SAUTE AROMATICS: Stir in shallot, porcini, thyme & cook until shallot has softened, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic & cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine & simmer until almost dry, about 1 minute.

3. SIMMER PENNE: Stir in water, cream, & penne. Increase heat to high & cook, stirring often, until penne is almost tender & liquid has thickened, 12-15 minutes. Add asparagus & cook until tender, about 3 minutes more.

4. ADD CHEESE: Off heat, stir in Parmesan & season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve.

*REHYDRATING PORCINI MUSHROOMS: Rinse the mushrooms of any grit & place in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over them to cover & let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Use a fork to lift the mushrooms from the liquid, leaving any additional grit behind. The mushrooms are ready to be minced & used as directed.

KIM'S NOTES: #1 - I never use real wine, I use Publix brand cooking wine. #2 - I didn't know the dried porcini mushrooms had to soak for 5 minutes before you could mince them, so make sure & do that step first.

Bon appetit!

Painted Stairs: Before & After

At some point, our entire house was covered in carpet. We assume the previous owners were the ones who pulled it up, but we don't really know. Since we moved in, we've been wanting to paint the kick boards on the stairs going upstairs. Oddly, only one was painted white & the rest were left in their natural hardwood state. It bothers me. So last Sunday, John painted them all white & it looks 100x better.

Our next related project is to change the 1969 light fixture in the upstairs hallway. It looks like an old gasoline lamp. It's horrible. We found this cool, blue lampshade/light fixture at a thrift store a long time ago, but can't figure out how to transform it into the new hallway light. There's a place where a light bulb screws into it, but no apparent way to attach it to anything, particularly a ceiling. Surely there's a kit for this, no? I think if I just take John to Home Depot & set him loose, he'll figure it out. I'll report back.

Full photostream here.

TV Review: Summer Heights High

I just finished watching an Australian HBO series on Netflix called Summer Heights High. My friend Natalie recommended it to me. I don't know how she heard about it. It's hilarious & it's only 8 episodes, so it's not a big commitment.

It's a little bit like the British version of The Office in that it's a fake documentary & it's not American. It's a parody of high school life told through the 3 main characters, all played by the same guy, Chris Lilley:

Jonah, a 13 year old islander, who is a raving juvenile delinquent

Ja'mie, a Year 11 exchange student from a private school who dates a Year 7

Mr. G., an over-the-top gay man who heads up the drama department.

I could never decide which of the 3 characters was my favorite. They're all funny in completely different ways. Jonah will you make you cry laughing with the way he insults his English teacher & draws his signature "dictation" all over the school. Ja'mie does this hilarious thing where she says "random" all the time, like, "I like your tie. Ties are so random." Natalie said after she watched this, she found herself saying random all the time until one of her friends called her out. Mr. G. is absolutely ridiculous. One of the students dies of an ecstasy overdose & he decides to do a school play about it. OMG, you honestly just have to see it to believe it.

Just watch it. You'll thank me later.

Weekend Wrap-Up

Fri. Night:
John was in the studio, so I stayed home & watched Reservation Road. Correction: I watched all but the last half hour of Reservation Road. Thank you, Netflix. I should get the new, non-cracked disc tomorrow. This is the movie with Mark Ruffalo & Joaquin Phoenix, not to be confused with Revolutionary Road with Leonardo DiCaprio. Anyway, what I saw of it was really good & I can't wait to finish it.

Sat:
Sat AM I got up & did Race For The Cure with my friend Megan. It was my first 5K. We had planned on walking it, but we ended up taking off with the runners, so we ran at first. Megan kept going, but my shins started screaming, so I slowed down to a walk. After awhile my legs warmed up & I started running again. I didn't run the whole 3 miles, but I ran at least half of it. I couldn't believe I ran that much. God, I love running. Stupid hip.....

Post race, I headed over to Germantown to meet Carolyn & David @ Oktoberfest. This is where it all went wrong. Never run a 5K & then head straight to something with greasy street vendor food. I ate so much. It was ridiculous. I completely undid whatever good I did running that morning. Ugh.... Story of my life.

Sat. Night:
Our neighborhood friends Mike & Amanda took us to eat dinner at this authentic Mexican restaurant basically across the street from our house. It was so good! I don't know what John ordered, it looked like chili on a plate. He loved it, of course. I got one of Amanda's favorites, the el trio especial. It was a Mexican dream come true - shrimp, chicken & beef over a plate of rice, covered in cheese, with tortilla chips all around the plate. OMG, it was so good! We may never eat at Cinco de Mayo or Las Maracas again.

Sun:
On Sun. John painted the kickboards on the stairs going upstairs. We've been wanting to do this since we moved in & just got around to it. I haven't taken the after pics yet, but it looks 100x better. Post paint, we headed to Lewisburg for the Goats, Music & More Festival. Sadly, it was pretty much over, but John got to pet his fair share of goats, which made the drive worth it. Plus, I had a fried pie (I gained 10 lbs this weekend). The best thing about the trip was this 30 second video I made of the one of the goats saying, "Whaaaaa?" It really sounds like he's talking. Hilarious!

Full goat photostream here.

Next Big Nashville

Next Big Nashville is going on this week. It's an annual music festival & conference showcasing local bands. For the past 2 years, John's studio, Lake Fever Productions, has hosted a night during the festival. Last night was their night, co-hosted with Nashville Cream. Performing last night was Bad Cop, Elle Macho, Tristen, The Non-Commissioned Officers, & How I Became the Bomb. The whole thing was filmed by Tugboat Productions for an upcoming Lake Fever Session. I'll post the link once it's ready. Should be a really cool Session.

I didn't take a ton of pictures, but you can see what I took here.

Happy Friday!

I Heart You, Dexter Morgan

I've been watching my way through 3 seasons of Dexter & I just finished. I loved this show! I can't believe the quality of shows coming out of Showtime now. Dexter Morgan is a blood splatter analyst for Miami Metro. He's also a serial killer. But aside from the killing, he's a really nice & likable guy. He's a good brother, a good boyfriend, a good employee, & a good substitute father for his girlfriend's kids. You really like him, which is what makes the show so interesting.

I've been a fan of Michael C. Hall's since Six Feet Under. I'm so glad to see him in something else. I didn't know this, everyone else might, in real life he's married to Jennifer Carpenter, who plays his sister on the show. A little weird, yes, but also cool.

If you haven't seen Dexter, I highly recommend it. Meanwhile, I'm eagerly awaiting the DVD release of Season 4.

Chicken & Corn Chowder

I found this Williams-Sonoma cookbook at McKay's & flagged a few recipes to try. I made their chicken & corn chowder on Sun. night. It was pretty good. I think next time I'll add some garlic & maybe some shredded cheddar cheese, but I definitely recommend it. Just keep in mind you may want to tweak it a little.

Chicken & Corn Chowder
Serves 4

Bacon, 4 slices, chopped
Red bell pepper, 1 large, seeded & chopped
Fresh or frozen corn kernels, 4 cups
Yukon gold potatoes, 3/4 lb cut into 1/2" chunks
Chicken broth, 3 cups
Dry white wine, 1/2 cup
Skinless, boneless chicken thighs, 3/4 lb total weight, cut into 1/2" chunks
Green (spring) onions, 6, white & Pale green parts, thinly sliced
Fresh thyme, 3 tablespoons minced
Half-and-half (half cream), 2 1/2 cups
Salt & freshly ground pepper

1. Cook the bacon: In a saucepan over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings.

2. Cook the vegetables & chicken: Add the bell pepper, corn, & potatoes to the same pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers are just softened & the corn & potatoes are lightly tinged with gold, about 4-5 minutes. Add the broth & wine, bring to a boil, cover, & cook until the potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken & cook, covered, until opaque throughout, 5-7 minutes.

3. Finish the chowder: Stir in the green onions, thyme, & half-and-half. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, & cook, uncovered, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Ladle the chowder into bowls, sprinkle with the bacon, & serve.

Side Notes: I used 1 chicken breast instead of 3/4 lb chicken thighs. Chicken thighs creep me out. Also, possibly because my husband is a carnivore, but we quickly ran out of bacon. I'd make more than 4 slices. We added a little shredded cheddar cheese & hot sauce to ours. I think the only thing I may add next time is garlic.

Bon appetit!

Book Review: My Life In France

Where to begin..... First of all, I loved this book. I mean, I loved this book. I don't read a lot of biographies, so I don't know if it was the biographical aspect that appealed to me or the subject matter. Probably a combination of both. I felt a real kinship to Julia. There were so many times throughout the book that I thought, "that's me!" There were also a lot of similarities between Paul & John. Every description of Paul could easily apply to John.

Their lives felt so carefree. They traveled, they lived abroad, they both had something they were passionate about. With Julia, obviously it was cooking & with Paul, it was photography. They never had children, so it was just the two of them against the world. I like that. I also like how social they were. They had all kinds of friends that they went places with, or just had over for dinner. They seemed to have a very full life.

I find it inspiring that Julia's path starting by simply eating at a French restaurant, falling in love with the food, & deciding to learn how to cook. This book, obviously, makes me want to become a better cook, but it also makes me want to find more time for things I enjoy doing -writing, reading, trying new recipes, & spending time with John.

I couldn't give a higher recommendation for this book. Everyone should read it.

Bon appetit!

Weekend Review

On Saturday I took my almost 4 year old niece for her first (& requested) manicure. She sat beside me while the technician did my nails, then I went to the dryer & it was her turn. I was worried because I was all the way in the front of the salon, but she did just fine. She sat up straight & held her hands out like she had been doing it all her life. The technician was so nice, he even painted little pink flowers on her thumb nails, which she LOVED.

Next I took her to McDonald's for lunch. Unbeknownst to me, Ronald McDonald was scheduled to appear at this particular McDonald's at noon, so Abigail got to meet Ronald. She was leery at first, but he eventually made his way over to her, introduced himself & shook her hand. That's all it took. She was on him like a duck on the water from there on out. He even joked at one point that her head is going to be in everyone's pictures from that day. It was pretty funny. Full photostream here.

Sat. night I went to dinner & a movie with Carolyn, while our men were off doing man stuff. We ate at California Pizza Kitchen, which was really good. Highly recommend the BBQ chicken salad & chipotle pizza. We saw Whip It!, which was surprisingly really good. It's not like I expected it to be bad, I just didn't expect to like it as much as I did. There's a lot more to it than roller derby. And there's a lot of people in it. Definitely recommend this movie.

Sunday was pretty typical, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc. One thing did happen that I've been trying to make happen for, oh, about a year now. John finally put his CDs & books on the 2 Ikea shelves he bought back when we first bought the house. So excited about this. Now I can begin the process of turning the mudroom into an office. Hooray!

Easy Lasagna

Per April's request, here is my recipe for lasagna. My friend Lauren copied it for me out of Southern Living a few years ago. It's the only lasagna recipe I've ever made. It's easy & it's good!

Easy Lasagna
Makes 6 to 8 Servings
Prep: 15 Min. Bake: 55 Min. Stand: 15 Min.
Scrape the layer of solidified oil from the top of the container of pesto, & discard. Then measure the pesto.

1 lb. mild Italian sausage
1 (15 oz) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup refrigerated ready-made pesto
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 (26 oz) jars pasta sauce
9 no-boil lasagna noodles
4 cups (16 oz) shredded Italian 3-cheese blend or mozzarella cheese

1. Remove & discard casings from sausage. Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until meat crumbles & is no longer pink; drain.

2. Stir together ricotta cheese, pesto, & egg.

3. Spread half of 1 jar pasta sauce evenly in a lightly greased 13x9" baking dish. Layer with 3 lasagna noodles (noodles should not touch each other or sides of dish), half of ricotta mixture, half of sausage, 1 cup 3-cheese blend, & remaining half of a jar pasta sauce. Repeat layers using 3 lasagna noodles, remaining sausage, 1 cup 3-cheese blend. Top with remaining 3 noodles & 2nd jar of pasta sauce, covering noodles completely. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 cups 3-cheese blend.

4. Bake, covered, at 350 for 40 minutes. Uncover & bake 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted & edges are lightly browned & bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes.

Southern Living Note: For testing purposes only, we used Classico Tomato & Basil spaghetti sauce & Barilla Lasagna Over-Ready noodles.

My Note: Lauren & I both use a combo of 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage & 1/2 lb lean ground beef instead of 1 lb mild Italian sausage.

Bon appetit!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes 24 cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix (plus ingredients called for in pkg directions)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 can pumpkin puree, 15 oz
2 bars cream cheese, room temp, 8 oz each
2 cups powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Line two 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners.
3. Prepare the cake mix as directed, except add the pumpkin pie spice & substitute the can of pumpkin puree for the water called for in the pkg directions.

4. Divide batter among the prepared muffin tins & bake until a toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.
5. Let cool.
6. Meanwhile, using a mixer, beat cream cheese & sugar until creamy.
7. Spread on cupcakes.
8. These can be made & stored at room temp, covered, up to 2 days in advance.
9. Frost them up to 12 hours before serving.

Side notes: The cupcake stencils were a bust. Really, really good cupcakes though. Definitely the best I've ever made.

Bon appetit!

Weekend Plans

I left work at noon today & went to Michael's to stock up on Halloween supplies. I'm so excited. Aside from Michael's, I spent most of the afternoon outside on our deck catching up on my magazine reading. I love this weather! Tonight we're going to dinner with Jon & Ali. I think we're venturing out to some Thai place in Cool Springs. Actually, I guess it's not technically "venturing" since everyone has eaten there but me. Whatever. I'll report back.

For those of you who don't know, my sister is pregnant with twins. She already has 2 daughters, Abigail & Jessica. Abigail will be 4 in Nov. & Jessica will be 1 in Jan. The twins are due the first of Feb. So in Feb., she'll have a 4 year old, a 1 year old & newborn twins. Understandably, she's been priming me for babysitting. Tomorrow is my first attempt. I'm taking Abigail for her first manicure. Who knew 4 year olds could get manicures? Apparently they can & apparently she's been begging for one. Lunch at McDonald's afterwards, of course. It will be a day of firsts, her first manicure, the first time a car seat is in my car & my first unsupervised time alone with a 4 year old. It will be interesting no doubt.....

Tomorrow night Carolyn & I are going to see a movie while John dorks it up at his friends' house playing games for said friend's birthday. I forget what the game is called, but it's something super dorky that takes 12-20 hours to play. They do it every year & this will be the first year he can go. Mazel tov.

Happy weekend!

Singapore Noodles With Shrimp

Singapore Noodles with Shrimp
Serves 4
The key to moist, tender shrimp is to finish cooking them off the heat. If you like spicy noodles, add a pinch of cayenne to the finished dish or serve with Tabasco. If you can't find thin rice vermicelli, substitute 6 oz capellini.

6 oz thin rice vermicelli
1 lb medium (40/50) shrimp, peeled & deveined
*2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 shallots, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, cored & sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup bean sprouts, well rinsed
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
4 scallions, sliced thin

MAKING THE MINUTES COUNT:
Prep the remaining ingredients while the noodles soak.

1. SOAK NOODLES: Cover rice vermicelli with hot tap water in large bowl & soak until softened, pliable, limp but not fully tender, about 15 minutes. Drain noodles & set aside.

2. COOK SHRIMP: While noodles soak, pat shrimp dry with paper towels, then toss with 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in *12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add shrimp, spread into single layer, & cook without stirring for 1 minute. Stir shrimp & continue to cook until spotty brown & just pink around the edges, about 30 seconds. Transfer shrimp to clean bowl, cover, & set aside.

3. COOK VEGETABLES: Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet & return to medium heat until shimmering. Add shallots, bell pepper, & remaining 2 teaspoons curry powder, & cook until vegetables have softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic & cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. COOK NOODLES: Stir in soaked vermicelli, shrimp with their accumulated juices, bean sprouts, broth, soy sauce, *mirin, & scallions. Cook, tossing constantly, until noodles & vegetables are heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve.

Baldwin changes: as usual, we used a wok instead of a 12" nonstick skillet. Also, we used rice vinegar instead of mirin. Our Thai friend told us mirin is a waste of money, so I opted to not buy the $4 bottle at Publix & use the rice vinegar I already had at home. Curry powder. We totally used the wrong kind. The only kind of curry powder I had was Jamaican curry powder, which undoubtedly wasn't the right kind, but it's all we had, so.... It was still good. A little yellow, but good. Definitely recommend this recipe, just use non-Jamaican curry.

Help Wanted: Kitchen Decor

Now that the kitchen is painted, I need to focus on decor. I hung the 2 Ikea shelves & put some stuff up there. I could use better accessories, but I'm waiting to see what color our back splash tile ends up being. Anyway, I have 1 big blank wall (top picture) right now & it's bugging me. For anyone who's been in our house, it's the wall that separates the kitchen from the living room. Also worth noting, there is a pocket door that goes into that wall, so it's mostly hollow & probably couldn't hold anything heavy like additional cabinets or shelves. Plus, the refrigerator opens onto that wall & takes up a good bit of space when the doors are open.

I'm thinking since I already have shelves on 1 wall, I should hang some art on the other wall. Si? My friend Alexis tagged a poster in Reader that I'm pretty smitten with. I'm torn between this Brooklyn screen print in navy & this NYC screen print in orange. I'm leaning towards Brooklyn. Thoughts? Too masculine? Too 'I used to live in NYC'?

I thought about trying to find something more kitcheny, but sometimes I'm annoyed at kitchen art in a kitchen. Like framed pictures of spoons, etc. It's too cliche I guess. I don't know. Although I am interested in finding the word "eat". Making It Lovely has this metal "eat" sign in her kitchen & I covet it. Just no pictures of utensils, fruit, or chef caricatures.

Help me!