The Good, The Bad, & The Pretty

This week has been a tad tumultuous.  Every day has been a different end of the emotional spectrum.  Wednesday:  GOOD NEWS!  Thursday:  bad news.  Friday:  GOOD NEWS!  Hopefully I'll balance out over the weekend, or at least drown myself in complex carbohydrates & re-runs of Drop Dead Diva.

THE GOOD

Ran 4 times this week.  Knee discomfort is tolerable.
Received very exciting job news that I can't share, but am hopeful about. (!!!)

THE BAD

Possible food poisoning from bad Mexican, but kind of don't mind as assuredly lost 5 lbs.
Didn't get two of the jobs I was in the running for, but that's okay, the one I really want is the one still pending.

THE PRETTY

Am now the proud owner of not 1, not 2, but 3 new pairs of ballet flats:  black, tan & grey metallic.  I found the $148 Cole Haan flats at Marti & Liz for $29.  $29!!!  They're black, but whatever.  It's a shoe miracle!

An Open Letter To Dolvett Quince

 {Source}

Dear Dolvett,

I'm so glad you've joined the cast of The Biggest Loser this season. I was worried when I heard Jillian wasn't coming back, especially after last season's introduction of two new trainers, who I personally hated.  I knew Anna Kournikova was replacing Jillian, but I had no idea there was a third trainer.  Now, I love Bob Harper & I loved Jillian, but you, you may be my new favorite.  Your confidence, your smile, and sweet Jesus, your abs.  Please come live in my house & train me.  No?  Fine, I'll move to Atlanta & join your gym.  Or maybe I'll just buy your DVD.

Thank you for reminding me that I should be working out more often & with more intensity, if only for two hours every Tuesday night.

Sincerely,

The Blonde Mule
President
The Dolvett Quince Fan Club

"If you're not moving, you're not losing"

Good interview with Dolvett here.

Weekend Wrap Up: Feed Me Seymour Edition

Franklin Farmers Market 

Pumpkin donut!

Believe it.

Sweet & Spicy Veggie Pot -- FAIL

Substitute Sunday dinner

FRIDAY

John & I stayed in & made a Mark Bittman recipe, stir-fried spicy beef with basil, that was really good.

SATURDAY

I met Jolie at lululemon for yoga.  Post namaste, we grabbed lattes at Whole Foods, then headed to Franklin for the Franklin Farmer's Market.  Jolie needed to pick up her CSA & I just needed something to do.  Ya'll.  The Franklin Farmer's Market is where it's at.  It's open year-round every Saturday from 8am - 1pm in the parking lot behind The Factory.  It's the best farmer's market I've ever been to, which, of course it is, it's in Williamson County.  There are over 70 Middle TN family farms that are part of the market.  There's seasonal produce & fruit (mostly organic), plus meat, dairy, goat cheese, pasta, artisan breads, etc.  Oh, & right now they have mums & pumpkins.  There are also food vendors & live music.  It may seem like a long drive, but it's a pretty drive, especially this time of year.  Get thyself there next Saturday & get a HOMEMADE PUMPKIN DONUT!  You're welcome.

I had Book Swap that afternoon.  I didn't take any books to read this time.  I'm plowing my way through the 2nd Outlander book right now & Claudia just gave me the complete Sookie Stackhouse series.  So yeah, I'm good.  For dinner, John & I grabbed Indian then came home & watched Little Shop of Horrors via Netflix Instant Streaming.  This was one of my favorite movies growing up, as evidenced by me remembering the words to every single song & 90% of the dialogue (you're welcome, John).  If you haven't seen this movie in, oh 10+ years, I highly recommend re-watching it.

SUNDAY

I met Jessica for a run through Shelby Bottoms, followed, of course, by breakfast bagels at Mitchell Deli.  Back at home, I spent the better part of the day peeling & cutting my farmer's market bounty for a  crockpot veggie dish that ended up being HORRIBLE.  Seriously, so bad.  We actually quit eating it & made bacon & eggs instead.  That's the first time we've ever stopped eating something mid-meal, got up & made another meal.  Vegans, we are not.

I Like... Ballet Flats & I Cannot Lie!

{Lucky Emmie Ballet Flat $59}

{Cole Haan Air Bacara Ballet $148}

{Frye Carson Ballet $148}

I have a shoe dilemma.  I need a new pair of ballet flats.  I'm trying to decide between these three pairs.  I saw someone wearing the Cole Haans & fell in love with them because they're equal parts black & gunmetal grey (they're not as shiny in person as they are in the picture).  She said that yes, the Cole Haans are pricey, but they last for years.  I found them at Macy's, for $148, & didn't buy them.  Instead I bought the pair of Luckys for $59.  But I don't love the Luckys.  I've had them for 2-ish weeks & haven't even taken them out of the box.  I think I need the Cole Haans.  But I'm not a person who buys $148 shoes.  Ever.

If I am a person who spends $148 on shoes, maybe I should buy the Fryes.  I have a pair of Frye boots that will probably outlive me.  But Frye doesn't offer a metallic & I've really got my eye on metallic.

If I get a job, I'm buying the Cole Haans.

P.S. Here's a pic of my teeny tiny, baby foot in the Lucky ballet flats.  See?  Underwhelming.

Wednesday Ramblings

I have so little going on.  Actually, that's a lie, I have a lot going on.  I'm frantically trying to land one of the jobs I'm in the running for, which takes up an astonishing amount of time, especially when they all want either writing or marketing samples, & all the while working a full-time job.  Oy.

Getting a job these days is like running for office.  Gone are the days when you let your resume do the work for you.  Also gone, are the days when knowing key people count.  No, now you've got to harass those key people to call the potential employer on your behalf, which the majority of people simply do not have time to do.  It also gets tricky when you're up for three different jobs & need these people to make three different calls to three different places.  Whatever, I've been told that people want to help & that they don't mind, but it's uncomfortable, especially since I've been hitting up these same people for over a year now.

So yeah, that's it.  On the plus side, my heart has completely calmed down.  I haven't talked to my boss in over a week, so I don't know if that's it, or if it's just finally run its course.  Regardless, I hope it's over.  I'm so ready to close the chapter on this crappy m-effing year.  Fingers crossed I get one of these jobs, and soon.

Weekend Wrap Up: East Tennessee Edition

More info on pics on Instagram & Flickr

FRIDAY

Our friends Aaron & Ashley got married in Cleveland, TN this weekend.  John was a groomsman, so we had to be there Friday night for the rehearsal dinner.  John & I hilariously (& embarrassingly) forgot we have a dog until the day before we had to leave, so my friend Jessica did me a solid & offered to dog-sit Linda while we were gone.  Thank you, Jessica!

SATURDAY

John had to be at the wedding locale at noon to help set things up, take pics, etc, so I spent the day in Chattanooga with my friend Rebecca.  Rebecca's preggers & due in 10 days, so I ran around with her doing important pre-baby errands, like getting a pedicure.

P.S. My pedicure color is OPI No Spain No Gain, which I LOVE.

Rebecca brought me back that night for the wedding.  The wedding was great.  I'm really glad we were there.  We ate, drank, danced & drove home in the middle of the night.

SUNDAY

After being gone Friday-Saturday, I needed a day of rest & rest I did.  I made my first chili of the season (yes!) & watched the Emmy's.  Well, most of the Emmy's.  I lapsed into a chili-induced coma around 9:00pm & missed the end.

Ticker Update: We Got The (Premature) Beat

{Source}

You may remember, a few weeks ago, I had to wear a heart monitor for a day to find out what's causing my heart palpitations, which I wrote about here.  I got the results this week & found out I have a premature beat, aka premature ventricular contractions (PVCs).  The holter I wore registered 24 of these premature beats in the 24 hours I was wearing it.

According to the Mayo Clinic, PVCs are extra, abnormal heartbeats that begin in one of your heart's two lower pumping chambers, or ventricles.  These extra beats disrupt your regular heart rhythm, sometimes causing you to feel a flip-flop or skipped beat in your chest.  PVCs are very common & occur in most people at some point.

My doctor is not alarmed because my ECG was normal & heart disease doesn't run in my family.  She said a premature beat is super common & thinks mine is due to stress/anxiety.  She again suggested I let her write me a prescription for a low-dose anti-anxiety medication, which I'm considering, & told me to quit my job.

Even though this is clearly something that's common & happens to people all the time without incident, I'm still fairly freaked out.  Mostly because it just ties in to how amazingly crappy this year has been.  Thank you, 2011.

My doctor & I are in agreement that the number one thing that will remedy this situation is me getting a new job.  If you would keep your fingers crossed for me &/or send some positive job energy my way, I would really appreciate it.

Martha's Meatballs

In the September 2011 issue of Everyday Food, there is a section on big batch recipes, "a delicious dinner tonight & leftovers you can transform into a new meal."  The first example is meatballs, which would obviously appeal to my carnivorous husband.  Also, I like making a big meal on Sundays that can feed us again, even better if it magically transforms into a different meal on the second night.

I've made spaghetti & meatballs before, but with ground beef, instead of pork, & never using a zucchini or *bulgur.  These were THE BEST meatballs I've ever had, which, of course they are, it's Martha Stewart.  Trust.

*The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup medium-grind bulgur.  I couldn't find this, so we used what we had in the house:  cornflakes.

Both of these recipes were so good!  And fairly quick & easy.  And my god, the left-overs.  This made so much food.  Serves 4, my ass, Martha.  It serves like 400.  Highly, highly recommend both of these dishes.  Delicious!

PORK MEATBALLS

Adapted from Everyday Food

Serves 4 (false, see above)

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium zucchini
1 large yellow onion, diced finely
1/2 cup crushed cornflakes
2 lbs ground pork
2 large eggs
3/4 cup chopped fresh oregano leaves
5 garlic cloves, minced
coarse salt & ground pepper
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp olive oil
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 lb spaghetti
grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS:

Shred zucchini, squeeze out liquid &, in a large bowl, mix with cornflakes, pork, eggs, 1/4 cup oregano, half the garlic & half the onion.  Season with salt & pepper & form into 2-inch meatballs (22-24 total).

In a dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium-high.  In batches, cook meatballs until browned, 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally.  Drain on paper towels.  Discard oil; wipe out pot.

Add olive oil to pot.  Add remaining onion along with remaining garlic; cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.  Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, 1/2 cup oregano & meatballs; cook until meatballs are cooked through, 15-20 minutes; season with salt & pepper.  Transfer 10-12 meatballs & 1 cup sauce to an airtight container & refrigerate, up to 3 days.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions.  Serve with remaining meatballs, sauce, & Parmesan.

MEATBALL PIZZA

Adapted from Everyday Food

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place pizza dough on parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza stone; season with coarse salt & ground pepper.  Spread reserved 1 cup tomato sauce among pizza dough & top with 1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced, & 10-12 reserved meatballs, crumbled.  Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Toss 2 cups baby arugula with 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; season with salt & pepper.  To serve, top pizza with arugula, grated Parmesan, & red-pepper flakes.

Weekend Wrap Up: I Have Bangs! Edition

At salutation nation with yoga pal, Sarah Allen.

At Trim, attempting to contact outer space.

Studio dog, all tuckered out from a long day of DOING NOTHING.

John spent all day yesterday cleaning out the garage.  Apparently we're hoarders.

FRIDAY

I got my hair cut after work.  Hello, full bangs!  For dinner, John & I met Katie at Woodlands, then I went home & watched Rabbit Hole.  Good enough movie, although incredibly heavy & sad.  I've said it before & I'll say it again, I really will watch anything starring Aaron Eckhart.

SATURDAY

I met Sarah at Centennial Park for salutation nation, hosted by lululemon.  It was AWESOME, although I have a pretty serious sunburn to show for it.  Post namaste, I had to book it over to Trim for my noon appointment with Gio, hair colorist extraordinaire. 

John mastered the soundtrack to Project Nim, which is playing at the Belcourt.  We went to dinner at The Dog with Mike & Amanda & then walked over to the Belcourt & spent the next 90 minutes crying our eyes out over a monkey.  Seriously, it was intense, ya'll.

SUNDAY

I've been super annoyed lately about the ridiculous barrage of 9/11 porn all over tv.  It's something that's very personal to me & I get easily offended when I feel like the event is being exploited, especially for ratings.  Regardless, I listened to about 2 hours of 9/11 stories on StoryCorps yesterday morning, cried, texted Tiffany & then went about my day.  More here.

Jalapeno Popper Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Jalapeno Popper Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Adapted from Lauren's Latest

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon
2 tbsp bacon grease
1/2 large onion, diced
2 jalapenos, sliced
1 pound elbow macaroni

For The Sauce:

4 tbsp butter
5 tbsp AP flour
2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 ounces cream cheese
1 tbsp Frank's Red Hot Wing's Buffalo sauce
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated provolone
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 chicken breast, cooked & shredded (optional)

For The Topping:

1 cup corn flakes, crushed
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
cooked bacon, crumbled

Directions:

In a large cast iron skillet, cook bacon until crispy.  Remove from pan, drain on paper towel-lined plate.  Once cooled, crumble & set aside.  Pour off excess bacon drippings, keeping 2 tbsp in skillet.  Saute onion & jalapeno in skillet until soft, about 6 minutes over  medium heat.  Set aside.

Place chicken breast in pot of boiling water & cook for 10-ish minutes.  Remove from pan, drain on paper towel-lined plate.  Once cooled, shred & set aside.

Bring large pot of water to a boil.  Salt water generously & cook pasta 2 minutes short of package directions.  Drain & set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk in flour & cook 1-2 minutes.  Whisk in milk, cream, salt, pepper & nutmeg.  Increase heat to medium high & continue mixing until sauce thickens.

Remove from heat.  Stir in cream cheese & hot sauce until melted smoothly into the sauce.  Pour cooked pasta & sauteed onions & jalapenos into the sauce.  Stir to coat.  Stir in cheeses & chicken.

Pour into a baking dish & spread out evenly.  Top with blue cheese, corn flakes & crumbled bacon.  Bake 20-30 minutes until top of macaroni has browned.  Remove from oven & serve hot.

Kim's Notes:

Let's talk about the cheese.  I felt like I bought all the cheese in Publix.  When I got home & unloaded everything, John said, very seriously, "Kim, I don't think you should use all that cheese."  It's like he doesn't even know me!  I used all the cheese, although I did realize while typing this out that I forgot to add half of the blue cheese crumbles.  Oops!

This recipe was really good.  I know, how could it not be?  I'd probably never make this for dinner or anything, but for a cook-out with a lot of guys, it was perfect!  I'm assuming it was a hit based on the fact that there was nothing left in the pan.  Surprisingly, it wasn't overwhelmingly cheesy or creamy.  It had an almost casserole-ish feel to it.

If I do make this again, I'll probably use less chicken, or no chicken at all.  It just isn't necessary.  I'll also spice it up more.  Maybe add more Frank's hot sauce & use a little cayenne.  And I'll change the topping.  I'll probably skip the corn flakes & use a combo of panko & breadcrumbs instead.  All of that being said, this is REALLY GOOD.  Highly recommend it for a cook-out, tailgate, Super Bowl party, etc.

Weekend Wrap Up: Labor Day Edition

FRIDAY

I took Friday off to enjoy a much-needed long weekend. Got up early for the Pancake Run, had a job interview at noon, then spent the afternoon shopping. John & I had Indian for dinner, then I watched The Producers, which was HILARIOUS!

SATURDAY

Now that my pass at Sanctuary is over, I'm off to find more yoga. This month lululemon is hosting free yoga in their store ever Saturday morning, so I did that with my friends Kathy, Carrie & Jolie, then we went to Bread & Co. for breakfast.

My friend Claudia got married Saturday night. John had an exhibit at the Nashville Folk Festival on vintage recording equipment, so I had to go the wedding by myself, but it was fine. I met Lauren & Kelly there.  The wedding was GORGEOUS.  So happy for Claudia & Bill!

SUNDAY

John was back at the Folk Festival, so I made plans to hang out with Jessica & celebrate her birthday a day early. We did a run through Shelby Bottoms with Ashlee, then rewarded ourselves with the WORLD'S BEST BREAKFAST BAGELS at Mitchell Deli.

I spent the rest of the day making poor food choices & not getting off the couch.  I watched Friday Night Lights, the movie, which I had never seen.  It was good, but I definitely prefer Kyle Chandler to Billy Bob Thornton.  Obviously.

MONDAY

We spent Labor Day over at Delaney & Austin's house cooking out & celebrating Ali's birthday. I made jalapeno popper buffalo chicken mac & cheese.  It was the most ridiculous & delicious thing I've ever made.  Recipe coming later this week.

Hello, September!

I love fall.  I know it's not fall yet, in fact, it's going to be 98 degrees in Nashville today, but fall is just around the corner & I swear, I can feel it.  It's already cooler in the mornings & evenings.  My two runs this week were not only bearable, but almost pleasant.  Almost.  I am not a summer runner.  I run my best in the fall & winter, so I'm really looking forward to running more often & longer distances as the weather continues to cool off.

Fall also holds two of my favorite holidays, Halloween & Thanksgiving, which should surprise no one who follows me on Pinterest.  John & I have a Halloween party every year.  I'm already brainstorming costume ideas & pinning pics of party food & decor.  I also get super excited about Thanksgiving, assuredly because it's an entire day dedicated to eating.  I've already started bookmarking potential Thanksgiving foods & recipes.

John & I were married in the fall.  This November will be our third wedding anniversary.  Maybe we'll be able to sneak away for a long weekend somewhere between now & then.  We're so overdue for a vacation, it's ridiculous.  Thanks for nothing, WORST YEAR OF MY LIFE.

Last, but not least, I love fall clothes.  I love boots, scarves & cardigans & I cannot wait to break them all out again.  I also love fall food.  I'm talking to you, Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte...  I have a pretty serious love affair with my crock pot & it hurts me to go so long without using it.  Soon, girl.  Soon.  I LOVE soups, stews & chilis.  I love chili so hard that I'm actually planning (in my mind) a chili party.  I kind of want to do it now, but with the Halloween party in October, it may be too much, but a chili party in February seems so far away & I've got chili on the brain NOW!  Sigh...

Happy fall, ya'll!