Dangerously Delicious

Today I discovered an amazing new taste sensation... Girl Scout Trefoil cookies + Trader Joe's mango butter. Yum! I ate an embarrassingly large quantity of these today when I got home from work. Oops!

PS: I just realized that this month marks my THIRD ANNIVERSARY of blogging. I have to admit, I was completely shocked by this, and had to go back to reread my first post and verify that it really was written 3 years ago. Where did the time go?!

Saturday at Grandma & Grandpa's

I love my Grandma and Grandpa!

And I'm so glad they bought a house on the water. I'm even "gladder" that they love to host crab feasts!

The delicious Maryland Blue Crab (before)

And after! Nothing beats a hot, steamed crab with a sprinkle of Old Bay on top.

The view from their shore:

And from their pier:

And from the boat! My brother took us "kids" out for a ride. All the way out to the Solomon's Island bridge and back.

Okay, check out the moon in this one (below). It was still way too sunny for the moon to be out! Also, take a look at the bluffs (cliff) in this photo. Whenever I see coastlines like that, I can't help but imagine what it must have been like for the first settlers, sailing up the waterways and looking for places to establish new colonies.

Along those historical notes, the boats that carried the Englishmen (who eventually marched up to the White House in DC and set it on fire) are known to have been here. Crazy.

Wordless Wednesday

Farmer's Market Fresh

A Bit of Indulgence

Oops!

I confess. I (the one who never goes to McDonald's) have been to McDonald's twice already in the time I've been here in Brazil.

The thing is, they have this sandwich -- the Cheddar McMelt -- and it's different. And quite yummy! Hamburger, cheddar cheese sauce, and sauteed onions on a whole-wheat bun. That's it!

I guess you could say I'm hooked. So what have you indulged in recently?

10 Reasons I Loved this Weekend

1. I spent Mother's Day with both my mom and my hubby's

2. I (finally) started working on my next project. Of course, I spent this weekend cutting, which is my least favorite part. But the sooner I finish, the sooner I get to start sewing!

3. Roast beef. Carne asado. Whatever you wanna call it -- it's delicious and I got to eat it. It didn't hurt that I also completed my "in-house tutorials" and am now ready to make it on my own. 

4. Got the new Radiohead album. Cool!

5. Made Bruno's favorite cake (in cupcakes!): Tres Leches cake.

6. Confession... I fussy cut this piece! Love it.

7. Yuuuuuuuum! Had a burger with my in-laws at Red Robin. It was their first time and they loved it. Who wouldn't? A tower of onion rings, unlimited fries, and a burger with a fried egg on top!

8. Saturday yardsales ready and waiting to be explored.

9. My cute hubby.

10. Time to put my feet up!

Zucchini Bread Cookies (I Like)

Thanks, Eizzil for a delicious party! My absolute favorite was the Zucchini Nut Bread Sandwich Cookies. I didn't even wait for her to send me the recipe... I've already looked it up online and printed it out for myself. If you're smart, you'll do the same.

Yum!

Sweet Ending

to a sweet weekend. Fresh blueberries, organic granola, and vanilla yogurt. I love all the fresh fruits that accompany the change of seasons!

Rosemary-Lemon Chicken with Vegetables

Thank you very much Martha Stewart! I came across this recipe several years ago.  In fact, I made a note on my printed copy dated 6/25/08. My note?

"Y-U-M!"

Still true today, and so excited to dig in.

Picture perfect ingredients:

Dinner Party Recipes

Last night's dinner party was a delicious success!  On the menu: steamed edamame pods, my oven-baked chicken, black-bean and corn salsa, cilantro-lime rice, and tres-leches cake. Yum!!

DINNER:
To make the chicken, all you have to do is marinate the chicken with a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a sprinkling of salt (to taste), and at least one clove of garlic, pressed, per half-breast of boneless, skinless chicken. Easy peasy! After letting it marinate for one hour or more, bake in the oven at 475 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Ta-da! Delicious and moist. I promise.

DESSERT:
I followed this Betty Crocker's recipe for the Tres Leches cake. SO GOOD! Although the directions mention adding Cool Whip and coconut on top, I left the cake "plain" and served it with a dollop of Cool Whip and some sliced bananas on the side. Then I sprinkled some toasted coconut on top.  Thanks Eizzil for your suggestion to toast the coconut -- such a good idea!

Sister Sleepover Spectacular!

This weekend was QUITE the success. Thanks E!!!

First, we baked the most delicious apple crisp EVER (and then proceeded to eat it all weekend... plus Chipotle burritos... and then some Ledo's pizza, too). All so good!

After lunch, we walked over to Pier1 looking for a chair for E. We measured lots of things, and E even tried out every chair in the store until she found the one that was "just right." 

Notice how comfortable she looks in the next one? She wasn't posing for the camera -- she was really sitting in the floor-model chair, talking on her phone, hugging 'Hootie' the owl.

As we walked across the parking lot from one store to the other, we got our very own fly-by. Just one of the perks of dating an Air Force pilot!

...and in the next store, I found the perfect piece of art for my dining room.

I'm so lucky to have my little sister so close :)

Clams!

I can't believe it... but B and I really outdid ourselves this time. On Sunday, we steamed clams AT HOME!!! Garlic, cilantro, onions and pepper equaled deliciousness. Are we fancy or what?!  (Now, check out my before and after picks).

Clams!

I can't believe it... but B and I really outdid ourselves this time. On Sunday, we steamed clams AT HOME!!! Garlic, cilantro, onions and pepper equaled deliciousness. Are we fancy or what?!  (Now, check out my before and after picks).

Snack Update (Day 2)

I just noshed on melba toast + fat-free cream cheese + Craisins and I LOVED it. It totally satisfied my craving for sweets.

Yesterday, in a different sort of mood, I loved my snack of cucumber and Laughing Cow cheese. It helped to tide me over until dinner without ruining my appetite.  So far, so good! Let's just see how long the novelty of it all lasts...

Snacking is Good

I recently came across this article from Real Simple, and the timing couldn't have been better. Whenever I go back to work, I get HUNGRY and I need to snack. However, I always feel guilty about snacking. Well, now I'm guilty no more!

I thought you would all appreciate the article as well since it's chock-full of exciting snack ideas. I mean... I was inspired to grab a pen and paper to make my grocery list when I saw all of the yummy things they suggested. Hard-boiled egg? Yay! Cheese? Yes, please!

I'm sharing this in the hopes that you'll feel a bit of the same enthusiasm.

Yours forever in snacking...

Dinner Date

Fresh summer goodies + a long distance convo with my hubby = a night well spent.

10 Reasons I Loved this Weekend

1. Chincoteague Island
2. Shabby-chic cottage

3. Chorizo and fresh bread
4. Eating steamed clams (for the first time!)

5. Practicing my Portuguese
6. Beach on Saturday
7. Beach on Sunday
8. Good company
9. Time with my hubby
10. The ducks! (see my video)

Feast Your Eyes on These

SLD and I carpooled up to A's place for an afternoon of fun (we missed our fourth today... she was home visiting her parents). It was my first time making cake balls, and I'd say it was a success.  Granted, I'm not sure I ever need to make them again. These little suckers are tedious! Moral of the day? "If someone bakes for you, you know they love you. Baking is a labor of love after-all!"

Yummy cake balls! Thanks to our hostess, we made a new recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Although they were made from a box-cake-mix, they somehow managed to taste just like cookie dough. They're dangerous... watch out!

Recipe for Shredded Pork BBQ

For Liz G... :)

1. Spray inside of crock pot with Pam. Place 2 lbs. pork tenderloin in slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle meat with 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder.
3. Add barbecue sauce (16 oz) and 1/2 cup chopped onions.
4. Mix lightly.
5. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.
6. Remove meat from cooker; shred with two forks.
7. Return meat to slow cooker and toss with barbecue sauce until well coated.
8. Heat through and serve!

Recipe serves 12.















From The Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Recipe for Rockin' Quiche

(from one of my co-workers... thanks Tracy!)

1. Put refrigerated pie crust in pie dish (do not pre-bake)
2. Mix the following ingredients in a bowl:
--4 eggs
--2 cups milk
--8oz shredded cheddar cheese
--salt & pepper
--dash of nutmeg
--fillers (I love adding sauteed onions, pre-cooked broccoli, and pre-cooked bacon)
3. Pour mixture into crust
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes
5. Let cool for ~10 minutes to set up

Yum-mee

So last night, in the spirit of good-luck and Irishness and all, I decided to cook corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. Yum, right? The thing is, the meat came out questionably. I mean it looked and smelled great, but I wasn't 100% sure that it was cooked all the way. With corned beef, how can you really tell anyway? It's always pink!

I stopped on the way home today and bought a meat thermometer. Don't worry, it's safe to eat at my house (now).