This is the single most precious thing. Ever.
"I'm on your team, be on my team."
So, what's your space jam?
-a
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Kitchen Ambitions
Maybe Hump Day's not the most exciting day of the week, it's definitely not typically a day for me to strive for many accomplishments. Since this is a week of firsts for me, I ambitiously planned not one, but TWO culinary extravaganzas. Here I will outline the first.
Much to my boyfriend's dismay, I planned a healthy dessert (well, a healthy FAT dessert - see, avocado) to follow a healthy dish (here comes the bigger shocker . . .) & then, I actually made both of them. Though, I will say, I had to stop at the grocery store on the way home to pick up a pasta just in case. He was fully resigned to hating it.
Here's the recipe (please note: I modified the recipe a bit, but the link to the original is on the Trader Joe's website) & a step by step in pictures below (because, I'm admittedly a spaghetti squash newbie).
Spaghetti Squash Carbonara via Trader Joe's (with my modifications, serves 4-6)
- Large Spaghetti Squash
- 6 slices TJ's Applewood Smoked Bacon, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of light cream cheese, cubed
- 1 cup Fresh English Peas
- 1 1/2 cups of Low-fat Milk
- 1/3 cup of grated fresh Parmesan Reggiano
Cook the squash: Use a sharp knife to cut squash in half lengthwise. Use a large table spoon to scrape out the seeds and string (this had that old pumpkin smell to it, I put it down the disposal rather quickly). Season with salt and pepper, place cut side up in a microwave safe dish and add about an inch of water to the bottom of the dish. Cover dish with cling wrap and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes. (I had to do each half of the squash separately) Allow to cool enough to handle before unwrapping. Use a table fork to scrape squash from top to bottom to separate flesh into strands of "spaghetti." Prepare Sauce: Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Pour off bacon drippings. Add garlic to pan and sauté until opaque, about 1 minute. Add milk, cream cheese and peas; simmer over very low heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended and heated through (you can add more milk if too thick). Add squash and bacon; toss to coat. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and serve right away.
Verdict: Absolutely delicious. I can't wait to try more spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta. Obviously, it's much healthier, & I would be lying to you if I felt good about myself while saying "I couldn't even tell the difference". Because really, what kind of asshole who can't tell the difference between a squash and a delicious carb? Well, I promise you, I couldn't (or didn't) notice.
Now, onto dessert! But, that's a post for another day!
-a
Much to my boyfriend's dismay, I planned a healthy dessert (well, a healthy FAT dessert - see, avocado) to follow a healthy dish (here comes the bigger shocker . . .) & then, I actually made both of them. Though, I will say, I had to stop at the grocery store on the way home to pick up a pasta just in case. He was fully resigned to hating it.
 |
| Juan feigning excitement over his plate of squash |
He loved it.
Here's the recipe (please note: I modified the recipe a bit, but the link to the original is on the Trader Joe's website) & a step by step in pictures below (because, I'm admittedly a spaghetti squash newbie).
Spaghetti Squash Carbonara via Trader Joe's (with my modifications, serves 4-6)
- Large Spaghetti Squash
- 6 slices TJ's Applewood Smoked Bacon, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of light cream cheese, cubed
- 1 cup Fresh English Peas
- 1 1/2 cups of Low-fat Milk
- 1/3 cup of grated fresh Parmesan Reggiano
Cook the squash: Use a sharp knife to cut squash in half lengthwise. Use a large table spoon to scrape out the seeds and string (this had that old pumpkin smell to it, I put it down the disposal rather quickly). Season with salt and pepper, place cut side up in a microwave safe dish and add about an inch of water to the bottom of the dish. Cover dish with cling wrap and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes. (I had to do each half of the squash separately) Allow to cool enough to handle before unwrapping. Use a table fork to scrape squash from top to bottom to separate flesh into strands of "spaghetti." Prepare Sauce: Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Pour off bacon drippings. Add garlic to pan and sauté until opaque, about 1 minute. Add milk, cream cheese and peas; simmer over very low heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended and heated through (you can add more milk if too thick). Add squash and bacon; toss to coat. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and serve right away.
 |
| 1. Milk, english peas, light cream cheese, & parmesan 2. Slicing that squash was not easy, but all my digits are intact 3. You can really scrape all the way out to the skin, so waste not! 4. Spaghetti Squash is no longer daunting, it practically falls apart with no pressure. 5. BACON 6. The sauce with peas, great thickness to it that I wasn't expecting 7. Finished product 8. Happy (Empty) Plate! |
Now, onto dessert! But, that's a post for another day!
-a
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday is the new Friday
See what happened there? I decided to write formally (see: capitalization). Nothing to distract you from my pure & unadulterated thoughts. If you're concerned that what is probably my first "real" post is about a reality television show journey, then you would be human. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good & will post something at least 4 other human beings find interesting before the week's end.
Monday is definitely the new Friday, except I still have to wake up & come to work on Tuesdays, so there's that. There are (sadly) truly few things I enjoy more than ABC's Bachelor Nation franchise. Welcome to my weekly round-up of all things Bachelor / recap of sorts of episode 3.
Selma gets the first date, & I'm pretty sure she is as close to perfectly beautiful as humanly possible.
Please note: I'm immediately confused & distracted by the GIANT bump in her pony.. Is that a bump-it? Do people really use those? Surely someone as beautiful as she is can manage hair + clothing from this decade... but I digress. Thoughts about this date:
- This ish is straight out of the Parent Trap & there ARE certainly some twins present, though not our good friend LiLo..
- We quickly learn she's Iraqi & from a Muslim family, kudos to ABC, because they really brought the diversity this season. I'm excited to see what I hope is a positive representation of herself & her culture in a reality television show (because I'm a nerd like that).
- We then learn she's not allowed to kiss. Which I'm not thinking does much to make Muslims seem any more normal to the 90% of Americans who don't understand much outside of their 3 foot radius.
- Sean is somehow super into this.. & I quote from his weekly People.com blog:
Monday is definitely the new Friday, except I still have to wake up & come to work on Tuesdays, so there's that. There are (sadly) truly few things I enjoy more than ABC's Bachelor Nation franchise. Welcome to my weekly round-up of all things Bachelor / recap of sorts of episode 3.
Selma gets the first date, & I'm pretty sure she is as close to perfectly beautiful as humanly possible.
(via wetpaint.com)
Please note: I'm immediately confused & distracted by the GIANT bump in her pony.. Is that a bump-it? Do people really use those? Surely someone as beautiful as she is can manage hair + clothing from this decade... but I digress. Thoughts about this date:
- This ish is straight out of the Parent Trap & there ARE certainly some twins present, though not our good friend LiLo..
- We quickly learn she's Iraqi & from a Muslim family, kudos to ABC, because they really brought the diversity this season. I'm excited to see what I hope is a positive representation of herself & her culture in a reality television show (because I'm a nerd like that).
- We then learn she's not allowed to kiss. Which I'm not thinking does much to make Muslims seem any more normal to the 90% of Americans who don't understand much outside of their 3 foot radius.
- Sean is somehow super into this.. & I quote from his weekly People.com blog:
"The no-kissing thing made our relationship more exciting because I had something to look forward to."
Clearly Sean has never seen the Virgin Diaries on TLC ... BUT, Selma gets the rose & we move onto the group date! Sean informs his lovely ladies they'll be roller-derbying, which doesn't at all seem like a major liability / awful idea for women about to claw each other's eyes out anyways.
- The Amanda-Tierra pact of evil, manipulative, roller derby queens is terrifying.
- Karma strikes and sadly Amanda breaks her jaw hurts her face on the ground & is taken to the hospital. Was anyone else eerily squeamish when the only words she can muster are "I'll be back" as the mini-van pulls away (sidenote: ABC, mini-vans, REALLY? what's up this season? I'll now be including a mini-van count each week)
- Roller Derby cancelled, so we all put on our best hooker heals & head to the rooftop pool.
- Amanda reappears like a vision in a full J.Crew ensemble... & "milks" her injury for all it's worth, until ..
- She is out-milked by Tierra's mini meltdown, which earns our resident Tierra-rist the rose. Doesn't Sean know not to reward bad behavior?
THEN we come to the prostitute, I mean Pretty Woman themed date ..
- I really disliked ALL the dress choices (though I usually love Badgley Mischka, what gives?), but I'm pretty sure Leslie H. chose THE WORST.
(via @RachTrue_ on Twitter)
- Then, none of her accessories matched.. That she chose. Immediately after choosing the dress..
- She's a super fun girl, but as soon as Sean said he was hoping something WOULD click, I knew she was going home, because nothing had clicked yet.
- Leslie leaves, but she seems relatively normal & pretty awesome, so I'm sure she'll do well for herself out in the world.
Rose Ceremony highlights:
- Sarah Herron has pretty amazing style & I'm SO into her fishtail braid, I'm rocking one today!! She (as always) looks absolutely stunning & flawless.
(via Possessionista - Blog I LOVE)
- Amanda's lookin' about as cray as I usually think her smile makes her seem.. Now, I do love a vampy lip, but what's happening with her hair? Also the dark, dark lipstick is not doing much for the dark bruise you can see on her chin (I actually feel really bad for her for having to try & cover that bad boy up on national television & simultaneously going home)
- We finally see more of Catherine, BUT I'm pretty sure she is actually in hooker heels.. are those clear plastic acrylic bottoms on your coral shoes? She is very endearing though, so I'll let it slide.
- I hope I NEVER hear another come-on involving chocolate EVER again. Ever.
- I still don't know who Daniella or the red-headed cosmetics girl are.. maybe next week?
So, our casualties this week are Amanda & Leslie H. To the rest of the ladies, may the odds be ever in your favor, or at least they've brought you into next week's double feature (that's right, 2 episodes in 2 nights, in ONE week).. which I'm wayyy too creepily excited about.
-a
Monday, January 28, 2013
hello there
well hello. please know, i'm aware i will only be blogging for myself until (if any) readership grows. i also know i should be consistent with punctuation, capitalization, etc. i really can't promise that. shout out to a new partner in crime, sarah, who came up with this hilarious idea for a blog title.
this is probably my only resolution for 2013 i may actually keep (at least for a few weeks). so when i got to share yesterday, elated i had finally put the finishing touches on the time & effort for this personal project, i couldn't wait to show off what i had done. surprise, surprise, my boyfriend had blank stares & then asked, "what's the point of a blog again?". . .
thus, i will outline the point (for now) of THIS blog - i'm very aware it can & probably will change, but it's original intent is to
- keep me sane
- keep me better organized
- keep me on budget
- keep me on my creative toes
- keep me excited about living & doing new things
posts will most likely range from
- monthly clothing/accessories budget & what i purchased & why
- travel (i plan to do much more of this, which is why i'm trying to better budget the aforementioned)
- food (both found & made)
- creative projects & their journey (i set up an etsy store last fall - still nothing in it..) eventually i'd like it to have throw pillows, paintings, jewelry, prints, & other home goods
- television musings + recaps (i'll try not to bore you with these, but i do love my TV)
so follow along with me, check back occasionally to make sure i'm doing something (or anything at all) & if you're interested, hopefully watch this grow into something bigger than a "new year, temporary me" thing.
always love,
-a
this is probably my only resolution for 2013 i may actually keep (at least for a few weeks). so when i got to share yesterday, elated i had finally put the finishing touches on the time & effort for this personal project, i couldn't wait to show off what i had done. surprise, surprise, my boyfriend had blank stares & then asked, "what's the point of a blog again?". . .
thus, i will outline the point (for now) of THIS blog - i'm very aware it can & probably will change, but it's original intent is to
- keep me sane
- keep me better organized
- keep me on budget
- keep me on my creative toes
- keep me excited about living & doing new things
posts will most likely range from
- monthly clothing/accessories budget & what i purchased & why
- travel (i plan to do much more of this, which is why i'm trying to better budget the aforementioned)
- food (both found & made)
- creative projects & their journey (i set up an etsy store last fall - still nothing in it..) eventually i'd like it to have throw pillows, paintings, jewelry, prints, & other home goods
- television musings + recaps (i'll try not to bore you with these, but i do love my TV)
so follow along with me, check back occasionally to make sure i'm doing something (or anything at all) & if you're interested, hopefully watch this grow into something bigger than a "new year, temporary me" thing.
always love,
-a
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