Pecorino Romano with Fig Jam

Our friends Brooke and Mike hosted a fabulous Italian dinner party on NYE before we all hit the town. Eight or nine couples attended, and each (lady) was in charge of a dinner component. I was excited to hear that I'd be in charge of appetizers. That's one course that allows for some creativity; when making a main course for a large group, I tend to stick with something safe that everyone will be bound to love.

I scoured my many Italian cookbooks until I found this recipe in Giada's Kitchen. This variation of bruschetta presents beautifully. It will fit in perfect for any cocktail party or casual dinner party, and I definitely plan on making it again. I received several compliments, even from men, so I know it was a success as men don't typically go for such frou-frou food!

My only complaint is that it is quite rich. There are lovely layers of flavor and scent, but you really can only eat just one or two because of the rich cheese and sweet brandy. Next time I will not top the bread with cheese and bake, I will simply drizzle with olive oil and toast the bread in the oven before adding the jam and shaved cheese (I have made this single modification to the recipe below).

The best thing about this appetizer is that it can honestly be made in less than 30 minutes, even if buy a loaf of bread that is not pre-sliced and a hunk of cheese that you have to grate and shave yourself. Anything this simple to make with such a high impact presentation and taste is a keeper in our house!

Pecorino Romano with Fig Jam

12 dried figs, halved

1 cup simple syrup*

4 tbsp brandy

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

1 baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch toasts

olive oil

approximately 8 oz. Pecorino Romano - go for the good stuff, a great imported artisan cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

Toast the hazelnuts lightly in a dry heavy skillet over medium heat. Spread on plate to cool before adding to the jam.

Combine figs, simple syrup and brandy in saucepan. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat and set aside 10 minutes to cool and allow the figs to soak up some of the liquid.

Transfer fig mixture to a food processor and blend. Add the hazelnuts and pulse a few times until pureed to a jam-like consistency.

Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until golden, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, use the edge of a knife to shave the cheese into large but thin chunks. (I tried several methods, including a fancy-pants cheese shaver and found my handy old knife worked best). You may want to put the shavings into a small metal bowl and refrigerate while the rest of your ingredients cook.

Top each baguette slice with 2 teaspoons of the jam and a piece of shaved Pecorino Romano.

*Just throw equal parts water and white granulated sugar on to simmer for five minutes, then allow it to cool to room temperature.

NYE Makeup

Thanks so much for the sweet emails about my makeup for NYE! I decided to do a quick post to answer the majority of the questions. I am by no means a makeup maven. I have two looks: daytime & going out. This is my going out look.

I call this one "What did she say about my horn?"

Anyway, here's what I wear on a daily basis (when I wear makeup), except for the eyeshadow, which comes out for special occasions:

• Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, applied with a sponge
• Bare Minerals Warmth, applied with an angled brush at the edge of my face, like a bronzer
• Nars blush in Orgasm, applied with a MAC blush brush that is 7 years old to the apples of my cheeks, then brushed outward and upward with a clean fluffy MAC brush
• Clinique eye shadow in Sugar Sugar, applied with my ring finger; it's white with silvery sparkles - I also have a gold version, which I alternate depending on what I'm wearing
• YSL mascara in black - I never buy mascara, I tend to accumulate tons of sample sizes from buying online at Sephora, so I just use those. This one works, but it's not my favorite. I put on a couple of coats of it.
• MAC Lipglass in Ignite - one of my favorites, but I'm not certain they still make it. I bought it seven years ago, with my brushes. But it's just too much for my office, so I tend to save it for going out.

I also am IN LOVE with YSL's Touche Eclat, which David bought me for Christmas, but I forgot to put it on for NYE. Go figure.

As for the hair....it's all hotrollers and hairspray, baby! We are in Texas, after all!

Zooma Run

My plans for making 2010 a year for health and fitness are in place. I just signed up to run the Austin Zooma Half Marathon in March and a local 5k in February. I couldn't find any local 10ks, but I'd really like to do one before the Half.

I'm going to follow Hal Higdon's half marathon prep plan again, although I'm definitely a bit peeved that I will not be able to beat last year's half marathon time. Houston has relatively NO hills for me to train on, and no distance running with hills and the half marathon course is very hilly. My goals for the race are to finish without walking any of it and finish strong, no freaking out when I have 5k left to go, and no chugging a beer given to me by an onlooker!

Most of the blogs I read have running or exercise goals. If I'm not a follower of yours but you read mine, please leave me a note so that I can keep up with your progress!

Image from here.

In with the New!

Our friends Brooke and Mike threw a fabulous dinner party to help celebreate the New Year. Then about fifteen of us headed out to a private party at a local drinkery, The Social. We are extremely grateful for all of the amazing things that happened in 2009, and we're looking forward to even more changes and fun in 2010.

101 Things in 1001 Days

Rather than New Year's Resolutions, I've decided to make a list of 101 things that I want to accomplish in the next 1,001 days. I started a new blog where I've published my list and will check off each item as I complete it. You can follow my journey there at http://cem101.blogspot.com.

Most of the items I've listed pertain to habits I want to develop regarding exercise, diet, health, and housekeeping. I didn't want to make my list too dependent upon our financial situation, because you never know what can happen. So you'll see a lot of free or cheap things. The only big travel item on the list is Visit Italy, which has already been booked and paid for. There are a couple of REALLY exciting things on there though!

I'll be starting on it January 1, 2010. September 28, 2012 is 1,001 days later. It seems so far away!

Holi-Whaaaa!

Yikes, I just realized that I have absolutely NO time to spare in getting all of my Christmas shopping done. Thank goodness for the internet or the Munns would not be exchanging gifts with anyone this year!

This weekend we have a Candlelight Tour of Bayou Bend Friday evening. Saturday we are volunteering with our PM Pals Group, where we will work one-on-one with a special needs child or their sibling to give the parents some extra time to run holiday errands. It will be fun and rewarding, but exhausting. I'm not planning on getting too much done after that! But Saturday evening I have dinner with some Junior League friends and then David and I will jet off to a holiday party one of our friends is throwing. Maybe we can do a little shopping Sunday...I hope so!

The following week's evenings are taken up by ACS Excec meetings, Bunco and dentist appointments. Friday is David's office holiday party, Saturday we have optometrist appointments and a birthday party for a friend. Sunday I have another dinner with another group of friends.

I fly out the following Wednesday and although I'll try to fit in a day of shopping, somehow I don't think it will all get done!

I wonder how family feels about I.O.U.s for Christmas gifts? Now I see why my mother used to always be very stressed out about the holidays!

Loving Rue La La + A Giveaway

I know everyone in Blogland has heard of Rue La La. But just in case you haven't, it's this online shopping site where a different designer (or two or three) is featured every day. You have to be a member to gain access to the sales.

I've been a member of Gilt and several others for quite some time, but I've never found the "sales" to be exceptionally great. But let me tell you about Rue La La...I bought five BCBG items yesterday for $150 and quite a few of them were dresses! Talk about some amazing deals! Plus, they offer free returns, so you can buy items in two or three sizes and just send back the things that do not fit.

Right now, Rue La La is offering $10 to new members who join! The $10 should show up in your account within 24 hours after you join.

And because I get $10 when I refer people (after they make a purchase), I'm going to have my very first giveaway! How does a Sephora gift card sound? Just leave a comment on this post if you join, and let me know your first name, so I can see on Rue La La that you really did join. (They only tell me your first name and when you make a purchase.)

I have a $10 Sephora gift card up for grabs, but if multiple people join, I'll up the ante to $25 or $50. Just click here to join!

If you're already a Rue La La member or you'd rather shop for home goods, click here to join One King's Lane. It's the same type of deal, with half price Archipelago candles!! They are not in the regular sales, though. You have to click on OKL Must Haves at the bottom of the page after you join. Two for $25, that is less than half price! Leave a note here if you join and I'll enter you in the Sephora gift card giveaway, too.

Happy shopping!

Do you have an extra $10?

Please consider donating it so that a soldier stationed overseas can call home for the holidays. https://www.uso.org/donate/custom.aspx?id=1480

I meant to post this before Veteran's day!

Over The Top!

My new blog friend, The Domestic Goddess, gave me this cute award a few weeks ago! If you like my blog, check out hers...she is an "unapologeticly high maintenance twenty-something newlywed with a passion for fitness, family, my dogs, and life"...pretty much like me, huh mom?

I'm supposed to answer the questions below with only one word answers. Here goes:

1. Where is your cell phone? Charging

2. Your hair? Growing

3. Your mother? Amazing

4. Your father? Tall

5. Your favorite food? Italian

6. Your dream last night? Strange

7. Your favorite drink? Champagne

8. Your dream/goal? Happy

9. What room are you in? Office

10. Your hobby? Reading

11. Your fear? Death

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Mommy

13. Where were you last night? Bed

14. Something that you aren’t? Morning-person

15. Muffins? Jelly-filled (I'll have to post this recipe sometime!)

16. Wish list item? Hot rollers?

17. Where did you grow up? Home

18. Last thing you did? Baked

19. What are you wearing? Leggings

20. Your TV? Desperate Housewives

21. Your pets? Cute!

22. Friends? Pretty

23. Your life? Great

24. Your mood? Contemplative

25. Missing someone? Relatives

26. Vehicle? Silver

27. Something you’re not wearing? Makeup

28. Your favorite store? Neiman

29. Your favorite color? Green

30. When was the last time you laughed? Today

31. Last time you cried? Last week

32. Your best friend? Hubby

33. One place that I go to over and over? Grocery

34. One person who emails me regularly? Mom

35. Favorite place to eat? Chuy's

Book Review: We Need to Talk About Kevin

I picked up this book by Lionel Shriver (a woman) on our Texas Road Trip. It took a bit of reading for me to really get into it, but once the story got going, I was intrigued and read it pretty quickly.

It's a novel written in the form of letters from the narrator to her husband about their son Kevin. Kevin was responsible for a school shooting that killed eleven people, and the letters are written after the fact. The writer starts by describing life before Kevin, the decision to have a child, and Kevin's childhood. It also mixes in a bit about the mother's visits with Kevin in prison.

It's not a lighthearted read at all, but it turned out to be very interesting. I'd definitely suggest this book for anyone who is just tired of run of the mill bestsellers that don't get too deep, like I was. It has very strong feminist undertones, and just gave a lot of insight on parenting that I rarely see in books. It also really got me thinking about what I would do if I didn't bond with my child as a mother and how much you really have to work to keep your spouse as number one in your life & not allow your children to become more important than your marriage.

If anyone has read it (or reads it after this), please email me. I'd like to chat about the story and what you thought without giving too much away here!

Texas Road Trip

In October, we took a five day road trip through parts of Texas. We visited San Antonio, Fredericksburg, Lukenbach, and Austin. It was so much fun and a much needed mini-vacation. I did lots of shopping, eating and wine drinking while David took lots of long bike rides through the country.

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

We tend to use the crockpot a lot more in cooler months. I love it...minimal prep work and no clean up. We buy the crockpot bags (next to Ziplocks in the grocery or Target) so all we have to do is wipe the pot out with a damp cloth.

We have a couple of old standby recipes, and a friend recently gave me the recipe below, which David and I quickly renamed to Crackpot Chicken Tacos because they are so good and addicting. We ate this in low carb tortillas, but I've heard that it works well in enchiladas and other dishes, too.

No photos because it just isn't all that pretty!

Crackpot Chicken Tacos

One pack taco seasoning
4-6 chicken breasts
Fresh pico de gallo
Olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 cup water

Don't use a crockpot bag for this recipe. Sprinkle the taco seasoning on bottom of crockpot pot. Top with chicken and pico. Drizzle with olive oil (approximately 1-2 tablespoons) and water (use more water if you'll be cooking longer). Do not stir! Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken, stir, and simmer 30 additional minutes.

We bought a container of pico (probably about two cups) from the produce section of our grocery, but you can use homemade if you have a good recipe. I also found Wholly Guacamole fresh chunky salsa for fifty cents a package, so we'll use that next time.

I've found so many recipes using the crockpot that require pre-cooking the meat. What's the point of a crockpot if you can't throw it all in with no prep work? What are your favorite no-prep crockpot recipes?

Workout Wednesday: Shred!

I know I've posted about my previous bout with Jillian Michaels' Thirty Day Shred workout video before. Or maybe I haven't, but I've sure talked about it alot offline. I used it last year to firm up before our beach trip and had great results. Given my current extremely hectic schedule and the fact that I've lost all desire to run or hit the gym, I'm going to try the shred again. It's only 20 minutes and I'm going to strive for five days a week. The last time I did 7 days a week and burned out after a month. The last time I also kept a quick journal (a few sentences a day) about the changes I was seeing, but last time I did not change my eating habits at all. This time I'll probably just keep track of my measurements, but I am happy to post inches/pounds lost here, or even keep a short journal again, if anyone is interested in seeing if I have any success. Just give me a quick email to let me know!

I'm also just about 30 days away from The Big Event gala we are attending next month, and I'd like to look great in a sweet little dress. I'm hoping this will keep me motivated! Also email any cute gala dresses! It's a bit more casual, no fully sequined getups, and I'm thinking of buying something fancy but knee-length. What do you think?

Sniff, Sniff

And not just because I've been battling a cold since Friday.

I don't get very deep on this blog. It's not one of those anonymous internet people pouring out her thoughts and feelings to strangers. I started it to keep family and friends up to date on what we're doing, as well as a place to keep track of recipes we try and like.

That said, there are times (like right now) when I wish I could pour out some current frustrations. I am 100% happy with my life and where it is going, except for this one little thing that is just nagging and bugging and tugging at the corner of that happiness. It passes through my thoughts constantly and makes me feel a little down every time I think about it.

I guess it's actually a pretty huge thing, one that we'll both have to tackle together. David is my best friend and 99% of the time understands exactly what I'm feeling and going through. Now just isn't one of those times, and 90% of my girlfriends think that I am crazy.

I'd just appreciate any little thoughts or prayers you could send my way. Maybe I need to pray for a new hobby that will keep me busy and keep things off my mind. : )

Fit Foods

I have to admit something that I've been trying to avoid. I have not been eating healthy (unless by sheer accident) for at least a couple of months. I also haven't been working out, but I've stayed busy enough that I didn't gain any weight. Until a couple of weeks ago. We took a roadtrip through parts of Texas and of course had to stop in at great restaurants and wineries (photo posts to come) and when we got back, I hopped onto the scale, knowing it would not be good news. It wasn't. So now I'm back on the healthy train.

The first thing I need to address is how my eating habits have just gotten out of control. I honestly had tortilla chips and queso from the jar for dinner last night, as my last hurrah before the "diet" starts. The sad thing is, that's not extremely out of the ordinary from what I've been having lately!

I discovered My Fit Foods a month or so ago. It's this awesome little place (actually, they are all over town) that sells pre-made, portion-controlled, very healthy, very tasty foods. I love it! Last week when I was planning on getting back into my healthy eating habits, I just figured I would stop by My Fit Foods closest to my office and pick up a week's worth of food every Monday. Then I started calculating. The average meal is around $7.50. For three meals, that's over $22 per day, around $160 per week! It just feels like a big waste of money when I can make healthy stuff at home.

So I went to their website and looked at the labels of a couple of meals I had in my fridge. I figured out how many calories I need to eat per day and at each meal/snack. Then I went to work figuring out My Fit Foods' recipes using my calorie calculator. I have it pretty right, although my seasonings are off, because my food isn't actually tasting as good as theirs! I'm going to have to work on the seasoning factor, but for now I can live with it just knowing that I am at least eating healthy.

Here's what I had for breakfast: 1 egg + 4 egg whites + 2 slices turkey bacon + 1 cup boiled potatoes. It is a ton more than I usually have for breakfast, but very filling. (The past two weeks I've been having a Starbucks or a Coke for breakfast, so this is a nice change). I poured some taco sauce on it, that's probably allowed, but since I didn't put any garlic or onions in my eggs, they were pretty bland.

For lunch today I'll have my version of MFF's Lemon Pepper Turkey over rice. Dinner will be either turkey chili or grilled chicken with rice & veggies. My snacks are yogurt with fruit, and more fruit. The food is all just very "clean" and coming off my binge of chips and fat will be hard, no doubt.

Any ideas on how to season up my eggs & potatoes while not adding extra fat or too many calories?

Wife Tested, Husband Approved

We have a really hard time finding candles. Not so much finding candles, but agreeing on a scent and finding one that we both like. I think we've gone through every Yankee scent as well as quite a few Slatkins. I love Voluspa, but they tend to only scent the area around the coffee table.

I stick to lemon or lime in the kitchen, but those are the only foodie scents allowed in the house. I just don't like the whole house to smell like cookies, strawberries or vanilla...maybe it makes me hungry. I do use a cinnamon around Christmas, but that's about it.

Last weekend while browsing around Neiman's, I came across Archipelago - WOW! I had heard of them, but really didn't see why a candle would be worth the price. I'm a believer now. Even better, David absolutely loved it. Usually I feel that he may not like the candles I buy...

The smallish size burns 90 hours. They are more expensive than the larger Yankee candles, but have the same burn time & the scents are just delicious. I finally bought Plantain, which is sweet and kind of floral, but smells nothing like a plantain or banana. I'm already dreading the day when I put in away in favor of Thanksgiving and Christmas themed candles.

What's your favorite candle and scent?

Let's Chat LBDs

I didn't intend to have another shopping spree, but my mother came into town for a quick visit, and what is a visit to Houston without a little shopping and dining? We visited several of my favorite restaurants (Bebe's Cajun, Junior League Tea Room, DaCapo's) as well as a new place in The Woodlands. It's baby Beau's first birthday this week, and since I'll miss the party, I went to the 'burbs for a visit and dinner.

Of course Mom and I hit all of the usual stops (Hobby Lobby) as well as a couple of new ones (I'd never been to Tuesday Morning). We stopped in Neiman Marcus so I could try on a few dresses and gowns for some upcoming galas I am attending (Pink Door, Junior League and Starlight - I'm on the board!). I didn't find any fancy dresses that fit...but I did find another absolutely perfect Little Black Dress. This David Meister number...

I can't find an online photo that really shows it off, but let me tell you...it's absolutely perfect. And this is coming from a girl who already has three absolutely perfect LBDs! All of them are perfect for different things, though. However, this one seems like it will fit the bill for almost any occasion. It is has the smallest bit of ruching on each side of where the waist nips in (perfect for hiding when I've had to much to eat!), a very flattering wide-but-not-too-low v-neck, and 3/4 sleeves to keep it seasonless.

I already know that I'll be able to wear it to work with my sensible peep-toes and pearls, possibly with a cardigan or pashmina. It will also work for dates with my Christian Louboutins...concerts with my suede booties...beach walks with my leather flip flops. Aah! Just when I tell myself I have enough black dresses for every single occasion, I find another that I just can't live without!

What is your favorite LBD?

Pasta with Sausage and Arugula

My nonexistent photography skills simply do not do this dish justice, nor does the title of my post. It is a great mild medley of flavors that can be thrown together in less than twenty minutes. Although it is quick, it is nice enough to serve to guests.


I think it is fairly healthy, but I haven't yet had time to type the ingredients into my calculator. This recipe made about six servings. My mom and David both taste-tested for me and it got thumbs up all around.


The original recipe is in The Junior League of Houston's latest cookbook, Peace Meals. Of course I adapted it to fit my tastes. I did use all the original ingredients, just in amounts that differ from those in the original recipe.


After making this, I posted something about it in my Facebook status. Quite a few people commented that they have their own variation of a Sausage/Arugula/Pasta recipe. What's your favorite variation?


Penne with Sweet Italian Sausage and Arugula
12 oz. penne pasta
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. sweet Italian turkey sausage (we used Jenny-O), casings removed
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 large onion, thinly sliced, rings roughly separated
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
kosher salt, to taste
5 oz. container baby arugula
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
extra virgin olive oil for garnish
freshly ground pepper


Boil large pot of water and cook pasta to al dente while preparing the sauce. When pasta finishes cooking, reserve two cups of the pasta water before draining.


Heat garlic and olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown, breaking it up into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Add onion slices and saute until transparent, a little over five minutes. Add tomatoes, red pepper and a pinch of salt. Saute for about five minutes then stir to break up the tomatoes a bit. Add half the arugula and stir to wilt it.

Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sausage sauce. Raise the heat to high and stir to combine pasta with the juices. Add half the reserved water and stir well. Add the remaining arugula one handful at a time until all is wilted and incorporated into the dish. Add the remaining reserved water and cheese, stir well to combine the cheese into the sauce.



Garnish each serving with freshly ground pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Fall Shopping

I spent quite a bit of time last week saving photos of my fall must-haves so that I could make a post. But what fun is that? I had the day off yesterday, so after an appointment with my fantastic stylist (seriously, if you're in Houston go see her!) I did a little shopping and bought pretty much everything I needed to round out my fall wardrobe. The really excellent thing about living in Houston is that our winter weather is really mild, so I really am able to buy a few updates each season and just replace my classic all-season stuff after I've worn it into the ground.

Without further ado...

I stopped in Neiman Marcus for some new jeans, I usually buy one or two each fall/winter for occasions when dressy jeans are needed. By the time next year rolls around these will be faded & comfy and I will move them to my pile of casual jeans. These are Joe's Jeans "The Honey". I really loved them last year but I bought Paige Premiums instead.

Next stop was Banana Republic, where I bought a dress in the same style as the one below. The color of mine, however, is navy blue and purple, in a very Tory Burch-like silk print. I think it will be perfect for upcoming wedding showers I'll be attending and lunch with my mom when she comes into town next month. I could also dress it up for a night on the town with some over-the-knee boots, should I find some I like that won't cost my retirement account.

Last on my list was J Crew, where I made a haul. The past few seasons the Crew just hasn't had much for me. But since I love cozy fall sweaters, I was happy to oblige in a little retail therapy with them this week. I tend to just buy fall/winter stuff here anyway.

I couldn't find a photo of the exact sweater dress I bought. It's like this one (same color and all) except short sleeved. I'm not sure that I'm going to keep it. I need to try it on with a few different shoes, jackets and cardigans (and some Spanx, for smoothing) to make sure I really love it. It was a little more than I like to pay for dresses that I don't anticipate wearing all the time. And I'm just not sure how to winterize the short sleeves when wearing it with boots. I don't care for the look of the ankle strap shoes with tights like the model is wearing, or ankle strap shoes at all for that matter (they make my legs look short) so that won't happen here.

Of course I got two new perfect fit long sleeve tees, they are the absolute best for lounging around or running errands on dreary days. And of course they are in my typical signature plain, neutral colors. I have two other dark heather grey ones. I really think I should return one of these or at least trade it in for another color.

Black:

Grey:

I just couldn't pass up this cute Ruffle Cardigan. Besides, my black J Crew Jackie gets worn at least twice a week and it's going to have to go where all good clothes go to die (ebay or Goodwill) soon, I am sure.

While this Shawl Popover doesn't look so hot on the table in the store, I saw it on a mannequin with one of the ruffle front button-downs and had to have it. It looks pretty casual here by itself, but I plan on wearing it with a deep purple ruffle-front shirt (I think it may be the Victoria from J Crew) and a black pencil skirt for work. On weekends I can just throw one of the perfect tees or a cute cami underneath. I think it will be cozy for a movie date since the theatres are always freezing! September Issue, anyone?

I got these Vintage Matchstick Cords. Again, a fall must-have. I'm pretty sure I buy a new pair of cords every year. Right now in my closet I have a winter white skinny-fit, a brown boot-cut, and these new cuties. They look pretty cute on the model with those peep toes. I hadn't really thought of dressing them up that much, but I may actually wear them out, minus the flower belt shown on the model. A very skinny metallic belt would look cute though, wouldn't it?

After this, I just stopped in various stores and picked up little accessories. I got a cheap(er) version of J Crew's Shimmering Fireball necklace, a vintagey-looking cocktail ring with a big pearl on it, and some hair pins with diamond roses.

I did order these booties in black suede. They are going to look great with short skirts and dresses! I think I may wear them out tonight. They are by Jessica Simpson and surprisingly pretty comfy for a fairly inexpensive pair of shoes. They're the first pair by her that I've bought.

And this is just too darn cute not to post. I bought it in Tiffany blue silk with very light rose pink lace trim. It is for sleeping and lounging around the house, obviously!

And now a few questions for you, my friends, family and fellow bloggers:

1. What do you think of the over-the-knee boot trend? I really want some, but I'm unsure of how to get away with them without looking too Pretty Woman. If you see some with a slight heel (not wedge, please) that are slouchy black suede for a reasonable price, please email me! If you are jumping on this trend, how will you wear it?
2. What are your fall must-haves and is there anything else I should add to my closet?
3. Why are all of my photos so blurry? I first uploaded them to Shutterfly then linked here. They are super blurry no matter what size I make them!

Also - if you're into beauty and want some good, honest girlfriend advice and fun reading, stop by my friend Veronika's new blog!

Week Three of Total Destruction

I had hoped that by now I would be posting photos of our updated kitchen. However, the construction guys are starting on the THIRD week of work on our tiny kitchen! They have removed all flooring and built a sub-floor, since we didn't have one before. Yep, when they took up the 100 year old wooden floor, there was absolutely nothing between our house and the great outdoors!

They did remove the fabulously tacky wallpaper and paint the walls yellow...of course once I saw the color, I wanted to cry. It was way more "Crayola" (wait, make that fire-zone-parking-curb-yellow) than the creamy, buttery yellow I had envisioned. So they re-sanded the walls and will paint the paler shade today. After I'm satisfied with the color - and this had better be it, Sherwin-Williams is probably sick of me- they will lay the tile. We chose the smallest tile available, so I'm pretty sure the project will take another week.

Here is the before (previous owner's photo):



I don't mind not having a kitchen, per se, but this also means that we've been dining out or buying rotisserie chicken and eating from paper plates. Fortunately, they moved our refrigerator to the dining room, so we do have access to ice and cold beverages. But we don't have use of the microwave or stove, which means we can't cook or warm up leftovers. I did sneak into the construction area today and used the microwave for 45 seconds.

We also don't have our washer and dryer while the work is being done...we had to take a trip to Target to buy some cheap undies to get us through another week of this! I may have to visit a laundromat this week. The clothes are overflowing from the hamper and it is driving me nuts!

Abs Part 2: Obliques

Since we're well into swimsuit season, I thought I should do a continuation of the plank circuit I previously posted. This portion of the workout will help with your obliques and love handles! Once you are able to hold the previous planks in good form for about 1 minute at a time, add the following on to it:

Lower and lift each knee to the floor and then back level with body - right then left. As you lower, move the knee slightly inward to also engage the sides of your waist (the obliques). Do 16 of these - that means 16 on each side!

Next lift and each of your legs, right then left – toes will come off the floor, then go back into plank position on the floor. It’s a small lift, so that as you lift you further contract the gluteus of the leg you are lifting, further contract the lower back, and feel your abs flatten even more (the lift slightly stretches the abs – keep your belly button sucked in toward your spine and feel this lengthening of the abs). Do these 8 times (on each side) at an even tempo.

Once you have lifted and lowered each leg alternating 8 times, intensify the movement by lifting your rght leg and holding for 8 counts. Lower your right toe back to the floor then lift and hold the left leg for 8 counts. Repeat 2 more times on each side.

Now it’s back to the knee drops, (lower then lift as described above). Continue contracting the abs, lower back, and gluteus. Do 8 reps on each side.

Now stretch as described in the first planks circuit. Really feel your lower back rounding. This will feel great. Hold this stretch as long as you want, but not so long that you stop feeling it.

Now flip your body over to a supine position, keeping spine rounded even as you flip. Once in supine position, place your feet on floor with knees bent. Keep your spine rounded into the floor. Continue to feel the stretch.

Do a pelvic tuck kby lifting your butt off the floor, lifting your hip bones, and pulling your stomach in. Again, keep your belly button sucked in to your spine. You should feel as though you are lying flat on your back with your stomach concave, like a U-shaped torso flat on the floor. Holding this position, place your hands behind your head, and rest your head on your fingers (do not lace your fingers). Elbows stay to the side. Eyes to ceiling, chin lifted so that you could hold an orange between chin and chest. Now lift and lower your shoulders, being sure to hold your pelvic tuck and spine to floor. Do NOT allow your abs to round up – keep them sucked in. Now you can do some standard ab moves if you want, and by holding this correct position, you will be amazed at your results!

Workout Wednesday - Upper Body

This is a variation of the workout my trainer has me do once a week. It really works your arms and core, and it's so fast paced that you don't get bored. Best of all, it doesn't require any weight machines, so you can do it at home or while travelling!

Start by warming up by doing five minutes of fast cardio, such as going for a brisk run, jumping rope, or riding the stationary bike holding a medicine ball above your head.

Repeat the circuit below two or three times (It should take about 45 minutes when done slowly and properly)

• 15 pushups - do as many as you can on your hands and toes, drop to knees only if you have to. Make sure when doing pushups on your knees that you keep your back perfectly straight, all the way from the nape of your neck to the back of your knees. I see so many people pushing up while bending at the butt...this doesn't give your arms and shoulders a workout!
• 3 minutes of planks - one minute front, one minute left, one minute right
• Sit on your tailbone with knees bent and heels lightly on the floor; lean back so that you are working your abs. Holding a medicine ball (6 - 8 lbs.) twist quickly from side to side, touching the ball to the floor on either side as you twist. Do 50 twists.
• 1 minute of bicycle crunches - bring your shoulder, not your elbow, toward your knees
• 1 minute jumping lunges - get in lunge position, lowered to the floor. Jump up and switch your front leg to the back and quickly lower yourself back into lunch position. Keep jumping/switching and lunging for the full minute.
• 1 minute horizontal scissors - lie on the floor with your head and shoulders off the floor. Lift your feet about six inches. V your legs out and in, like scissors, crossing at the ankles, repeating for one minute. Your entire back should stay on the floor. Don't arch your lower back! You should not be able to fit your hand under your back at any time during this exercise.
• 1 minute vertical scissors - same exercise as above, but just kick your legs up and down crisply, kind of like a swimmer kick but while on your back
• Walking side pushups - Get in pushup position. Walk your hands about 12 inches to the right and do a pushup, now walk them to the left, about 12 inches from center, and do a pushup. This is one rep. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
• 1 minute Pushup Walks - Stay in hands and feet pushup position. Keeping your legs perfectly straight and without your rear in the air, walk your hands and feet forward for about 8 steps; now walk backwards for 8 steps. Repeat this for one minute. You'll feel somewhat silly doing this at the gym, but your core and shoulders will love you for it!

Thanks for the emails on my last Workout Wednesday! Please email or comment if you have any questions on this one. I'd also like to hear from anyone who uses this workout!

I wrote the instructions above after a hard workout and very little caffeine....so please let me know if you can't make sense of it!

The Veritable Yard Sale

I previously posted about how I was planning on selling a few things on ebay. I have been randomly listing a few things a month, and I have found that you can sell pretty much anything. It's just like a yard sale - you can make a few bucks (or pennies) selling things you'd otherwise toss in the trash. Case in point: half-used bottles of perfume, used doggie tshirts, old clothes in ok condition, books that aren't worth reading...these have all been sold on ebay lately.

I originally just started selling stuff to get rid of it because I felt bad about throwing it away. I don't sell any high dollar items, and any purses or clothes I have go to Buffalo Exchange first. I start pretty much everything at 99 cents, since it costs me less to list. But I've built up my feedback stars, so now I've found my junk is getting higher bids overall.

I started joking that my "ebay change" was going directly to my ING account for my shoe fund. While David was cleaning out the closet and garage this weekend he found a couple boxes of stuff that we'd ordinarily throw away. But did he? Nope! He came running in excitedly, saying, "Look! I found some stuff for you to sell for shoes!"

With everything I've been selling, I've found that ebay is also the most convenient place to buy pretty much anything. I bought a set of four hair Bumpits for $7.50 (and sold the two I didn't use for $6!), three touch screen covers for my iPhone ($1.25 including shipping, I guess I will sell the two I'm not using), two iPhone chargers ($4.50 including shipping, after Idgie chewed mine...I bought an extra just to be safe). It's actually pretty nice since each purchase saves me a trip to the store. I only buy NIB (new in box) or NWT (new with tags), but for the type of items I'm buying, it's always cheaper than a brick and mortar store.

We're thinking of throwing an Ebay Party where everyone has to do one random search for something on ebay then wear it. I'm buying "Indie Festival Sunglasses" since I saw them as a featured search of the day. David thinks he'll go with "Rainbow Wig." Not sure what we'll serve our guests. I wonder if ebay has gourmet cheeses?

First Workout Wednesday

In order to get myself blogging with some regularity again (did I ever blog with any regularity?), I've decided to take a cue from Tara at Jimmy Choos andTennis Shoes and start doing a Workout Wednesday post. I probably won't be posting anything that you can't find somewhere online, but I'll be throwing in tidbits from my own personal experience which will hopefully keep it interesting!

I hired a personal trainer a few weeks ago to get myself in gear for swimsuit season. She set me up with some weight training workouts and helped to schedule my cardio sessions so I could get past the plateau I've been facing. I'll be posting a lot of info I got from my trainer, as well as the strength training workouts. Running tips will come later, when I start training for another half-marathon. It's too darn hot outside to run now! If there's anything specific you'd like to see, please email or leave a comment!

One important thing I've learned from my trainer is the importance of warming up your muscles properly before strength training. I've never cared to do it before because I haven't gotten injured and really, what difference does it make? Those are just five extra minutes that I could be using on my "real" workout, and I typically prefer to just get out of the gym as quickly as possible! The thought of an injury didn't phase me, as I've never been injured while working out. But when I discovered that I could burn many more calories during my strength workouts...you bet I'll start warming up!

Here's the deal lifting weights or other strength training doesn't burn as many calories as straight up cardio because your heart rate isn't as elevated. (Instead, it builds muscle, which in turn burns more calories.) One of the reasons I hadn't been doing as many strength workouts as I should is because I like to burn, baby, burn and get those extra calories out by doing cardio.

Well, imagine my surprise when my trainer told me to start warming up before strength training to elevate my heart rate. The training will keep it elevated and I'll burn quite a few more calories! I tested my theory today. Previously, I would typically burn around 150 calories during a 30 minute weight session, never more than that. Today, I burned 300 in just 45 minutes! I doubled the calories I burned just by spending five minutes warming up! All the while building muscle which will continue working to help my body burn calories!

I jogged on the treadmill for five minutes at a slow pace on a slight incline...so nothing big. Here are some other fun ways to get your heart rate more elevated before strength training so you can get your heart rate up there.

• Ride the stationary bicycle while holding a 6 or 8 lb. medicine ball above your head. Keep your arms even with your ears and your elbows straight, without locking them. After about two minutes of this, I feel pretty dead!
• Hold two light weights (1 or 2 lbs) and pump your arms as you run up and down the stairs. Obviously, this works best if your home or gym has stairs (mine does). Otherwise, you could pump your arms while on the elliptical.
• Do a series of drills for 30 seconds each: "basketball player" shuffle the length of the room and back, jumping jacks, jump rope, mountain climbers. Just keep moving quickly!
• Hold heavier weights and do some basic steps on a step aerobics platform. Kick your legs out when you step on top, or lift your knees high with each step.

All it takes is five minutes to break a sweat and get warmed up!

Lady & The Tramp

When I saw the title of this recipe, I just had to try it. It's actually called "Lady & The Tramp Spaghetti and Meatballs"! How cute is that? It's since become one of my favorite meatball recipes because it is so easy. There's no baking or broiling involved, and dinner can be ready in 30 minutes. The original recipe was from Cooking Light, but I tinkered around with it to suit our tastes, and made it even lighter in the process.

You can change the sauce and spices up as much as you want, and you'll end up with a different sauce each time. The versatility is nice, because I can use the same basic recipe and have either a sweeter or a spicy sauce...and I can use the recipe more than once a month without David ever suspecting a thing! Last night I made it with a jar of Marzetti merlot-flavored sauce. I sprinkled the whole thing with quite a bit of crushed red pepper, and added a bell pepper to the sauce. David said this was one of his favorite "meatball recipes" yet. Let me know what you add to your sauces to make them your own...I would love to try other favorite recipes!

Lady & The Tramp Spaghetti & Meatballs

Ingredients

1 package ground turkey breast (usually 1.25 lb.)
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 tablespoon Worsterchire sauce
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large egg
1 (25.5-ounce) jar pasta sauce
1/2 medium onion, chopped (if you have time to simmer)
5 cups hot cooked spaghetti (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
5 tablespoons fresh basil, torn into tiny pieces

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl (through egg) and mix well. Form into 25 meatballs using very rounded tablespoons. Place meatballs in a large non-stick skillet heated over medium high. Cook about 8 minutes, turning every couple of minutes until they are brown on all sides.

Add the jar of pasta sauce and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have time to simmer the recipe for 25 minutes, add half a chopped onion (feel free to stir in bell peppers or any other veggie).

Serve 1 cup pasta topped with 5 meatballs and 1/2 cup sauce. Garnish with a tablespoon each of Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Nutritional Information
Calories:476
Fat:10g
Protein:38.2g
Carbohydrate:42.8g
Fiber:4.9g

Summer Cheese Slaw

Upon first glance, I was not impressed with this recipe at all. The ingredients did not appear that they would work well together, and it just looked quite bland. But I kept hearing so much about it that I just had to try it. Good thing I did - our guests loved it! It was a great offset to the sweet but spicy Summer Fruit Salsa. And you're just not serving good snacks if you don't have at least one cheesy item!

This recipe works well because, if it is chilled well, it will hold up to outdoor temperatures or a long wait on an indoor appetizer buffet. It only has a touch of mayo, so it is not so creamy that it gets gloppy in the heat. The spice in it is quite mild, so it appeals to a wide range of tastes. It's really good when served with Wheat Thins, which are slightly sweet; but it will work well with any chips or crackers you have around.

The recipe is called Cheese Slaw because it's supposed to look like slaw and you are supposed to serve it from a hollowed out head of cabbage. I did neither. I didn't want to spend time hollowing out a cabbage head for our super casual afternoon party, but it does look nice served this way on a silver or white tray surrounded by crudites and crackers. My slaw also does not look like slaw since I didn't use shredded cheese. I bought packages of sandwich cheese and chopped them into bits...it looks a lot like chopped pasta. Anyway, if you are hosting something fancy, use shredded (or grate your own) Swiss and serve in cabbage. Your photo will surely turn out more appetizing than mine!

Oh! This recipe is also from a Junior League cookbook. Aren't those ladies the best at recipes for entertaining?

Summer Cheese Slaw
Ingredients
1 pound shredded Swiss cheese
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup jarred banana peppers, finely chopped
1/4 cup jarred jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
16 oz. jar mayonnaise
Dash of lemon juice
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

Combine all ingredients. Chill for 24 hours prior to serving. Serve chilled, garnished with the sun-dried tomatoes.

Float On

I just returned from a fabulous weekend in Austin (as usual!) celebrating my cousin's high school graduation. I'm so proud of him and so glad that he will be close by for the next four years while he is attending Rice. This kid is a genius, he got accepted to every school that he applied to, including a few of the Ivys and UT's McComb. And he is good looking and plays guitar...what more can a college girl ask for?

In between the celebration dinners, lazing at the pool, and late night HEB runs for pineapple sherbert, I got in quite a bit of shopping with my mom and sister. I picked up a few summer items and made a haul at Sephora. They were having double points days, which really worked in my favor since five other people made purchases and used my card! Now I have over 675 beauty points to "spend". In addition, they were having all kids of giveaways. I scored some Dior HydrAction stuff to go with my new favorite eye cream, plus some Fekkai shampoo and conditioner that will be great for the gym.

I spent most of my allowance at J Crew and Banana, and I also got some really great-fitting Theory pants for work.

This is the same fit/style that I bought, but the legs do not seem as wide on me. At any rate, I have to get the length altered quite a bit, as usual.

I got this little dress in white. It will be great for a beach cover, casual brunches, or just running to the grocery store or gas station on weekends. I'm hoping that I can dress it up with some other stuff and wear it to work on casual days, since we are not allowed to wear jeans.

I got something similar to this scarf, but more of a Kelly green color. It will work with the dress above, among other things.

Love this feather-weight cardigan! I should have bought more of them. I'm thinking, the dress, scarf, cardigan and some semi-serious shoes for work. Change into fun shoes and head out for drinks!

It's kind of impossible to believe that I don't own flip flops (except for some Havianas for showering at the gym), so I had to break down and buy some. They'll look cute with my swimsuit...and they were a lifesaver, since I wore some pretty high peep-toes for shopping all day.

I'm exhausted after such a fun-filled weekend. This will be a long week...I'll just be counting down the hours until my next fun weekend, as usual!

Perfect Picnic Salsa

Since summer is officially here - at least in Houston, where temperatures have been over 90 for a month now - David and I hosted our first outdoor get together of the season last weekend. The afternoon was perfect for sitting outside with a cold drink and cool, summery snacks. I'll be sharing a few of the recipes over the next week. I hope you try them for your next casual afternoon party. Let me know how you like them! Since our get together was from 3 until 5 p.m., I just served up a couple of appetizer type snacks.

The first snack is an adaptation of a recipe in The Junior League of Houston's latest cookbook, Peace Meals. Since I've already loved most of what I've tried from this cookbook, you're sure to hear much more about it! Summer Fruit Salsa is just perfect for a casual summer weekend. It's virtually stress-free since you can make it a couple of days in advance. Try to make it at least one day in advance so the flavors have time to meld. It did take longer than I had anticipated, due to all of the dicing, so I was happy that I prepared it in advance. Serve this salsa with large Tostitos or other white corn tortilla chips. It also works well as a garnishment to any white fish.

Summer Fruit Salsa

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups watermelon, diced

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced (do not peel)

1 mango, peeled and diced (vegetable peeler works well on this)

1/2 red onion, diced

1 jalapeno, halved

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

2 tbsp key lime juice

sea salt

When dicing all fruits, try to ensure the size is uniform for easier scooping onto the chips! Remove the rib and seeds from one half of the jalapeno, and dice the entire pepper. Tear the cilantro into small bits; I do not use a knife or scissors for this, just tear them up directly into the bowl so they release some flavor. Toss all ingredients except salt together in large bowl. Dust with a liberal amount of good quality sea salt and toss again.

Introducing Idgie!

I feel like the worst "Mommie" ever! We've had this sweet little girl for eight weeks and I have not yet even posted one thing about her!

I would like to introduce Idgie Threadgood Munn to all of our friends and family who read this blog. Idgie was kind of a surprise to Oliver and me, from David. David thought I needed a sweet little lap dog (Oliver is not!) and that Oliver needed a playmate to keep him company during the days while we were at work.

I hesitated to introduce Idigie in the beginning, because she and big brother were not getting along. It wasn't that they were not getting along, but that Oliver just ignored her...which really made me upset. He is usually such a fun loving puppy and this just surprised me. After a few weeks, though, they are getting along wonderfully and playing all the time.

Idgie is a little lover, though. She just likes to cuddle and lick. When she was a couple pounds smaller, she sat in the bathroom sink while I put my makeup on. Now she goes out into the yard with Oliver every morning and chases birds while he barks at squirrels.

I'm so glad we decided to add to our little family. Idgie is a delight to have around, even when she makes messes. She keeps Oliver company so we can have a life on weeknights without feeling guilty.

I am sure there will be many more stories and photos to come!

Book Suggestions Needed!

My book club offers a choice in which book to read for a meeting later this summer. I can choose to read and discuss either Wuthering Heights or The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.

How I have manged to get this far in life without ever reading Wuthering Heights is a mystery to me. I've also never read the Edgar Sawtelle book, but I just read a bunch of mixed reviews of it on Amazon.

Has anyone read either of them? Which do you suggest I take on for my beach reading? Email me or leave a comment!

On another really fantastic note - we paid off David's car this weekend! We've only had it a little over a year, so this was a pretty early payoff. I'm so proud of us! Now we have no consumer debt like credit cards or loans on "things" like cars or furniture. We do still have our mortgage, of course.

The loan payoff, mixed with getting up at 5:30 to go to the gym today really makes me feel like a grown-up!

Little Big Day

We had a fun but busy day today. When we woke up, David took the dogs to the big park. Since I was still groggy from my shingle medicine, I stayed home to do a little housework. Then we decided to have a lunch at Little Bigs. We've been wanting to try it for awhile, but we wanted to wait until the weather was right. It was finally hot enough to sit on a patio and drink frozen sangria and milkshakes today.

Little Bigs specializes in sliders, which are tiny burgers. It's located just outside of our neighborhood, and it's locally owned which we always try to support in Houston restaurants. It was fun, and just what we needed to start the weekend! You can read my food review here, on Yelp, in case you are interested.

Then we were off to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston for pick-your-price membership day. We waited in line for a little over an hour, but it was well worth it to get our family membership for only $10! We're really looking forward to seeing new exhibits this winter, when there's not much to do outside. I also cannot wait for the spring garden tours that are associated with the Museum. I've also heard that there's a holiday tour of a home that is decorated in traditional
American antique items. I need to look into that, because I'm sure it's something I will love.

In other news, our next door neighbors, the Sheehans, have put their house up for sale. We're really sad that they will be moving, but they put it on the market for a fantastic price and already have two offers. It's only been on the market for a week! That is good to hear in today's economy, and gives me comfort that we will be able to sell our house for a profit when we decide to move. They are still having an open house tomorrow, and I'm quite excited since I absolutely love seeing interiors homes in our neighborhood. I've seen their main rooms, but not the entire house.

We're planning on hosting a few friends for afternoon snacks and drinks tomorrow, and I have some fabulous recipes to share later this week!

Tweet, Tweet

Beautiful blog friends, I'm now on Twitter, which should help work pass a little faster. Please let me know if you also tweet, so I can follow you!

Really Great News & Really Bad News

Do you want the good or the bad first? I'll give you the good news first...

I passed the Regulation part of my CPA exam!!! I got a much higher score than I thought I would! I've hesitated to blog about it, because it was as horrible as I had imagined (and heard from CPA friends). It was 3.5 hours of pure torture. The 28 day wait to hear my score has been horrible. When I saw the email from the board this morning, I waited to open it because I did not want to ruin my day. Little did I know! Knowing that I did so well on a really difficult section will make me much more confident in studying for the remaining three parts. If all goes well and work does not pile on too much, I hope to have it all done by the end of this year.

Now the bad news...all of the stress I've been under with the exam and work caused me to get shingles. I thought that was an old-person disease and I can't believe I have it. Anyway, it's literally been a real pain in my butt (or at least my lower back) for the last week. I went to see the doctor today and he confirmed what my office nurse suspected.

I'm taking a sick day tomorrow to alternately wallow in happiness and sulk about my shingles.

Another horrible thing about the shingles: the doctor prescribed Valtrex for me. Ugh. So I had to drop off my prescription and try to smile like I don't have herpes. I will never make fun of another Valtrex commercial again. I have no doubt this is my karma for laughing at one this weekend.

Oh, another bad-good news. After the doctor appointment, I had dinner with a few friends, ran some errands and walk the dogs. They always misbehave a lot when David is out of town, and tonight was no exception. They started running around the Roller Derby girls who practice at our park. Oliver peed on their workout sheets. Such a bad dog. Anyway, as I was leashing the dogs to head back home, I discovered that my keychain had fallen out of my pocket. I was really upset since I we don't have a spare key outside, and my car alarm and house alarm controller things are on my keychain. And my purse and cell phone were locked inside.

The good news is that everyone in our neighborhood is so great, that about 8 people just let their dogs run around while they helped me look for my keys. After about 30 minutes one of the women went home to find a locksmith number. Fifteen minutes after that, we all just gave up. I walked to the woman's house to call the locksmith...lo and behold, my keys were right on the street caddy-corner from her house. Thank the Lord for that! I was about to cry.

Cheers to a better tomorrow!