This blog started as a place to write about my life after graduation from college. It has since turned into a book review blog, a food challenge blog, a Whole 30 experience blog and soon, a pizza diet blog. Basically I write about a lot of things and I'm happy you're here to read it!
½ lb orzo
½ lb asparagus, cut into ½“pieces
3 Tbs fresh dill, minced and divided (to taste)
2 Tbs mayo
1 Tbs plain Greek yogurt , or an additional Tbs of mayo (I used 2%)
1 ½ Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp honey
¼ tsp kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
What To Do:
Cook orzo in well salted water (or broth) according to the packages instructions. Add the asparagus during the last minute of cooking. Rinse orzo and asparagus thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process.
While the pasta cooks, whisk together 1 Tbs of the dill, mayo, yogurt, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper, then refrigerate.
Combine dressing, pasta, asparagus and remaining dill and mix well. Allow salad to meld in the fridge for as long as possible. It will still be tasty if you eat it right away, but if you have the time, make it a few hours ahead.
Plus I think its relatively healthy with the light dressing including the Greek yogurt. Yum!
211/365: I drove this HUGENORMOUS truck today. I felt manly and powerful. It was awesome.
212/365: I'm thinking about throwing another dinner party and I want to do an Asian theme but that's what Allison did last fall... I was sitting on the Events page on FB and looked over to see that "Previous Status Update" from Allison about that dinner party. How weird! Its meant to be...
213/365: Pretty sure I was basically in a tornado at work today. Those clouds were dark and twisty... but I survived!
214/365: Yum yum yum quinoa summer salad for the block party!
215/365: I love how silly the puppy is and how weird he lays on the furniture.
216/365: The other day I blamed my mom/sister for wearing one of my scarves and not putting it back where it belonged. Turns out my DOG has figured out how to pull the scarves off the bars on my bed. Unbelievable.
217/365: Jason was on vacation for a week so the girls in the office made a cardboard cutout of him and put it in his office. Hilarious/creepy.
Recipe #3 for my quinoa challenge. I've been trying to find a recipe that is more like a dessert or breakfast and not such a savory salad like the last two. Voila!
2 cups milk
1 cup uncooked quinoa
pinch salt
2-3 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup chopped, toasted almonds
1/4 cup toasted unsweetened coconut
Bring milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Milk will boil and bubble over very quickly, so keep an eye on it. ** Mary's note- I used a small saucepan and things were going great until I lowered the heat to low for the simmering part- that's when the milk boiled over and boy did it make a mess with those tiny quinoa pebbles sticking to everything. I'd recommend using at least a medium sized saucepan to give the milk more room to expand if necessary as it definitely didn't have enough room in my small saucepan.
Add quinoa and salt, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, until three-quarters of the milk has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook, covered, until almost all the milk has been absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Stir in raspberries, nuts, and coconut. Cook until warmed through, about one minute more.
It took a while to make this morning but it was a good way to start the day when it was finished, if not a bit heavy. I should have eaten more (to be full) but it was kind of sticky and it felt like it was a lot to eat. As I was adding the cinnamon and brown sugar, my dad noted that it was like oatmeal and I realized he made a good point. I am not sure which I like better...
204/365: The edge of the major storm this morning- how magical!
205/365: Adorable puppy, wearing my necklace and LOVING IT.
206/365: I have a new love for zinnias because Kim keeps bringing them in to work for us. Future wedding flowers? Its possible...
207/365: August bulletin board at the Benedictine Health Center.
208/365: Two choices for the reunion guest book- Allison chose the one with the picture window so we used that one. The other one actually hurts my eyes...
209/365: I failed to take a picture of any sort today so I Googled "July 28" and when I clicked Images, this was the first picture I saw. Cute!
210/365: Just a few of the tasteful nametags created by the boys at the reunion. I'm glad they enjoyed themselves.
I love prix-fixe menus and that's all Restaurant Week is about! And it figures that every time Restaurant Week has come around in the past year, I've been on my way out of town. Boo. Mom and I got a chance to check out the Blue Point in Bloomington on Wednesday night. Its off of 494 and connected to an office building. This is what you probably see when you drive West on 494.
Its kind of a strange because it seems out of place but it was still a cool atmosphere. There was an outdoor patio as we entered the building, an indoor/outdoor patio that was outside the actual restaurant but inside the office lobby, and then the inside restaurant where we ate. There were 3 people at the host stand and they were incredibly friendly when we checked in half an hour early for our reservation. Fortunately for us, we got right in. Unfortunately for the restaurant, it was pretty quiet for dinner. It was a Wednesday night so that may have explained the low turnout, plus I'm pretty sure the restaurant opened pretty recently.
We had every intention of going for the prix-fixe 3-course menu of appetizer, entree and dessert. Then we looked at the full menu and got a little distracted.
We had mussels for the appetizer. I'd never eaten mussels before but I was not afraid because I ate escargot last year and my second cousin is the head chef at Blue Point and I knew I was safe to try something new and exotic.
Steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels
Garlic, Shallots, Herbs & White Wine
Not surprisingly, they were quite tasty. They were in a wonderful white wine sauce and that crusty bread was perfect (especially soaked in the sauce). My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
My empty shells. Yum!
Then Mom and I both chose amazing entrees.
Pan Fried Alaskan Halibut
Pistachio Crusted, Garnet Yam Puree, Toasted
Pumpkin Seed Oil
Roasted Hawaiian Mahi Mahi
Chorizo, Clams, Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil, White Wine
The halibut is Mom's. It took a few bites for her to really taste the pistachio crust and she loves pistachios. The yam puree was very reminiscent of Thanksgiving and so it reminded me of home. We forgot what the oil was on the plate and I tried to figure it out by tasting it with my amazing palate but failed.
The Mahi Mahi is mine. I'm a sucker for anything with basil so that's what caught my eye (plus I love all fish). It was a huge filet that I could barely finish (but I definitely did because it was tasty). The chorizo was a bit intense (I hate to say it but it smelled kind of like a hot dog). The clams were a new experience as well and they were a little gritty but still good.
Finally for dessert, Blue Point's infamous Key Lime pie. It was fluffy and refreshing and it was the perfect size to share after the huge meal we had. The graham cracker crust was a little hard and there wasn't enough of it for the volume of that pie but it was still good.
The prices were a bit high but worth it for the huge portions... and that Key Lime pie. While it was a wonderful mother-daughter dinner and I'm sure would make a great restaurant for date night (its an oyster bar and oysters are aphrodisiacs, right?). If you ever have someone who wants to splurge on you for some seafood, try the Blue Point Restaurant in Bloomington (or Wayzata- their original restaurant is there and has the same, if not smaller, vibe).
I follow blogs about fashion, family, gossip, photography, weddings, baking and crafts. After a year of writing in this blog, trying to decide what I wanted to feature and what I wanted to share, I realized I talk a lot about food. Let's face it- I love to eat. I also love to take pictures of food. And I like to share my experiences about things as if other people actually care about my opinion. So I've decided to add a new feature to my blog- restaurant reviews! And not just around here in exciting old Minnesota- Liz and I ate at two amazing restaurants in Chicago so I'm going to post about those too. I'm excited about this and hope that my experiences inspire my blog readers to try out restaurants I love!
197/365: We had lunch at a Top Chef Masters' restaurant (Rick Bayless) where we had amazing churros. Liz = heaven.
198/365: $194 for a cupcake? I don't think so, Super America.
199/365: I got 2 new polos for work today- this red one matches my red Toms just like I hoped it would!
200/365: Jazz sat with me on one of the arm chairs today then proceed to lean and push me off. He smiled for this picture though, so I forgave him.
201/365: Allison came over to talk about reunion stuff- we also had to test the photo booth and printer. Thank goodness we did because neither of my printers was working! Its fixed now and we're ready to party!
202/365: I went to see Phil race at Buck Hill tonight. Jaci decorated his tag with a mudflap lady to wish him luck. He didn't crash this time so I'd say it was a success.
203/365: I went college shopping with Mary & Nina tonight- I saw this clock and decided I had to have it. I've been wanting something similar at Mod Cloth so I'm excited to have found this!
Recipe #2 for my quinoa challenge. I've had this recipe for a few days and thought it was a perfect summer meal. I finally made it tonight and I am not only full but feel so healthy!
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 red pepper, chopped
1 orange/yellow pepper, chopped
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Half a red onion, chopped
Queso fresco (Mexican, crumbly cheese)
Can of black beans, drained
1/4 cup cilantro
1 avocado, sliced
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon cumin
Salsa
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Combine quinoa with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl, set aside to allow to cool.
Once quinoa has cooled add all the vegetables, juice of the lime, cilantro and stir. Divide among plates/bowls and crumble about 1/4 cup of queso fresco on each serving, top with avocado and add salsa. Makes about 4-6 servings.
I didn't add the salsa on top of mine (I don't love salsa) but its super tasty without it. Half an avocado and a bunch of crumbly queso fresco and it makes for a light, refreshing meal packed with vegetables and fiber!
Things I Don't Understand
1. How a state government can just SHUT DOWN
2. The sexy chiropractor/intern- does he like me or not???
3. It is a law that when a refugee from another country arrives in Minnesota, housing must already be established for such people and then they go through steps to get into our welfare system. I'm all about helping people out of refugee camps but how can we go above and beyond for these people when our soldiers are returning from war and becoming homeless? This 60 Minutes story really got me thinking about this issue.
4. Members of my family
5. Politics and why we can't all just get along
6. Michelle Bachmann
My Favorite Things About Summer
* V-neck t-shirts
* Dog parks
* 30 Rock
* Adventures
* Growing herbs in my garden
* Lemon ice at Culver's
* Being blonde
* Farmer's markets
* Sunny yellow
* Ice water
Bands I would have preferred to hear at the Basilica Block Party
* Mumford & Sons
* Adele
* Trampled by Turtles (even though I'm seeing them next weekend)
* Matt Nathanson
A few of my favorite friend memories
* When we went to Mexico and had dinner at Tacos & Beer where Trudy, Allison, Sarah and I picked all the cilantro out of Jaci's tacos because she hates cilantro. I really felt that was a defining moment in our friendship because it just seemed like the only thing for us to do at that moment.
* Playing in the rain with Tyler Treptow (after I had to do some serious convincing that he wasn't going to get pneumonia)
* Jaci and Trudy coming to my block party a few years ago where we gave them fake nametags then spent the night taking pictures and laughing out on my hill
* Allison & Phil's wedding
* Riding the shuttle in Orlando back to the hotel after a long day at Universal, watching "Enchanted" then having the bus driver tell us what would happen next so when we got off the shuttle, we wouldn't be left hanging
190/365: Mom & I went to Petco to an adoption event today. It was a bad idea but luckily, the dog I wanted to see wasn't there. I did find a few more dogs I wanted to keep though. This one's name was Renn and it was cute.
191/365: I noticed we had cherries on our bushes today! They're pretty but it just means I'm going to have to help harvest them. I'd never last on a farm.
192/365: Justin, Jackie and I had dinner at Little Sushi tonight. The sushi honestly rivals that of any other (more expensive) place I've had sushi. Yum yum yum!
193/365: Quinoa! Healthy dinner for myself (everyone else is out of the house tonight).
194/365: Mom and I had dinner at the Blue Point tonight. We were originally going for the Restaurant Week prix-fixe menu but we ended up ordering regular entrees because the menu looked so good.
195/365: When we left on our road trip this morning, we ran into an almost dead hawk on our driveway then found a doe wandering around our neighborhood. NATURE!
196/365: We saw HPot 7.2 today! What more do I need to say?
183/365: We had lunch at D'Amico & Son after the morning at Como Zoo. We ordered basil lemonade- SO TASTY! They came in these cute little individual pitchers.
184/365: This is Jazz who looks very protective of his frisbee but really he just wants to play!
185/365: On the way home from the dog park, the blanket covering my dad's backseat fell onto Jazz. Obviously there wasn't much he could do about it but look at that smile! He was just happy to have been at the dog park.
187/365: Even with the air conditioning on, its too hot in my room so I had to find my fan from college. Boo.
188/365: Pretty flowers at the dog park.
189/365: Peter's home from the Air Force! Only for 2 weeks but I'm still happy. I hugged him forever then stared at him all night. I bet he really misses me when he's gone. :)
I've had the WORST week at work. After patient complaints, the heat, having a horrible back spasm early in the week and then dealing with residual pain over the past few days, accidentally emailing my entire building about cupcakes not meant for them then promising another batch of cupcakes today to make it up to them, and being generally exhausted from lack of sleep, I've had just about enough. Thank God its Friday has never been truer than today.
(Speaking of TGIF, if you haven't watched this video yet, its quite amusing. I love when random stars are in people's music videos.)
Anyway, today I was bored out of my mind so that didn't help the fact that this week has just been dragging on and on and on. One highlight of my work day was the fact that I left half an hour early because we closed the clinic. I love Fridays in summer (the doctors hate doing clinic late so I typically leave a 10-15 minutes early) as well as Fridays before a holiday.
Then I went shopping for my new obsession- Ball glass jars. I'm not sure what triggered the desire to buy every Ball jar I see but I did at Unique in Burnsville and Treasures in Savage. Tomorrow I plan to stop by Savers in Bloomington and the Salvation Army in Burnsville after work on Tuesday/Wednesday. I got 8 today to add to the 2 I already have in my possession. I want more. They will make perfect vases to put EVERYWHERE in my future home. I'm just very excited about them.
When I finally made it home after my thrifting, I had a card from Tyler. When I finally opened it after settling in at home, I literally laughed out loud. The entire card is written in Spanish. On the top, he suggested I use Google Translate if I can't speak Spanish. I can't, so I did and it worked mostly well. Tyler Treptow is adorable and one of the best friends I think I've ever had, even though I've only known him for such a short period of time. We have a special connection, I'd say.
Highlights from the Spanish translations:
"I thought it was going to make this interesting letter."
"Today made me laugh a multitude of repeating myself when suggesting that students keep their doors open as much as possible to meet new people. I think it can be fun."
"Winona still is not the same without you. I can not believe I have lasted over a year without you in the hall from me. one year was definitely not enough."
So true, Tyler, so true.
Then my family toiled over what to do for dinner and as soon as we decided to go out, my dad (who is never wary of weather) decided we should stay in (I think more for our sake than his own- personally, I don't mind storms but I think he didn't want us to get stuck in pouring rain someplace). So then we bickered over what to order from Domino's and I got to use the Domino's Pizza Tracker, one of my favorite things from college. After dinner, I started organizing my scrapbook (I have MANY pages to work on) and working on reunion stuff.
My 5-year high school reunion is officially 28 days away and I'm anxious. I'm excited because I have a bunch of great ideas but I'm nervous about the turnout (or lack thereof, at this point). I don't understand why people can't just RSVP yes/no/maybe on Facebook instead of keeping their invitation out in limbo as "not replied". I'm annoyed. And exhausted.
Off to the Como Zoo in the morning to spend some time with the amazing Andrew and exceptional Eric before they move to Decorah. The zoo should be lovely tomorrow assuming the weather stays pleasant (unlike today's heat index of 105). Gotta love Minnesota's unpredictable weather (not).
