Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Valentine's day! Mine was absolutely lovely! Ron surprised me with a single rose and a box of chocolates. VERY SWEET! We aren't really "valentine's" people... but it was a lovely little reminder of how amazing he is (all year round).

I was torn between spaghetti and something a bit fancier for dinner, and in the end I was very happy with what I threw together. I made sweet chili chicken over long grain rice. It was quite tasty...see...

I hope you all feel loved and happy as this evening comes to a close!

Some people just get me, you know?

Amanda, thank you for being a friend!

Cozy up with potato soup

Here in Cape Girardeau, MO we're having the traditional late winter. Christmas and New Year's passed with 50 degree temperatures and sunny skies, and now as we creep towards February the mercury is dropping and everyday is just sort of ... well... gray.

To keep spirits up around here I'm breaking out the cozy guns. Movies, hot chocolate, snuggly blankets on the couch, and potato soup! 

Is there anything more comforting than a big bowl of steamy potato soup?

I have adapted my recipe from a handful that I've tasted. I prefer to keep it really simple. Feel free to add to or take away from what I've listed.

Ingredients:

Onion 

Celery

Carrots

Small bag of red potatoes

Egg Noodles

Garlic (two cloves or a teaspoon of pre diced garlic in oil)

Butter

Chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you prefer)

Heavy whipping cream

Pepper

Salt - only really needed if you use vegetable broth

Seasonings of your choice

(you can play with the amounts of all of these ingredients. I NEVER measure anything for this soup, and it always turns our great)

Toasted french bread for garnish

In one pot, heat water to a boil, cube potatoes and allow to simmer until they soften up a bit. I usually give them at least 10-15 at a low rolling boil. I prefer to leave the skin on my potatoes. I think it gives it a touch of a rustic appeal.

While your potatoes are boiling,  in a MUCH bigger pot, heat a teaspoon of butter and add in cut up onions, carrots, and celery. Pepper veggies to your liking. The quantity of the veggies is totally up to you. For instance, I like celery WAY more that I like carrots (ummm, have you seen how thick my glasses are?). And you can always switch out different veggies of your choosing. I just like this simple combination. Add one clove of garlic at this point (or half of your teaspoon of garlic in oil). 

Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream. I like to keep my soup about 3/4 broth, and 1/4 heavy cream. Heat to a boil for about ten minutes. Reduce heat to medium. 

Drain potatoes and add into soup. Add in egg noodles (no need to boil them, they will soften up in the heat of the soup). I usually add in the second clove of garlic at this point. Stir.

When noodles soften up your soup is ready to go. 

Pour into bowls and garnish with a slice of toasted french bread. I highly recommend that you eat this on the couch in front of the television and NOT at the kitchen table. It will taste better that way, I promise.


Seriously, take it to the couch.

Girl crushing on Carrie Brownstein

Carrie Brownstein. Have you heard of her? You might have already and you didn't even know it. Any of us who are old enough to have seen Clueless at the movie theater (ummm... guilty!) grew up with Sleater-Kinney on MTV. Yeah, remember when they even played music? The 90's were cray cray y'all.

Sleater-Kinney ranked right up there with L7 and the Breeders in my 15 year old self bedroom music rotation. Anyone remember Riot Grrrls, or am I just THAT old? (Disclaimer- I'm sure there were some TERRIBLE albums in the mix also, but I don't have to tell you which ones because this is my blog and I do what I want.) Ms. Brownstein was the guitar player known for her stage antics and (as Elle magazine put it) her "Chuck Berry swagger".  Was "swagger" even a thing when Chuck Berry was alive? Maybe the lyrics should be "No one on the corner has swagger like.... Chuck Berry?"

But I digress...

Do you have Netflix Instant? That's where my feelings for CB (sorry Ms. Brownstein, may I call you that?) really started to get serious. She is one of the stars of Portlandia! Portlandia is a sketch comedy based on... you guessed it... Portland, OR. I heard about the show last year but never got around to watching it. I'm glad I finally tuned in! CB stars along side Fred Armisen (of SNL fame and ::::trivia::: former drummer of the Chicago based punk band Trenchmouth). The show is produced by SNL and 30 Rock's Lorne Michaels. It really wouldn't surprise me if you told me Lorne Michaels shits gold. Seriously.

Portlandia showcases CG and Armisen playing a whole list of reoccurring roles. I think my favorites might be the "couple" where Armisen plays the girlfriend and CB plays the boyfriend. IT'S SO CREEPY. Trust me.

Cute isn't she? And can we talk about those effortless bangs? I mean really. I will totally give props to some good bangs.

She seems so approachable. I'm going to pretend that she is. Maybe one day we'll talk bang styling techniques over a cup of Earl Grey.  Is this too creepy? Your answer; "Cacao!"
(watch the show... that makes sense I promise)

As if she isn't busy enough already (Portlandia is going for another season) she also has a new band called Wild Flag. I haven't heard them yet, but I know they played at SXSW last year so I'm sure all the cool kids like them.


It's great to see women succeeding out there, being creative and getting things done. Who inspires you to greatness? Let me know!


*ALL images are from google images. I DID NOT take any pictures of CB myself. Yet.

A Healthier/Happier 2012

Ron and I have been attempting to up our game in 2012. Our health and happiness game that is. That means eating in together, eating healthy, and spending more time on things we enjoy. Resolutions are easy to make, and hard to stick to, so I have turned to the internet for research and advice on how to go about this. 

A few things that have caught my eye lately (for good or for bad) are...

The Fork Diet. So basically, you can eat anything you can stab with a fork. No knives or spoons allowed. So no fruit, because you can't cut it, no yogurt or soup, because that is spoon fare. It boasts positive qualities in the fact that there is no calorie counting, and no food restrictions. Unless you count the fork as a restriction. (Less strict versions of this diet have made things easier by saying nothing but a fork AFTER 6). I guess fad diets just aren't for me. I don't doubt that it works for some, but I don't plan on packing up my knives and spoons anytime soon. I will say that it's a French diet, and those ladies are doing something right because despite the chocolate and buttercream intake they stay mighty svelte.

Water. Man, you just can't top it can you? Eight glasses a day seems the universal suggested intake. But how do you make that fun? I've succumbed to "spiking" my water. No, no... not with booze (although I think there isn't a more perfect pairing with Jameson), but with lemons, blueberries, kiwi, and strawberries, and cucumber. It helps change the taste enough to keep those 64 ounces a day interesting. I try to limit my "spiking" to at home in the evenings, and keep it just H20 for work and derby practice.

*If you follow the water link, consider donating so others may have clean accessible water as well.

Menu planning and organized grocery shopping. Preparing three meals a day at home equals regular trips to the grocery. You might as well make it a pleasant experience. I try to make a list of meals I am going to make, then break them down to ingredients. After a little cross referencing with the fridge and pantry I'm ready for my store list. I break my shopping down by areas of the store starting from the front right side to the checkout. I know, this sounds a little... ummm... anal, but it works for me. I find that I spend less time scoping out unwanted and unneeded items, and I don't forget as much. No need for the chip/Little Debbie/soda isle... nothing to see there. : ) Do you meal plan? Where do you go for ideas/recipes? I make the rounds on a few dependably inspirational blogs. Feel free to check some of those out on the toolbar to your right ------->

Another thing I'm focusing on it 2012 is...

Exercise. Yes, a gym membership is lovely, but not everyone has the finances or the time for that. Pretty much everyone has a cell phone though, so why not start there? There are TONS of apps out there to help you stay motivated and offer different levels of commitment. Not sure where to start? Here are a few iPhone apps I've tried:

-Nike Training Club- this has workouts for everyone. Different skill levels, times, and areas of focus. (AND it's FREE!)

-Couch 2 5K- this has been really effective for quite a few people that I know. I'm not really a fan of running... unless I'm being chased, but it's a great way to train yourself and build up to greater distances.

The exercise options are endless:

-Yoga- there are TONS of apps for this. Flexibility is your best friend as you age. It will improve mobility, help with stress, and could reduce pain. If you are interested in yoga classes I have a few friends who are instructors. I'd be glad to get you in touch with them.

-Biking- this is great way to stay in shape, and it cuts down on pollution as it keeps you out of your car. Don't have a bike? I might be able to help. I have too many! Need a trail to ride? Check out some Cape Girardeau locals' bike paths here on map my ride. Pssst- they have an app also!

-Another great way to stay fit is to find something you enjoy doing, or something that has to be done anyway. Play music while cleaning the house. Dancing around will burn a few calories. Walk your dog! Your furry friends will enjoy it and the outdoors are FREE Y'ALL! I like the neighborhood I live in, but I also enjoy the trail out by the Osage Center.

-Roller derby? You know you want to! There are more local teams than you think! I play with the Cape Girardeau Roller Girls and I always joke that this team is the only "gym membership" I've ever kept. It just so happens that we have a fresh meat class starting soon. There's no time like the present to dust off some knee high socks and join the fun. It's great exercise AND you get to give back to the community. Double whammy! 

Now for the "happiness"...

Time management. Wow. How does ANYONE fit everything into their day with only 24 measly hours?  This year I'm going to attempt to take time for the things I enjoy. I want to read more, have more time with my friends, and share my happiness (not so much of my negativity). Blogging again is one of my other 2012 resolutions. I used to blog all the time (and no I won't tell you the old address) and truly loved it, then I had a failed attempt about a year and a half ago at starting a new blog. Hopefully this time I have found a better place on the internet. 

Thanks for reading, feel free to share what you are up to, and good luck with all of your 2012 resolutions! 

Giving back to the community!

Need to get your philanthropy on? You know it just FEELS GOOD! Yeah yeah... those new shoes you've been watching are cute, but will they make you feel as good as doing something for your community and others?

Maybe... BUT these are great causes that are sure to warm your heart (if nothing else... TEASER!)

To make it even easier to give back, both of these events happen to fall on the same day of Feb. 4!

Start your morning off with the 4th Annual Jean Hermsdorfer Memorial Mardi Gras 5k Run/Walk. Proceeds from the race go to breast cancer research. Early registration is $15, day of registration is $20, and kids participate for $10. Sponsored by the Notre Dame Regional High School FCCLA, the Run/Walk kicks off at 9am. You can find a map of the route here: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=416892, and registration forms may be printed here: http://www.notredamehighschool.org/

After your brisk Walk/Run warms you up, head over to Lake Boutin for the 2012 Polar Bear Plunge supporting Missouri Special Olympics. Get a team together... or support my roller derby team CGRG (!!!!) as we brave the frigid water for a great cause! Plungers must wear shoes and some sort of clothing, but no wet suits allowed. Fun fact: did you know that a group of polar bears is called a celebration? Yeah, i didn't either, but I'm happy to be informed of it now! Did I mention that as of right this second, we are the "celebration" of "plungers" with the highest financial contributions. Do you enjoy a challenge... I DARE you to raise more money that us. No, no... I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU. 

Now that we've warmed up your "giving" bone, here are a few other opportunities for you to share your wealth and time all year round:

The local Cape GIrardeau Library is always accepting donations in all forms, so the next time you clean out your den consider helping keep the library shelves stocked.

The Safe House for Women is a great alternative to a yard sale. Yes, you could make a few dollars off of those old housewares and clothes, but someone might need them more that you need a new iPod. They also have volunteering opportunities in house and at events. The Safe House for Women will also be hosting a fantastic event for the third year in a row, The Vintage Now Fashion Show. They already have a "save the date" for October 16th! 

These are just a few of the countless opportunities right here in Cape Girardeau for everyone to pitch in and make someone else's day a little brighter.

Do you know of other great opportunities in the Southeast Missouri area to help out? Let me know!