Breakfast Pita

I've been working on a healthier Sunday breakfast for Hubs and I.  Yesterday I started throwing this together without any inkling as to what I was doing or how it would turn out, but I was happy with it.  I had originally intended to fill the pita with the topping you see in the picture, but the pitas didn't want to open and it would have just made a big ol mess, so I put it on top like a pizza.

1/2 zucchini, chopped small

1/4 cup onion, chopped small

1/4 cup turkey smoked sausage, chopped small

Saute zucchini, onion, sausage in a little bit of olive oil with a little salt and pepper, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile..

Scramble together 4 egg whites, 1 egg yolk, 2 Tbsp fat free milk, and salt and pepper.  Pour it over the zucchini mixture and cook until eggs are done.  Stir in 1/4 cup shredded fat free mozzarella cheese until melted.  Stuff in pita or plop on top as I did.

Unique.Pretty.Love!

Look at this fortune cookie pendant!

It is cute, unique, I heart it!

Find it here.

And don't forget to enter in my giveaway!

Hope you are having a fabulous weekend!

Crossroads

image from photobucket

I've been wanting to keep this blog light hearted and fun, but man o man what a day I've had.

Yesterday I had to come home early because I was getting sick, and today it was on.  I didn't get out of bed until some vague afternoon hour.  I thought some chicken soup would be in order so I chopped up some veggies, threw them in a pot with some broth and a little spice and let it be to simmer for a while.

Then I had an afternoon tea with my good friends Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte.  After all of season 5 disc 2 had run it's course, I found myself stumbling down to the mailbox, kind of like a Russian spy darting behind the tree and somersaulting up to it less my neighbors see my horrible bedhead and crumply clothes.

And then the day decided to take itself a severe left towards the worse.

There in the mailbox, sitting quietly and calmly in the back was a small thin envelope, one that I've been running out to the box daily waiting for.

I got rejected from grad school.  I was at the very least hoping to get on the wait list but this was a flat out rejection.  It hit me like a sock to the gut.

Last year, preparing to apply, it was a rough year.  Between working full time, a good solid course load in school, stressing over the gre, having a new home we were renovating, being a newlywed, getting my new pup..it was a heavy stressful year.  A year I was so relieved to get behind me.  Only now?  It's right back in front of my face. 

I feel at a crossroads.  Everyone has something they are good at, everyone seems to have direction.  Do what you love, the money will follow.  All these cliched things, but I am still struggling to find out what my purpose is.  I'm trying to do a little soul searching to find out if I'm on the right path and just need to patiently wait another year and reapply, or am I on the wrong path altogether?

And so I sit, melancholy, dejected, wondering what to do next.

A Giveaway!!

Guess what friends, I have a giveaway and I'm super excited about it!

As you may or may not know, I am an Avon representative.

Yoooo Hoooo, it's your A-VoooooN Laaaady! 

But let me tell you why.  I started getting interested in makeup around the 6th grade.  My Mommala (holla to the Mommala!) used to order Avon, and I would put a little on before heading to school.  I had to learn to be discreet because I didn't want her to know I was pilfering, which you know, in a way was a good thing because I learned the "natural" look.  I have asked her if she ever knew and just ignored it or never noticed, no response yet.

It's ok to admit to these things 20 years later.  Forgiveness comes easier, right Mommala?

A-nyway, I always put on just a little bit of makeup, a lil mascara maybe some blush, UNTIL. (Dun dun duuuuun)  I became a flight attendant.  While in training I got spoken to every day because my lipstick wasn't RED enough.  "Red promotes confidence" they told me.  Is this true?  Would you listen to me asking you to please fasten your seatbelt faster if I was wearing darker lipstick?  When I say I got spoken to every day I mean EVERY DAY!  It was crazy, and difficult on a girl who is not used to RED lips ya know? 

Well. I didn't go completely red those years as a flight attendant, but I did boost up the color a little bit.  Besides that, I really fell for makeup, and I fell hard friends, you hear? I loooove makeup, in particular new makeup.

This is why I started selling Avon.  And you know what surprised me?  I didn't know about all the other fun stuff they sold, like fragrances, purses, shoes, even clothes!  All my favorite things!

Back to the giveaway bit:

Avon's newest fragrance, Eternal Magic, the fragrance of none other than Zoe Saldana (I mean, who didn't love Avatar?) is coming out in April.

I just happened to get me some a month early!!  Hello! Who doesn't love to wear something exclusive?

Besides being exclusive?  It smells reeeaaally great!

"As enchanting and memorable as the woman

who wears it.  An ethereal portrait of

velvety rose and orris reveals

a sensuous trail of soft

vanilla and fluffy woods."

FLUFFY WOODS?  I ADORE FLUFFY WOODS!

Who doesn't adore fluffy woods?

In fact, nothing makes me cringe like flat woods.

Oh you want to go for a walk in that forest?  The trees are a little flat dontcha think?  I mean, I think they could stand for a little fluffing.

Here's what I have to giveaway:

Full size bottles of

*Eau de toilette spray

*body lotion

*shower gel

Layering is the best way for fragrance to last, dontcha know?

To enter:

1) Be a follower

2) Leave a comment below and please tell me, do you wear one signature fragrance or do you like to switch hit depending on your mood or occasion?

I'll pick a winner at random on Monday evening!

Szechwan Shrimp

Who can pronounce szechwan anyway?  I like to pronounce it "Schhhpicshaywam" (Shhpi-shhay-wan)

But that's just me.

Here's something for you when you're feeling a little spicy.  I took pictures along the way so I will post it P-Dubya style.

Szechwan Shrimp

Let's get mise en place first, so you aren't running around the kitchen at inopportune times, eh?

Here's whatcha need:

1 1/4 lbs fresh or frozen medium shrimp

4 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp dry sherry or water

1 Tbsp Oriental chili sauce with garlic (schhhhpicy!)

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1/8 tsp salt

salt and pepper for seasoning

1 1/2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp cornstarch

4 tsp canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups fresh pea pods,. trimmed

6 cups shredded Chinese (Napa) cabbage

2 Tbsp sliced green onions

Let's go Sound of Music for a minute, for no other reason than it's in my head:

Let's start at the very beginning!

A very good place to start..

When you sing you begin with

" Do-Re-Mi"

When you cook, you begin with

"Make the sauce"

(ALL)  "Make the sauce!"

Thanks for humoring a girl.

Onward with the szechwan shrimp!

1.  Peel and devein shrimp.  Rinse shrimp, pat dry with paper towels.  For sauce, in a small bowl combine the 4 tsp soy sauce, the ginger, sherry or water, Oriental chili sauce, 1 tsp cornstarch, sesame oil, and 1/8 tsp salt.  Set aside.

2.  Place shrimp in a medium bowl, sprinkle lightly with additional salt and pepper.  Stir in the 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce and the 1/2 tsp cornstarch, set aside.

3.  In a wok or 12 in. skillet, heat 2 tsp of the oil over medium-high heat.  Add garlic; stir fry for 30 seconds.  Add mushrooms; stir fry for 3 minutes.  Add bell pepper; stir fry for 1 minute. (I used green pepper because le Piggly Wiggly had no red pepper!)  Add pea pods; stir fry for 2 minutes.  Remove vegetables from wok.

4.  Add remaining 2 tsp oil to skillet.  Add shrimp mixture; stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque.  Stir sauce, add it to skillet.  Cook and stir until boiling; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

5.  Add mushroom mixture and cabbage.  Toss to coat.

To serve, sprinkle with chopped onion.

And enjoy!  Best served with plenty of water for the "Holy Moses that's HOT" moments.  This was another recipe brought to you by the good people of the Sonoma Diet.  This book I have is from 2005, so anyone interested in buying it, fabulous delightful recipes and all, look at amazon where you can buy it used for 16 lil cents.  No kidding!  I see they also have a cookbook used for $6 and I am all over that!

Whine and cheese

image from web

Do you know those gorgeous spring days, when after a whole 2 MONTHS of freezing your patooty off, having to sleep with a blanket in addition to your sheet, and wear a hearty jacket when you leave the house, you one day look outside and the sun is bright and shining in a clear blue sky?

Then you run outside and breathe in the spring air, fresh and clean, air that just can't quite be captured in a candle?  You shed your jacket and feel the sun's light but refreshing rays bathe your face and all of a sudden you are just inspired!

Today is one of those days.  It's 68 degrees, sunny and mild.  Where am I today? 

I am not running in fields of green or playing in meadows of spring lillies.

Nor am I taking an invigorating spring walk over the bridge.

I'm not throwing the tennis ball to my pup or cleaning the yard.

I'm not opening all the windows in the house to let the fresh air sweep out the stale heat's-been-on air.

Nay, I am sitting in a windowless hole that is work.  When I leave, the sun will have already said it's good night, taking with it the warmth and refreshing glow it bestowed upon all the lucky folks who are currently enjoying a cup of coffee and the Sunday paper on their porches deciding what to make of this beautiful day.

(Cue the violin playing a sad sad tune)

But don't you feel sad for me?

I do enjoy a nice fresh ball of mozzarella, or why not some podolico cheese to accompany my WHINE.

And a little sympathy wouldn't hurt. 

Tomorrow I'm off and guess what?

Rain.

Chicken en Papillote with Vegetables

Chicken en Papillote with Vegetables

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

10 oz fresh asparagus, cut into 2 in. pieces

1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

1 can diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup sliced green onions

Cut chicken breasts crosswise into 1/2 inch slices.  In a medium bowl combine oil, oregano, thyme, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Add chicken and toss to coat.  Let stand while preparing veggies.

In a large bowl combine asparagus, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and parsley.  Tear four 20x2 in. pieces of parchment paper; fold in half crosswise and crease.  Open up again.  On half of one parchment sheet, arrange 1/4 of the veggies, top with chicken pieces.  Top with 1/4 of the green onion.  To make packet, fold parchment paper over chicken and vegetables.  Crimp and fold edges to seal, twist corners.  Repeat to make 4 packets.

Place 2 packets on each of 2 baking sheets.  Bake on separate racks in a 400 degree oven about 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

There are 5 million and two diet cookbooks out there, just rounding, and I buy a good lot of them.  Do I read them?  I have good intentions!  But no, sadly, these little guides to my health and fabulous body lie in waiting on a shelf.  It has been declared (ahem **not by me but by another person who lives in residence in our humble abode**) Where was I?  Yes, it has been declared we will be eating sugar and carb free until we are belly free.  So I pulled out this old book, The Sonoma Diet, and looked for a quick recipe. This is what I found and MAN, where has this book been all my life! This was so good, a definite new addition to the regular pile o recipes.  Now, I can't tell you what the Sonoma Diet is.. but it just may be worth looking into!