Go Green

On the Today Show the other day my favorite chef showed how to make the perfect summer salad. So of course I tried it. With grilled shrimp, corn, and zucchini tossed with fresh avocado and tomato and really anything you want it really is the perfect summer salad... and even more perfect for the night that our air conditioner had gone out!!

It could be worse

I'm trying to stay positive. July was the most perfect month I have had in a long time.
Douglas and I had one summer month together so we did not miss a beat. There was lots of sushi eating, rangers game attending, movie watching, family time, mall time, breakfast dates (my favorite meal). I was beyond spoiled.
After an amazing dinner last night, leaving me so full I dont know how I had room for our breakfast this morning at La Madeline, Douglas was off to finish his last semester of undergrad.
Of course I had my own little pity party for a while. The only good that came from that was a head ache and my eyes are still burning. So pity party over, I'm staying positive.
3 months with 2 hours between us. piece of cake! hundreds of people have done way worse
So now I have more time for girl time. more time to read the stack of books sitting on my desk. I can really focus on getting a real job. I dont have to go out to eat all the time and can start eating better.
I never said I was looking forward to it, but I'm being positive and finding the good in it.

Beets me?!

So I went out on a limb and tried a new recipe for red velvet cupcakes... using beets. I know right?! I'd never even had a beet, much less baked with one! I was curious so I had to try...
I like knowing that I'm not putting junk into my body so I was all about a recipe without oil or butter but really when you take those out it makes sense it would be hard as a rock...
I can't say that I would brag about my beet cupcakes... :/ They were a for sure lacking in moisture and flavor. But we all learn from our mistakes, yeah? Good kitchen practice time? So I won't count this as a total failure and who knows what I'll try next!

So I'm not just leaving you thinking I'm a horrible cook- Last night I made and awesome quick and easy tilapia that my friend Alyssa found on another blog. Seriously 30 seconds to prep and 15 min in the oven. So good! I also made stuffed shells from the cook yourself thin website last week. A little more than 15 min but at 331 calories for 4 shells (I was stuffed at 2) I think they were very worth it.

Stupid New York

When I was little I think I was really literally mad at my parents for not "giving" me a sister. I didn't have imaginary friends, I had imaginary sisters. Don't get me wrong, I love my brother a lot and I would not change him for the world but there are a lot of things you cant do or talk about with an older brother. Even when you have to wait God always provides and He never lets us down. Thats something I'm constantly reminded of.

After having imaginary sisters until I was too old to be imagining, I found the kind of friend that... was so much more than a friend. You dont have to feel sorry for me or anything I was never really short on friends, but here I just kind of hit the friend jackpot!

I've never really liked that term "best friend," even though I use it. As girls we tend to waay over use it and it hardly means anything. Jordan really is like a sister to me (sorry if thats cheesy).

She is the friend that I can laugh for hours with about nothing (in sweet harmony),
the friend that doesnt mind if I raid her Texas closet and take her summer clothes that she wont need while she is living in stupid New York,
the friend that can just look at you and know what you are thinking,
better yet now that she is living in stupid New York she doesnt even have to look at me to know when I need a little extra encouragement
She is the friend that would never turn down a trip for ice cream or cupcakes!
the friend you can spend hours in Barnes and Nobel or bed bath and beyond doing God knows what :)
The friend that will always take self timed pictures with you like you were some kind of famous people just so you have those memories.

Meet Nicole

I still haven't figured out how to link the blogs I read to the side of my blog (feel free to fill me in!) but I thought until then I'd share one of my favorite daily reads. Nicole is the big sister of a good friend of mine from elementary school. Her blog is filled with awesome decorating ideas and some fashion pics with her own fun touches each day. Check her out

The Best...

I love "Best" lists. so of course I needed August's D Magazine- The Best of Big D. It talks about dozens of great places to eat and things to do in Dallas.
My favorite was a cheese class. You go and learn about cheese, and eat cheese and drink wine. Sounds pretty awesome! May not be your thing but I'm going!

Last night I found more lists. I'm not a big "dieter" but I do like to eat healthy for the most part and know what I'm eating. Here I found a ton of best and worst lists.
So now for those interested I thought I'd try one of my own. Its just a random collaboration of Bests:

• Best breakfast spot: Dream Cafe. the best homemade granola and everything I tried from everyone else's plate was awesome too. I love going out to breakfast. Since its not something I do all the time when you do it right (savor the time and company, sit out on the patio, get an extra cup of coffee at the end to stay long) I almost feel like I'm on vacation

• Best Date night in Dallas: dinner at Momo's, a little walking through the shops on Knox till you have room for Wild about Harry's coffee frozen custard with hot fudge. If you have never been to Momo's go. now. It is amazing Italian food, perfect atmosphere and nothing too fancy. I cant say enough great things about this place!

• Best happy hour: Gloria's. I'm a mojitos girl but they also have great margaritas and sangria. And their food is pretty awesome too.

• Best diet ice cream: Skinny cow. I know I said I don't diet. And I really don't. This stuff is just so good and I just get so happy eating them because I know they aren't 500 calories.

• Best movie I have seen this summer: 500 days of Summer. I don't want to say too much about it and I don't even know if I would recommend watching the whole trailer before you see it. I love Zoey Deschanel and that may be a big reason for my loving this movie. But its really cute and lots of good laughs. I knew too much going into it so thats why I'm saying little to nothing now. You can blame me if you hate it but I promise you wont

• Best guilty pleasure TV show: I'm not a big celebrity la-ti-da follower but I think Tori and Dean something about Hollywood show is so entertaining! They are a fun couple who get to surprise each other with $$$$ jewelry and vacations. But they also seem semi-normal when they really look forward to and cherish family dinner and time at the park with their kids. Oh and I could just laugh at their kids for an hour because they are so cute.

Okay I think that is all of my "bests" for now. I told you it was random, feel free to dispute or fill me in on anything I might be missing out on! Happy Weekend

22 years I had been deprived of Amish Friendship Bread. Luckily I finally found some friends!
I made one loaf with apples, craisins, and pecans and the other with chocolate chips and pecans. I was taking a risk was the chocolate one... while its good the apple craisin one is amazzzzing.
My next batch will be ready to be cooked Saturday. Maybe I'll just be Amish and help them make bread forever. I'm kind of on cloud 9 in the kitchen. Some people cringe at the sound of an Amish Friendship Bread starter but people.... you mush a bag for 10 days and then get this little treasure! Let me know if you want a starter because I'm not letting this baby die!