joy, oh joy for Christ is born!

This song is changing my life right now. With so much going on in this world and in each one of our lives...Christmas is truly about Jesus. close your eyes and let this song just soak in your soul!

'This, this is Christ the King...JOY OH JOY! for CHRIST is Born!'

may we every day "haste to bring him laud. this babe, the Son of Mary." amen.

snow and midnight vistor

i am so re-living the winter of 2010 in DC all over again. 5 degree weather. snow and ice all around. the thought of even going outside to check the mail makes me want to cry. hello mid-west winter. my puffy jacket and my snow boots are ready for you, but my heart is not.

the other bummer thing is that i haven't decorated for christmas and my parents are coming next week. christmas tree is a must this week!

so i got back from budapest on saturday night after an insane 20 hour travel day complete with a flight from budapest to paris with a pilot i was convinced was his first day, 20 seconds away from missing my flight to paris, 10 hour flight to minneapolis...no wait...scratch that...detroit, 500 person line to talk to delta to get a ticket home, getting out of line because i felt like a cow in line to be slaughtered and i decided there had to be a better world out there, finding a delta person that got me a ticket, throwing up 5 times that day, lost luggage and thankfully making it home. safe and sound. amen!!!

so my luggage was lost and just flittering somewhere in between europe and america. but, i had faith it would return home. it actually returned home in the form of a man banging on our door at midnight last night. R (my husband) almost shot the man. thankfully no one lost their life in the midnight debacle. and my luggage found its way home.


pictures of my trip to come.

bag search

Does ANYONE know where I can find a bag like this?? i am looking for something to throw over my shoulder to take to Budapest...

"40"

i just found this song for the very first time. all i can say is "wow." i can't wait to see them this summer. and even then, the day after the concert, i will wait with great anticipation till the next time i see them again...

I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the miry clay

I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song

How long to sing this song?
How long...to sing this song...

budapest

so...who would have thought that Budapest would be my very first european adventure? my best friend is adopting a little boy from Budapest and she asked me to come with her for a week! I'll be going out there in December, which apparently is the dead of winter.

I wasn't really sure what to pack or buy for this trip, but on my daily US Magazine.com browsing, i saw that angelina jolie is currently living in Budapest while she directs a movie. naturally, i thought i should pack based on how angelina is dressed. it appears that angelina is wearing a very large and oversized puffy coat, which makes me believe that the temperature is between the mid 30's- upper 40.

if it was in the 5o's she would be wearing more of a fleece or light wool coat. however, i don't believe it is colder than the mid 30's because otherwise she would be wearing a hat or some sort of head warmer.

so, since i want to be just like angelina, i naturally ordered a puffy jacket from lands end.

can't wait to meet my new nephew and hang out with angelina in budapest.

it was fate

passing by animal shelters is a hard thing for me. i want to adopt every single puppy and bring them home with me. then again, if i did this, i'm sure animal rescue would have to rescue my puppies from myself because i couldn't properly be a mommy to 100 puppies. but, anyway...

my story begins one beautiful fall september day. i needed to go get our sophie lynn some puppy food, so i headed to petsmart. as i began to walk into petsmart, i saw lots of white canopies in the parking lot with cages and people standing around. i was immediately drawn to them and began to walk towards these canopies like a fly to a spider web. my husband was behind me begging me not to go over there because he knew what would happen. but, i did not have a choice. i couldn't resist the calling. i walked over to the humane shelter's set up and immediately spotted a black and white shih tzu mix with huge black eyes and an underbite. i asked if i could hold him and he just sat so quietly in my arms. he kept looking at me like "take me home please. be my mommy please." i begged my husband to let me take him home. and we actually stood there deliberating how we could take care of two dogs. finally, i realized this was not the best decision and i reluctantly put him back. but, my heart was so sad and his little underbite face remained engrained in my heart.

fast forward to today. a strangely warm fall day in st. louis. headed with some friends to a park for a harvest festival. i was looking at some hand made kiddo outfits when i saw this precious little black and white puppy with an underbite. "could it be?'" i asked myself. i kept walking, but something told me to go back. i walked up to the lady holding the little puppy and asked if she minded telling me where she got her dog. "From a shelter set up in front of a petsmart a few weeks ago," she said. my heart just melted as i bent down to say hello to my almost puppy son. "i almost adopted him," i told the woman. she told me how great of a dog he was and how much her daughter loved him.

i am so thankful that i was able to see him again to know that he was adopted into a good home! what a precious little gift that God gave me. in this huge city at a random harvest festival, i saw the little puppy i wanted to adopt. so thankful he has a happy home and just so thankful that God has adopted me as his daughter.

the end.

cheese tortellini in white wine cream sauce

there is a neighborhood in st. louis called "the hill" where some italian descendants and immigrants moved to. they thankfully opened up their own restaurants and there are currently dozens of italian restaurants serving cheesy and temptuous italian food on "the hill." one of the most popular foods that i see on the menu in this area is cheese tortellini in cream sauce. instead of going out to dinner for 20 bucks every week when i crave this dish, i decided to try to make it on my own. what i concocted is one of my new favorite foods to cook and eat.

Andrea's Cheese Tortellini in White Wine Cream Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 pound pancetta chopped
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup white wine
2 cups cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup peas
3/4 pound - 1 pound cheese tortellini


Directions

fill large pot with water and set on stove to boil. meanwhile saute chopped onions and pancetta in large saute pan. when pancetta is cooked through and onions are soft, mix in 2 cloves chopped garlic. saute for about 30 seconds. pour in white wine and let boil through till the wine becomes thick. about 3-5 minutes. pour cream in pan. let cook through and boil until cream sauce becomes very thick. about 5-10 minutes. make sure to keep stirring the sauce so the cream does not burn. once the sauce is thick mix in grated parmesan cheese and slowly poor in chicken broth until the sauce is your desired consistency.

when the pot of boiling water comes to a boil put in tortellini and cook until just under tender. tortellini does not take long to cook, so don't go anywhere...watch it the whole time.

once the pasta is almost done, pour in peas and let cook for 1 minute or 2. drain. stir the pasta in peas in the cream sauce and try not to eat the whole thing. we haven't done that yet.

friend i have never met

i have a precious friend who works in the nashville office of the company i work for. i normally had to communicate with her a lot via e-mail bc we both were admin. our friendship started to begin just by asking how each other was doing after just asking for a work request. we soon realized that we had a love for the Lord in common and we began to encourage one another. she spoke so much truth to me while my husband was working night shift at the police department. i am so very thankful that she cared enough to ask how i was doing all the way from nashville when so many people in my office would not even say "hello." sadly, in the past couple of years, her precious husband became sick with lung cancer and just passed away a few months ago. a little over a year ago, when she found out her husband was not responding to the cancer treatment, an e-mail popped up from her. all it said was, "how are you and your husband?" i immediatly began to cry. i couldn't believe she remembered to think of me and my little problem of being lonely during night shifts while her husband was dying of cancer.

after her husband went to be with the Lord, her home was ruined from the flooding in Nashville this summer.

today another e-mail popped up from her again asking how our move went. i replied and told her that we were great and just praying for contentment while we wait to get pregnant. this was her reply...

"I'm glad to hear all is well. You are right on with trying to be content. Losing Steve has made me realize that it's the small moments that mean the most...we often discount those while waiting on the BIG moments. Grocery shopping together...folding laundry together...bringing each other a cup of coffee or iced tea...those calls or e-mails throughout the day just to say "i'm thinking about you and love you so much!" - those are the things I miss the most - the small things that we take for granted. So, live in the moment, girl. And God will give you the desires of your heart because as you seek him, those desires line up with His will for you."

i am so thankful for the truth and encouragement that this lady is still speaking into my life, even through all of the pain and change she was and is going through.

the Lord uses many things in life to show himself to his children.... even by using someone we have never met.

ANA - UPDATE...

so, i went to a general doctor last week and she tested me for all of the different strains of ANA and i tested NEGATIVE for all of them. so, i apparently had a false positive a few weeks ago. i am very very thankful, but a little frustrated. just a tad. thanking the Lord and praying for guidance as we continue to trust in the Lord's timing for our family!

my birthday update, cheese tortellini in white wine cream sauce recipe and a book review all coming soon. i know you are on the edge of your seat...so stay tuned.

heaven

my heart has been so heavy the past few days with so much death swirling around. a girl from church back at home died over the weekend after leaving an auburn game. and then a guy i new from beach project just died after battling brain cancer for 2 years. my heart just hearts so much for all of the families. what a deep deep loss. but, as someone wrote on FB, it is not a loss. the people that knew them have gained so much by knowing them. and both of the dear souls are praising our Jesus in heaven and being held in his arms. what a beautiful picture. and what a peace knowing that they are with our Lord. the girl's funeral is today and the guy's is tomorrow. please join me in praying for a great peace for these families and friends.

as someone else said, we are all just passing through this world. it was just their time to go home. we all have to be ready and live each day glorifying our Lord and showing others the Love of Christ. this is our calling.

ANA

so, my dr. called to let me know the results of the 6 tubes of blood that he took. he said all of my hormone levels looks great, but there is one concern. he said my ANA level is in the high 30's and the normal ANA level is 7. he wants me to see a regular doctor and then we will go from there. a little concerned, but very thankful we could have a lead on the problem and thankful that he even tested my ANA levels. i have heard that it is rare for a dr. to test for this. i went into looking for a fertility doctor pretty blind since we are new to the area. and i am so thankful for a friend who suggested this doctor to me. i had faith that the Lord would bring us to the right doctor and i know that he is exactly what we need at this time. a little concerned, but very thankful! does anyone have experience with ANA levels?

chilly

it is only early September, and the weather here is already in the high 60's. I haven't experienced the high 60's before late November maybe ever. i am starting to panic a little that maybe my wardrobe is not ready for an actual Fall season. I am in major need of sweatshirts and wind jackets. rain boots. thick socks. sweaters. and hoodies. my closet goes from summer to a little bit of winter to spring. i think it is time to introduce fall to the closet. closet, this is fall. fall, this is closet. you will become very close.

paella

my parents spent two years in spain back in the early 80's. they always talk about those two years so fondly like it was the best time of their lives. their time there really reminds me of me and my husband's time we just spent in DC. i think spain means to them what DC means to us. because my parents' hearts are in spain, i feel very fondly towards the country as well. plus, i was conceived in spain. so, obviously it is a great country.


my parents are constantly trying to find great spanish paella dishes that are similar to what they ate in spain. and i've enjoyed joining in the hunt.

so far, my favorite restaurant paella is found at Cobalt in orange beach, alabama (http://www.cobaltrestaurant.net/). rich. moist. full of flavor and tastes like it has been slow cooking all day.

the other day, creativity came over me and i created my own paella recipe. it has been my favorite homemade paella recipe so far and it is really easy.



Andie's Paella

Ingredients
2 cups yellow rice
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
1/2 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 cups chopped asparagus
1 T lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine
1tsp paprika
2tsp parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 cup chicken stock - might need a little more

Directions
cook the rice according to directions. meanwhile saute onions, bell pepper, asparagus and garlic in olive oil on low. the goal is not to get the vegetables to cook fast, but to simmer slow so the vegetables absorb all of the flavors of the garlic and herbs. sprinkle with lemon juice, paprika, parsley, oregeno and salt and pepper. when the vegetables are almost done, on a separate burner pour the 1/2 cup wine in a saute pan and let boil till it is reduced. sprinkle a little paprika and salt and pepper on the shrimp then cook them in the wine till pink about 3-5 minutes. be careful to not overcook or they will be rubbery. combine shrimp wine mixture with the vegetables and toss in the yellow rice. gently toss everything together and add 1/4 cup chicken stock as you toss. you can use more or less depending on how moist you want your paella to be.

serve in a big pasta bowl. it hits the soul man. it hits the soul.

peach margarita

on our mini-vacay to branson a few weekends ago, i stumbled upon only the BEST drink i have ever had in my life. describing it as delicious does not even do it justice. i am so glad i took a picture of it. sometimes i just look at this picture and imagine what it tasted like and it makes me so warm and fuzzy inside.

now i am on a mission to find a good peach margarita recipe.

baby cheese

i just decided that when the Lord decides to give us children, i'm going to name all of them after cheese. brie and brinn if we have girls and colby and wellington if we have boys. we'll be a family of cheeses. glad the naming is over with. now just for the waiting...waiting for my little cheeses.


:)

Meal Plan - August 16

So, here is my dinner plan for this week...

1. home made pizza - one with bell peppers and one with 3 cheeses and arugula
2. macaroni goulash
3. cajun shrimp and rice
4. pot roast and mashed potato time!

i have been in the mood for soup....making some home made chicken soup right now. SO easy. just throw some carrots and onions in a pot and stir till tender. throw in 2 cloves of chopped garlic, a tomato chopped and about 2 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of water. salt and pepper and a bay leaf and 1/2 cup rice. cover and simmer till rice is done. just what the dr. ordered.

the final rose

I can not stop talking about "the bachelorette." i'm way too obsessed with my guilty pleasure. i think my hubby is SECRETLY loving it too. I THINK. he somehow ends up sitting in the living room with me every time it comes on. he'll probably make me delete what i said as soon as he reads this. haha.

here are some random thoughts:

1. the whole time i thought she was going to choose frank. and then when frank left, i thought that maybe she didn't choose anyone.

2. so, for the past 2ish weeks, i thought she didn't choose anyone. she just looked liked she had lost her fire.

3. chris lambton is serisouly the best choice. BUT i have never thought she would pick him. i have always viewed him as the guy who gets his heart broken. and i will be so mad.

4. i really didn't see a connection with roberto on the last episode. so, that made me think she didn't choose anyone.

5. but, in her radio interviews, she is acting like she didn't pick anyone. and this makes me think it's all a ploy to make us think she doesn't choose anyone. so....now i'm thinking maybe she does?

6. does anyone remember a few weeks ago in the previews, we heard roberto say that "he wasn't sure if he could be with anyone who wasn't positive about their relationship?" hmmm..........

7. someone made a point that in the previews they don't show ali with any "guy" at the end. normally they show the bachelor/ette talking to a body and you have to guess whose hands they are etc. but, not this time. is it because she doesn't even let them get out of the limo because she knows she doesn't want either of them? or is it all again just a ploy??

8. after all of this evidence, i am thinking ABC wants us to think she doesn't pick anyone. but, she really does. who? i just don't think she is crazy about chris, which is upsetting. she has always loooved roberto and thought he was too good for her. so, i'm thinking if she does pick someone, my guess is roberto.


we will soon know the ending. and then i will be counting down the days till the next bachelor/ette. it's so addictive. like sour patch kids. the red ones.

attack of the bug

this has nothing to do with food. just a fair warning.

last night, my husband and i went on a 9 o'clock frozen custard run. i mean....can you blame us. anyway, so the adventure begins AFTER the eating of the frozen custard. we pulled in to our condo and we got out and walked up to our door. all of a sudden 3 huge giant bee/lobster creatures began attacking us. literally. they swarmed around us with these awful screeching noise and starting squirting this liquid stuff all over ryan. we both RAN down the sidewalk and screamed things like "OMYGOSH (and not in the sexy usher way), and WHAT THE CRAP.

so we stood there about 50 feet away and watched these mammoth creatures until they calmed down. when they landed on the wall and stopped screeching ryan and i made a run for it in the house. that got them all upset again. but, this time we were too fast. we made it inside before they could hit us again.

needless to say ryan and i were traumatized. but, really the moral of this story is that some people really like bugs and have these particular creatures as a fun little plastic bug on their key chains. yes. last night we did our research and found out these beasts are called "cicadas." i cringe at the name. they live under the earth for decades and then "emerge" every few years.

but, what is really weird is that today i found TIME articles describing the "amazingness" of the cicada. i also found a website of a guy who loved cicadas so much that he bought plastic renderings of these evil bugs to use as a key chain. he so creatively posted a picture of the package it came in, which i placed at the beginning of this entry.

so, things we have learned:

1. God created a creature named a cicada.

2. they live in the ground then emerge and attack you and scream and squirt you with a nasty substance.

3. some weirdos actually LIKE these bugs. i will never associate with them. now when i meet people i will ask them "hi. what's your name? where are you from? do you have a cicada key chain?"

4. who knew that we lived in the amazon?

garlic chicken

one of my favorite foods in the summer is chicken. i just love to grill it and add fresh veggies on the side. it's fast, delicious and super healthy.

many times the days get so hot and humid, that the thought of eating ANYTHING besides grilled chicken and fresh tomatoes makes me nauseous.

so, since it's hot and humid, i'm in a chicken makin mood. my current favorite way to make it is using a seasoned garlic recipe.

Seasoned Garlic Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts
4 cloves garlic
half of a lemon's juice
2 - 4 T olive oil
1 T parsley
1 T thyme

(Adjust ingrdients to your taste)

take the garlic and beat it in a food processer then put the purated garlic in a small glass casserole dish. in the casserole dish, add the rest of the ingredients. mix it around with a fork take a knife or fork and pierce small holes in the chicken, so the marinade can get in the chicken. then place the chicken breasts in the dish. turn the chicken around till all the chicken is covered. cover the dish with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for as long as you have. the longer the better.

When ready, heat a iron skillet and grill chicken. or you can grill outside.

i am serving mine with fresh baked green beans tonight.

perfect summer dinner.

this also makes GREAT leftovers. put the chicken on a salad the next night and you've got two healthy meals in a row. marvelous.

time off

wow~ it's been AWHILE since i have posted. my parents came to visit us for a couple of weeks and now i am back in bama visiting friends and family while my man is in DC for some more training.

i have noticed so many things about the south that i never did before. i think living in the north and midwest for the past 6 months made me look at bama differently.

1. huge trucks with those 7 feet tall antennas. let's be honest. those antennas are just weird.

2. at a restaurant, when you say you want tea, you will get sweet tea unless you specify you want UN sweet tea.

3. women have everything put together. their kids match, they have monogrammed bags and make up on. even at the pool.

4. chicken fingers. everywhere.

i'm loving being here. will post more when i get back home.

golf

so, i just need to be honest and say that i am watching the u.s. open. my husband is not even here to encourage this behavior. i'm really very confused as to who i am. who am i? i am not sure at the moment. apparently a golf watcher. this is eerily similar to a fateful and awkward day that occurred a few years ago when i watched nascar. it happened only one time and has never happened since. and i don't really like talking about it because i am just so regretful of my behavior. we'll see what happens after today. this is probably just a "nascar" situation. i don't think i'll be home every sunday watching the golf channel.

the end.

watermelon

it is amazing how food can take you back to different experiences. just like how a certain song reminds you exactly how you felt when you were getting over a guy or dancing in the car with friends in college. i just opened my first watermelon of the summer and it takes me back to my summer spent at beach project and the summers with my family. and it is making me miss my parent's house! oh to be on their back porch with a big piece of watermelon and the lake in the backyard as our backdrop.

maybe one day, when i open my first watermelon years from now, it will remind me of this first summer when we just moved to our little condo in st. louis. yep. i'm going to eat so much watermelon this summer.i want to be reminded of this new and special time in our lives every single year.

Sweet Tea

I didn't realize how important this amazing beverage was until it wasn't as available anymore. I would like to make a correction to my previous post and say that sweet tea does live in st. louis. i wouldn't say that it is "alive and well." I would say it is "alive and on a heart monitor." But, it is alive. I found it at mcalisters (oh blessed sunday that it was found) and at mcdonalds. Although, this mcdonalds doesn't really know how to make it. but, whatever. it's $1 and does the job.

that's all i've got.

New "Home"

So, here we are!!! We just moved to our new city and i really feel like i am in this big daze. who knew i would ever live in the mid-west?? we are still unpacking our little condo...i'm having trouble feeling at home there because i know we will be buying a house in the next year. so, i really feel like this condo is temporary...which is kind of a bummer. i'm so ready to feel at "home." we haven't really been "home" since september. i don't know how much more of the vagrant lifestyle i can handle!

We have been here exactly 7 days today. I haven't really gotten out of our neighborhood yet...haven't needed to with trader joes, panera and target all 1 mile away. so, in the 7 days we have been here, these are some important notes...

1. bunnys roam around here like squirrels. it's like heaven.
2. everyone is SUPER nice. like really nice. i am very very impressed.
3. sweet tea is non-existent.
4. girls dress cute here, which is exciting since i love to dress up. in maryland, girls did NOT dress up and i stuck out way too much when i wanted to wear a sun dress. so, i had to "dress to mesh" and i hated it.
5. forever 21 is literally a mile away from my house. nuff said.


i made my first home made meal last night and it was DELICIOUS. I decided to make bbq pork quesadillas and avocado salad. i stole the avocado salad idea from the most amazing food network chef ever, Ina Garten.

BBQ Pork Quesadillas and Guacamole Salad

1. Put Pork Roast (any size will do. i used a 2 pound roast) in the crock pot. Cover with 2 cups barbeque sauce and 1/4 cup water. To keep it easy, you can use bottled sauce. Put on low for 8 hours. Eight hours later stir in 1 cup frozen corn. Let heat through.

Heat skillet on stove. Melt a little butter on skillet. Place one tortilla on skillet and cover with handful of grated cheddar cheese. Then put as much pork on tortilla as you would like. Cover with second tortilla and flip when done.


1. Chop 1/2 yellow bell pepper, 1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, 1/4 onion.
2. Mix in the zest of 1 lime and pepper and salt.
3. Mix in 1/2 can of black beans - drained and rinsed.
4. Mix in 1 avocado cubed.
5. In a separate bowl, juice the lime and whisk in about 1/4 cup olive oil along with a good amount of salt and pepper.
6. Toss the lime vinaigrette lightly into the salad.

Serve with the quesadillas.

Not-So-Good-For-You-But-Amazing-Spicy-Cheesy-Mac

I am adding a huge disclaimer before this recipe that it is NOT good for you. But, it is phenomenal and makes FANTASTIC leftovers. so good. Thanks to Chas Shannon who gave me the idea!

12-16 oz velveeta cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 can rotel or 1 cup salsa
2 chicken breasts
1 pint chopped grape tomatoes (optional)
box of macaroni noodles

Boil chicken breasts until done - Then shred the chicken
Combine velveeta, soup, broth, milk and rotel. Cook on low until bubbly and smooth.

In the meantime, cook macaroni until done and drain

Toss in tomatoes and shredded chicken and let cook for about 5 minutes. Then toss in macaroni and serve!!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD.

Bon Ami

The past couple of weeks, I have been so homesick for Jackson. even though living in jackson was one of the hardest times of my life (crazy work schedule, trying to make friends, night shift, police training, infertility, insane lonliness) i really miss it. and i think it is because that is the only place me and my husband have made a home together. that was our first newlywed city. and i miss being at "home."

today as i sat outside of a crazy huge mall in maryland, the flashing thought of bon ami in jackson graced my mind. THE BEST RESTAURANT IN JACKSON. if you haven't eaten there yet, please go. and you need to go at lunch. do not go at dinner. dinner is expensive and you can get the same food at lunch for a much cheaper price.

i just need to talk about their crab cake lunch for a second. it is the most succulent crab with amazing sauce over roasted peppers and zucchini. delicious. if you are not in the mood for crab, you have to get their shrimp remoulade. they put sauteed shrimp over crispy romaine lettuce with juice melon pieces, and they top it off with candied nuts. fantastic. oh! and i forgot about the berry tea! you have to get the berry tea! omygosh. amazing.

ok i am done now. i just needed to talk about it for a second. i feel better.

Shrimp Scampi

I think shrimp scampi gets a bad rep. a lot of times i don't make it because i think it is full of calories and so bad for me. but, it's really not. what really makes shrimp scampi so bad for you is the butter. solution: don't use it. it is really simple as that. you replace the butter with lots of olive oil and lemon juice to give the sauce it's flavor. you can even use whole wheat pasta to amp up protein and fiber.

here are the ingredients for shrimp scampi:

1 pound linguini (go whole wheat for better health benefits)
1/4 onion minced - onions contain flavanoids, which help vitamin C function. It also helps with cardiovascular problems.
4 cloves garlic minced - garlic is high in manganese, vitamin c, and vitamin b6 - it also helps with cardiovascular issues.
3/4 to 1 pound shrimp - high in vitamin D, B12, and iron. 4 0z of shrimp provide over 20 grams of protein
1 cup white wine - its just good. and better than butter.
juice of 1 lemon - lemons contain high amounts of vitamin C
3 T of olive oil - good source of monounsaturated fats and vitamin E
1 cup peas - high in vitamin K, manganese, vitamin C, fiber, vitamin B1 and folate
reserve 1 cup pasta water
salt and pepper

1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil till softened
2. Put in shrimp and saute till done about 5 or 6 min. take out the shrimp and cover to keep warm
3. add wine and lemon juice and olive oil- let boil and give it time to reduce- salt and pepper to taste
4. add cooked linguini and shrimp to sauce
5. toss with 1 cup reserved pasta water, frozen peas (they will cook from the heat of the sauce)fresh parsley and handful of parmesan if desired

see- shrimp scampi can be GOOD for you! shocking! this news will change your life!;)

Staples

as i am standing here making spaghetti sauce and listening to justin timberlake, i realized that i everything i needed for the sauce was already in my pantry and is ALWAYS in my pantry. what does it say about me that on my weekly grocery list, tomatoes and garlic are the norms just like milk and bread? i apparently am always ready for a spaghetti dinner! it got me thinking about what my "staples" say about me. here are the top 10 foods that i always keep on stock.


1. tomatoes
2. garlic
3. pasta (linguine, penne, fettuccine, macaroni...always have to be ready for my continuous pasta craving)
4. whipping cream
5. romaine lettuce
6. caesar dressing
7. hidden valley ranch
8. cranberry juice
9. parmesan cheese
10. salsa and chips


i want to know...what are your staples?

Avocado

i am going to do a whole post on the glorious and buttery avocado.

we have a friend here whose mom lives in california and has a .....wait for it....avocado tree. do what? yes, an avocado TREE. a tree that bears avocado. lots of them. every day waiting to be picked and so succulently devoured. she was so kind to send our friend LOTS of them. and that meant we got a whole lot too. A HUGE THANK YOU to said friend.

in order to celebrate the first day i did NOT have to wear a wool coat outside, i made chili. i know this makes no sense because chili is often associated with winter and cold weather. but, i did. so anyway, i opened one of these said gorgeous avocados and my mouth has never tasted anything so buttery and delicious. i made the BEST guacamole i have ever eaten and i can not wait to have an avocado sandwhich for lunch tomorrow and avocado on crackers and avocado on salad and avocado on a spoon.

Andrea's Guacamole Dip

1 avocado (preferrably picked fresh from an avocado tree)
1 tomato chopped
1 Tbl of fresh lime juice (preferrably picked from a lime tree. ok i'm taking this too far)
2 Tbl of sour cream
1/4 onion finely chopped
salt and pepper

me and my avocados are going to bed now. night!

i heart good food

when i was little, i played "pretend" every day and all day. I don't think i stopped playing "pretend" until i was 14. this is weird, i know. i would play mommy, hotel and library, but my favorite of all "pretends" was restaurant. i would create a menu and wait on all my tables.

as i grew up, i never lost my passion for playing restaurant and i secretly carried a desire to be a waitress. i finally got my chance to work at a white table cloth restaurant when i was a senior in college...i have worked with a governor and an engineering firm, but my favorite of all jobs was definitely this one. hands down.

i had to learn a whole new language of words like grey goose, haricot verts, parpadelle, straight up and gnocchi. since the restaurant only had about 15 employees, i was able to become friends with the owners. he would create a new recipe of duck or braised short ribs and ask me to try it before he put it on the menu. the waiters had half off the menu, so every night after work i would eat shrimp pasta, spinach salad with goat cheese or escargot and bread for dinner. needless to say, this spoiled me.

i learned that a good dining experience is really like an art. the manager really took me under her wing and taught me how to give the diners the best possible experience. i worked at perfecting it as much as i could. and nights when i ruined it by spilling water on a guest or accidentally throwing away someone's dinner that they wanted me to box up made me cringe.

it was during this time that my love for food flourished. i started watching food network and emulating different giada recipes for my parents. i also became obsessed with finding restaurants that served "real" food. i discovered that so many restaurants warm up frozen dinners, put them on a plate, charge 15 dollars and call it a day.

life pressed on and today i am not a waitress; i do not own a restaurant or anything of the like. but, i am constantly cooking and searching for new recipes to try while creating my own variations.

i also am eating out. a lot. i am constantly reading magazines that contain restaurant reviews like they are a mystery novel.

somehow me and my husband found ourselves with a job opportunity that allows us to travel to new cities we've never been before. and we are taking advantage of it. to me, you get to know a city by the people and the food that is in it.

i am having the time of my life being my own barefoot contessa and anthony bourdain and making wonderful and delicious memories. very blessed.