Cook Shmook

So I have been traveling (and lazy) and haven't exactly made anything new or notable. However according to my phone I've been eating and taking photos of miscellaneous things, like how a storm took the stucco (how do you spell that? I think i've been using the 'student council' abbreviation since junior high.. hmmm) off the back of my parents house. That stuff is supposed to be bullet proof!

John in his own beginner cooking adventures, decide to substitute plain macaroni noodles when the recipe called for rice (or so he thought)... When he wondered why there was no flavor, it was because the recipe was actually using the ingredient below. Cooking Fail.

I sent my sister a picture of this dress to confirm if it had her stamp of approval. Too bad when I actually wore it my strapless bra was ever shifting towards the visible center and kind of ruined the effect of looking nice/classy. Underwear Fail.

Bret and John had birthdays YAY 29!

The Royals haven't been doing so hot, but the weather was fabulous at the game and the beer was cold. No fail in my opinon.

I made a trip back to my alma matter for giving out an alumni scholarship, and I got to see my godfather and my favorite furniture store ever!

Alisa was hands down the classiest, most sophisticated girl in her entire school's prom. Obviously I'm biased, but some of the others have visible underwear lines and so much tacky bling it would blind elton John. She was in brown strapless with some silver sequin pattern. Take my word for it, beauteous!

I also saw my BFF from high school..... in all her glory.

Got some MONSTER bananas from sam's club.

And went to Baltimore for work. I sat outside staring at the harbor at sunset at M&S Grill, and my life was complete! Holy scallops in butter!

The strawberry/spinach salad had nuts with some sort of SPICY seasoning. Yummy flavor combo. I nixed the red onions though, bleh)

The waiter talked me into the tiny dessert which happened to be a miniature version of McCormick's chocolate box. I died and went to heaven. Best decision I ever made.

While working, I had some of the food that was provided. This particular conference was environmentally friendly and therefore had organic and healthy food AWESOME! Below is some sort of roast beef on polenta, grilled vegetables, and chicken/bruschetta. Yum.

We went out one night and had steamed muscles.

Not those muscles. Oh brother.

We sampled the local beer (the brother, above, is a pseudo local there). It was he kind of beer that had riddles in the cap..... we couldn't get any of them. Clever fail.

On my way out of town I got a tuna steak at the airport. EPIC Fail for every reason you can imagine.

The high school graduate, looking aloof and disiniterested. Good preparation for college and her early twenties.

The parents had 50 people in town for my sister's graduation (sorry no crowd pictures, I didn't steal any photos from Dad's camera like I usually do). Food aunt Anne prepared some YUMMY meals! P.S. that Sam's club chipotle slaw is phenomenal. I'm bringing that the next time I go anywhere and plan to claim all creative rights to it.

Aunt Theresa made her fabulous and creative cookies... matching all of Alisa's activities. FFA, FCCLA, lifeguarding, pigs (eye roll), Relay for Life, and other delicous additions. It pays to stay in school.

I was waving all of my Alisa flair, cheering, and attempting a photo with no zoom. She's the tiny one on stage in white.

And last and definitely least... the photo I sent to my sister yesterday as she had her first day of interning in my brother's office in DC, and I was attempting to recap to her the terrible acting/singing happening at the LLanview Prom over my lunch break (that's One life to Live for those of you without Soapnet or with lives).

Leaving for Los Angeles in T minus 4 hours!

45 people, 38 forks

WHEW what a weekend. Minus the 12 hours in the car, not so much getting my homework completely finished and waking up this morning in a sleep-like state hating any and all vermin (groundhogs seeing their shadow), alarm clocks, school, and the universe in general... this was a pretty great weekend. My mom's family is hilarious, and wonderful, and loud, and ridiculous. I freaking love them all. After work Friday I made a few stops at party supply stores and fabric stores and then I was able to make it to my sister's basketball game in time to watch her cheer the last quarter. Isn't she adorable?She learned it by watching me (or so i've been telling her for 17 years). So up at the crack of dawn the next day we made it to Grandmas in time to costume ourselves for Grandma's birthday party. Before cancer plagued our family, she had been planning to visit Hawaii this year (quite the world traveler she is... she has been to every country i can think to name, seriously)... so what else would we do than throw a Luau in January.

Because my sister and I had a song and dance routine (really, would you expect anything less?) we wore matching fabric worn different ways..... a la destiny's child. Planned? you'd think. Everyone's costumes were great. My personal favorite was Sara who put a cream blush on her face (except around her eyes) to have a sun burn with her swimsuit and hula skirt. HA! loved it. My grandma wore a cute sundress that my GREAT grandma had worn when she visited Hawaii a million years ago. How cool is that? She looked great too and had a pretty flower in her hair and cute sandals on. Definitely the least tacky of us all. There were board shorts, swim suits, coconut bras, extremely loud shirts, flowered leis, hair pieces, straw hats, and sunglasses a plenty. Do we know how to theme or what?

Mom and dad looking festive. Note to self, when you challenge your 10 year old cousins to limbo: they.will.win. I have the bruises to show for it. Also hardwood floor hurts, despite only falling 2 feet. food for thought.

The eats were tropically appropriate, and of course delicious! Among others, my aunt Anne and aunt Trish used these recipes: Pomegranate Balsamic Pork Roast and Asian Slaw. That slaw was the big time hit of the party, people we even asking for it for breakfast the next morning! Pictured below is my Aunt Lori mixing in the dressing for the shredded greens. Oh yeah, and better get in line for the food, because there were not enough forks to go around.... you snooze you lose!!

In between the fresh fruit, smoothie bar, gazillion amazing deserts my aunt Marilyn made, the professional themed and amazing sugar cookies from aunt Teresa, I was pretty stuffed. Anne, the hostest with the mostest, threw in some yummy spanikopita for fun too.

FRUIT! I was in heaven.

Cookies! The heaven continues. Dad = Vanna white. Did I mention how last week he told me he didn't think he was featured on here enough? There you go daddio :)

Smoothie Bar! Theresa borrowed a VitaMix blender (I get the food world's obsession, I feel like that thing has more power than a lawn mower) Complete with fruit garnish, tiny umbrellas, and enough taste to make a brain freeze totally worth it.

What a fun day. I was out like trout. I didn't even stay awake for SNL. It worked out okay though because the shower the next day was fabulous of course. They had special M&M's made with their names and the wedding date. How cute!

Guess what? MORE themed cookies!!! soooooooooooooo good. Check the bride and groom cookies, with wedding ring and wedding cakes.

We even played Sheila & Greg Jeopardy. Good thing I was helping to facilitate, I was no good at the answers.... despite the fact Sheila is my aunt/godmother/birthday twin. Shouldn't I know her best? party foul. Special points to my dad's team (with uncle john, aunt collette, cousin nick, and anne for having the funniest comeback of the day)

Before we left town Aunt Anne (who has spent a lifetime in various professional culinary fields and as far as I'm concerned, knows everything) gave me a fruit tutorial. There was so much leftover from the party that she gave me an entire bucket's worth to bring home to eat (at this very minute I'm eating some at my desk). We were dicing Papaya (bleh, overrated), and Mango (also overrated), Starfruit (kiwi's more expensive, prettier, inferior red-headed step child), and Pineapple. There was even a coconut that she gifted me which was TOTALLY going to be a project this week (since you have to use hammers/chainsaws/wreckingballs/whatnot to try to open it). However in my late night dark unpacking of the fruit, I accidentally threw the rest of the bag away! I literally woke up in the middle of the night with this realization. Boo! Sorry

Anne. I am resolved to purchase another one. Stay tuned.

Also apparently there was a superbowl?? Just kidding. I was driving almost the entire time it was on, but more than anything I'm sad I missed the opportunity for snack food/dips and a special hour long office.

And now.......... work. and six more weeks of winter. Is anyone else really sick of their winter clothes? All of this fruit and Luau-ness made me OVER the weather right now. Stupid groundhog.

Caution: gratuitous and shameless materialism happening over here

Hmmmm apparently cooking was the theme of this christmas. This is probably the first year since I stopped collecting barbies where I did not receive any articles of clothing or footwear. Does this make me an adult? I sure hope not. Anyway I got all kinds of fabulous things I am SO excited to put to good use (did someone say puree? sauces? brand spanking new recipes?? internship at martha stewart and my own book deal? a made for tv movie about the rags to culinary riches former foot model.. lauren? .. based on a true story). Santa delivered a double broiler, full size food processor, several cook books (ellie krieger, a 'brain food' book and 2 copies of SB in the kitch... are they telling me something?) and some other miscellaneous goodies.

For our christmas eve dinner we started what will probably be a new tradition... TAPAS! Who doesn't like to eat finger food anyway?? We had a few courses which included crudites/dip tray, crab stuffed mushrooms, veggie pizzas, mozzarella/basil/tomato salad skewers, garlic bread with cream cheese and pesto, mini green bean casseroles (not so Spanish but requested by my sister), and a few other Delicious concoctions which appear to have escaped my memory. It was perfect: a little comfort, a little fancy, and without the food-induced-coma which usually accompanies a rich holiday meal. (plenty of that happened the rest of the weekend)

I told my dad he'd be in the picture........ what did he do? turn around. sheesh. After our family's christmas we headed to Iowa to meet my mother's enormous, hilarious, loud, chaotic, and fabulous family. The best part? hands down my aunt theresa's sugar cookie trays. She could start her own cookie company, these are to die for.

After a buffet of amazing mashed potatoes and assorted delicious salads and sides (not to mention the prime rib that was served!) we were on to the next best holiday tradition... the always funny white elephant exchange. Though nothing can top when my dad got the susan lucci autographed picture (circa late 80s) signed to the favorite 'sister' of the family (which enacted the 'stealing' rule at the white elephant exchange).. hilarity-wise, this year did not disappoint. Here is my mom holding up the shoe phone she received. Apparently sports illustrated mass produced these puppies in the 80s. Nice, eh?

The next day we headed to my cousins Matt and Alana's adorable house to play a little Wii. My dad is so hip.. and not broken-hip. Don't even get me started on how he beat ALL of us in the hula hoop Wii game.

They were better than I was... exhibit A.

And now I present........ something that will make my mother want to kill me. Years and years ago my dad decided to sneak something in to her beautiful nativity scene. Anybody catch the dracula head hidden in the straw? hahahahah..... a favorite holiday tradition.

I hope every one's holiday was amazing!

Are we there yet?

Who has to work on Christmas eve? me, that's who. Little does my employer know that I am completely worthless on days like today (something that begins in elementary school where the day before Christmas break all you do is have crazy sugar rushes from holiday treats and watch tim allen santa movies). My brother is in town and will arrive here at work within the hour so we can whisk away to our parents house (driving ever so carefully in the fresh snow that is everywhere from last night) ..were the festivities/joy/hilarity/wonderfulness can commence upon our arrival. I can't wait!!!! Last night I was trying to cram in baking and producing treats for my boss and a few extra for John's family. I was unhappy with the presentation (after all, isn't it ALL about the presentation??) but after running around to a million craft/grocery/misc. stores over the past week and having some gift bag induced stress, I just decided to go with this. It turned out okay but still wasn't quite what I had in mind. Note to self: stop trying to be a perfectionist. The food was good though, I made chocolate covered pretzels and peppermint bark. YUM.

The peppermint bark was from this recipe. Take note all martha wannabes (ahem, jaclyn) because the hungry housewife blog is ridiculously crafty. It makes me wish I had PTO meetings and other things where I could display said craftiness. Okay, not really but you know what I mean. I layered dark chocolate (whipped with cream and peppermint extract) with white chocolate and had some crushed candy canes on top. REALLY good if I do say so myself!

And now I present..... a foodshoesbooze special feature, a guest picture of food spot. John and I have cooked dinner together the past few nights (me = baking and doing other miscellaneous tasks, john = focusing on the meal at hand). He told me I could take a picture of the meal if I promise to give him credit. My compliments to the chef, the ever so talented John. The other night we had sauteed green beans, a salmon Florentine roll from the meat counter at the grocery store (spinach, red peeper, cream cheese? it was amazing), and a salad of mixed greens.

Last night we used a couple of the steaks that I received for the Holidays from work. (bonuses? we don't need no stinking bonuses!) He found a wine sauce with which to marinate both the steak (broiled) and some sliced portabellas. REALLY good. Also we had some spaghetti squash and more mixed greens.

It was WAY too much food, but a worthy indulgence.

MERRY CHRISTMAS. I hope your time with your family is as amazingly fun as I know mine will be.... a perk of having the greatest family ever. Drive safe, if applicable. Here's wishing you get all the shoes, and cooking related gifts that you wanted........... and remember to take it easy on the nog. :)