Art, Art, Art

The first place we toured in China was the Shanghai Expo. I really like it because there were lots of paintings and lots of culture there. I loved the design of the building. What a piece of art itself!

Anthony's Lunch

I packed another lunch today. This is getting to be quite fun. For Anthony, I sent a sandwich, some corn chips to change it up, and some cashews with dried cranberries since we are out of protein bars.

Carbonara Light after Class

So tonight I sauteed some bacon pieces in olive oil then added yogurt and salsa.  Next, I poured water, a bag of frozen peas, and a box of whole wheat thin spaghetti into the pot. I put the lid on our dinner to bring it to a boil. I really am not a huge fan of whole wheat pasta, but I eat it sometimes because it's healthy. To me, it tastes kind of like cardboard, but I was hoping that between the bacon and salsa something would give the pasta some flavor. I just figured I'd let the concoction cook on the stove awhile while I waited for Anthony to get back from class. I tried a bite at one point, and it still needed a lot of something or some things. I added cayenne, salt, Parmesan, and minced garlic before again putting the lid on it. When we sat down to eat I was pleasantly surprised that Carbonara Light was a success.

Asian Noodles

For lunch I made Asian noodles. Today I combined ramen noodles, beef seasonings packet, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable oil, chicken lunch meat, garlic cloves, fresh corn, water, gourmet cucumbers, and lollo rossa lettuce. Anthony and I really enjoyed the dish. The mellow flavors really reminded us of being in China this summer. The chicken lunch meat reminded us of tofu; the lettuce reminded us of bok choy, and Worcestershire sauce has a slight fish flavor. Read the label. Did you know that anchovies are listed as an ingredient?

Cajun Fish & Vegetables

I was planning to make fried fish and potatoes but at the last minute I switched to cajun. I'm sure cajun was much healthier. I loved the steamed vegetable medley I created to accompany the fish and potatoes. Anthony added buffalo ranch to his potatoes.

Botanical Gardens, Huntsville, AL

My Gramma has definitely instilled in me a love for flowers. It was tradition every year to go the Botanical Gardens when we would visit Gramma in Alabama. It was also tradition to go to Longwood Gardens, PA when Gramma would come to visit us. What a great way for a girl to learn her flower varieties. Further, my Gramma had beautiful gardens of her own and would bring us dug up samplings of them including perrenials, bulbs, seeds, etc. Some of the memorable and fun ones were Four O'Clocks, Spider Plants/ Cleome, Lamb's Ear, Purple Salvia, Black Eyed Susans, Missouri Primrose, and more. She helped each of us 3 grand kids dig a small garden each of our own. Here are some pics of a trip to the Huntsville Botanical Gardens that my Gramma and I took one fall:

Charleston, SC

Not too long ago Anthony and I went away to Charleston for a weekend. We had a lot of fun. It's been nice to get some local travel in as well as world travel, i.e. China before our baby arrives in October.

Lake Hartwell, SC

Here are some pictures of Anthony and I at Lake Hartwell after many rains. The lake was different and beautiful with the high water. At one section the entire beach was under water.

Burritos & Pumpkin Bread

Sometimes when you are sick you just have to take it easy, and so I resorted to the freezer. I pulled a loaf of pumpkin bread this morning. When dinner time rolled around I pulled a couple burritos from the shelf on the inside of my freezer door. Five minutes later a warm cozy dinner for two was all set and ready to eat. Maybe not the most nutritious ever but we enjoyed it.

Soup & Salad

Today I have a sore throat so we had soup again for lunch. Yes, it was another glorified can of chicken noodle soup. This time I added leftover veggies from a meal I made the other day- sausage and vegetables. In the pan I also put the rest of a can of corn which was leftover from making bbq chicken pizza. I cut the large veggies in half to make them soup size and brought the mix to a boil. Then I let the soup simmer while I prepared half sandwiches for Anthony and I. We had chicken lettuce sandwiches which I customized. My sandwich had spicy mustard and pickles to aid my breathing. Anthony's had yummy dairy which I chose to avoid today because of my cough. He enjoyed his habanero cheese and his ranch salad dressing for a condiment.

BBQ Chicken Pizza Lunch Date

At church this morning I began thinking, hmm, I could make barbecue chicken pizza for lunch. I just wasn't sure if we still had barbecue sauce in the fridge, and if we did, if it was still good. Upon arriving home and searching the fridge I discovered some delicious and ready to use barbecue sauce. I began piling ingredients on the island.

I am so thankful that my Gramma bought us a bread machine for a wedding shower present. I love using it to make doughs, especially pizza and knots. I quickly threw ingredients into the bread machine canister only to realize I was a little short on flour. Reaching down in the cupboard I pulled the corn meal thinking it could substitute. For some reason, the bread machine error light came on. The dough had not risen yet. I unplugged the machine hoping to restart it. After plugging it back in the same light and frozen computer screen reappeared. I added more cornmeal to thicken the goop so I could remove it from the bottom of the canister. I added and added cornmeal. Turned out to be one of my favorite pizzas that I have made!