I Puffy Heart Free Stuff

Last month Erin mentioned President Brie Log. I'd never seen it before so I commented that I would like to try it. So last week, someone in their PR department contacted me about send me a brie log for free. I love free stuff so I said sign me up.
Here's what arrived:
I was really surprised to find this bag full of goodies!

Aside from the cheese:
There was this Mango Chutney.And Carr's Crackers to go with it all!
I'm quite pleased with the brie log. It's just like the regular brie but in a more convenient shape. I have not tried the chutney, so I will report back when I do.
As you can see, I don't accept advertising on my blog. I think of you guys as my friends so I wouldn't accept money to tell you how much I like something. Now, if I get more free goodies, I'll definitely let you guys know and let you know how I liked them.

Beef Stroganoff Again!

After I made beef stroganoff the other week, Cindy emailed me about her mom's beef stroganoff. She offered me the recipe so I made it again using Cindy's recipe. So here with her permission (of course) is her mom's recipe:

Beef Stroganoff

2 lbs. ground beef (more or less)

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 stalks celery, chopped

1 can chicken broth

salt & pepper (to taste)

garlic powder (to taste)

2 bay leaves

Tabasco sauce (1-2 dashes)

1 bag medium egg noodles

16 oz. sour cream (reduced fat if you want, I prefer the real stuff)

1. Brown and drain the beef. Put back in the pot over medium-low heat.

2. Add the onion, celery, chicken broth, and seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaf, tobasco). (side note: I'm not sure why my mom uses chicken broth, I'm sure beef would probably be fine, I think it's just a flavor preference.)

3. Let all that stuff simmer until the onion and celery are cooked way down and soft - like until the onion is basically clear. Maybe 20-30 minutes? Something like that.

4. In a separate pot, cook your egg noodles. (That's the trickiest part for me, timing it so the egg noodles and meat are both done at the same time!)

5. Add your sour cream to your meat mixture, then stir until it's heated evenly. (Make sure it doesn't boil.)

6. Serve up your egg noodles with the meat and sauce on top. Pluck out those bay leaves before serving!

Here's what it looked like for me:
Cindy thinks her mom got this out a magazine so if it looks familiar to you, that's why. Tai and I liked it. I would cut back on the chicken broth because it was slightly too runny for me. And I added mushrooms cause Tai loves them. But a great weeknight meal. Thanks, Cindy!

Tagged!

Rachel tagged me last week to share some details about myself.

First of all, here are the deets:
1. Link to the person that tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

So here are 6 random facts about me:

1. I have always thought of myself as a writer. When I was little I used to make up stories. In high school I write fan faction (despite not knowing that's what it was called). I always wanted to write as my career, but never have. I start writing some-a story-but always get hung up about half way through. I've taken some writing classes but never finished anything since high school.

2. I'm scared of clowns. I blame "Send in The Clowns" for making me not like them and Poltergeist for making me afraid of them. It's called coulrophobia.

3. I have never left North America. This is something I've long wanted to remedy. I've never had a passport, but I'm going to get one in 2009. Tai has never left this continent either. We're both eager to go somewhere.

4. Every so often, I can't eat meat, so I go vegetarian for a while. I can't explain it. Meat just won't taste good so I stop eating it. Tai likes tofu so he doesn't mind. I can't stay permanently vegetarian though. I've tried it. It just doesn't work for me.

5. I've ridden an elephant. I was talking about this to Tai and his former boss so it's fresh in my mind. When I was little, they brought an elephant to a nearby mall. Mom took me and I sat on the elephant while she took a few steps. Probably totally horrifying now-something akin to animal abuse. But no one thought anything of it then.

6. I've seen over 100 hundred concerts so far. My parents took me to my first concert-the Beach Boys. The latest one I saw was Foo Fighters a few days before the wedding. None planned for 2009 yet. It's getting hard for me to pick since I've seen so many. I'd still like to see Metallica though.

So, I tag:
Jules
Becky
Jennifer
Lisa
Linda
Cindy

Stress Reliever

It's the holiday season and this year they are more stressful than usual. I'm always trying to do more in less time during the holidays. Then there's the matter of the crappy economy. And last week Tai got laid off. We really needed that. Such a lovely holiday gift!
So I've been doing my stress relieving activity more than normal. And yes I can share this one with you! I turn on my favorite songs and dance around the living room.I dance like no one is watching because no one is watching. Tai's usually at the gym when I do this. I crank my favorites and dance my pants off.
My current favorites are:


I can recommend both of these for stress relieving dancing. It's fun to be silly. It certainly helps me!

Gift Ideas Under $30

Every year we have a gift exchange with some of our friends. It's like a white elephant, but most of the gifts are gifts you'd want. We have to start looking for what we are going to give this year. I'd like to keep it with a ecological twist. I plan to use recyclable bags as the wrapping. I know these Sigg bottles are the rage. So this is a maybe. I like this design. Very cool.Or how about this statuette. She's hand carved by teens in Hanoi to keep them off the streets. I like her cool meditative pose.
Or how about an LED flashlight? At work we keep talking about emergency preparedness. It's always good to have a couple of flashlights around in case of a power outage.
Or a sushi kit? We have a couple of people who have multiple food allergies. It makes it difficult for them to get out to restaurants where they can eat safely.
Whatever we wind up getting we're going to make sure we get something we want too. Just in case ;)

Plus size wedding dresses

As we learned the other day, brides still find my blog. I'm not really in wedding mode anymore. Honestly I'm so glad mine is all over. But wedding things still catch my eye. Like this wedding dress designer for plus sized girls.
Photos found here. Definitely very flattering. Especially the top left one. And I don't like sleeves on dresses. I wish I would have seen this when I planning my wedding. It's nice to have another option.

Carne Asada and Homemade Tortillas

I bought this gorgeous piece of strip steak the other day to make fajitas but changed my mind and made carne asada instead. I marinated it when I got home for work but life intervened and I didn't cook the steak til the next day. Fail, I know! But the meat was super soft and not mushy at all. I would not recommended it but it didn't ruin my meal.
And what are those pathetic discs on the side? Homemade tortillas I whipped up almost as an afterthought. We buy tortillas but sometimes we don't use them before they go bad. I found this super simple tortilla recipe and gave it a try. Tai was a litte skeptical, but deemed them ok. I will definately try to make them again.

#300

Does it seem like we were at 100 posts just a few weeks ago? And now we're here at 300! I just blew through 200 posts like that. In 10 short months. I'm shocked.
So let me thank those who direct people to my little site:
Cindy, Sabrina, Jenna, Daisy's Favorite Things, the ladies at Elizabeth Anne Designs, GlamourThis, Rachel, A Bride In the Making, Manolo For The Brides, Tara, Jennifer, Darci, Tiffany, Tina, Dream Weddings On A Budget, Erica, FatFree Vegan, Don't Be That Bride, Laura, Confessions of A Foodie Bride, Weddingbee, Jessy, Jules, and Erin.

Top 10 Searches to find me were:
Fall weddings
Hydrangea bouquet(s)
Jimmy Choos
Barn Wedding
Celebrity Weddings
Pinks Wedding Dress
Fall Centerpieces
Must Take Wedding Photos
Brown Bridesmaids
Pretty shoes

My favorites though are:
"dance grade 8 shuffle"-was someone looking for ideas on how?
"brown match red bridesmaid gown"-huh? looking for brown to match a red bridesmaid gown?
"bangs poof one"-WTF?
"Preppy tattooed" -if you find this show me.
"is finesse shampoo gluten free"-Idk. I did a little, quick research and you can't absorb gluten through your skin so if you are a celiac I think shampoo is safe.
So here's to another 300 and beyond. Hope you stick around for the journey!

Currently....

using
As an early holiday gift Tai bought me this heated mattress pad. I tend to get cold and I like to have the heat on but Tai likes it to be a little cold at night. This mattress pad has dual controls so I can be warm and Tai can stay chilly.

buying
I'm not a fan of white wine. I prefer red so I never white on hand when I'm making a dish. So I found these as a perfect solution. I don't have to waste an entire bottle on a 1/4 of cup.

watching

We watched this last night. One of the best graphic novel movies I've ever seen. It felt like a comic book. We were able to rent in blu-ray since we now have a PS3. Such a gorgeous picture! I want to be Angelia Jolie. She's superbad ass in this movie.

wantingI saw these in the LL Bean catalog. I definitely think they'd come in handy during the icy season. Might help me not fall. Anyone have these?

Tastes Better Than It Looks

The other day, Tai asked me to make beef stroganoff. I've never made or had beef stroganoff before so I had to do some research and find a suitable recipe. So I found this pretty basic recipe and made this:
It's not a lot too look at. Kind of a giant white blob but it was yummy. Tai loves mushrooms so he definitely liked this dish. And yes I made it with real sour cream. Tai's been taking some acidophilus pills that have really helped his lactose intolerance. I made those yummy brussel sprouts again. They are a hit!

Book Meme

What was the last book you bought?

Devil and the White City

Name a book you have read MORE than once

Gone With the Wind, Scarlett, House of Mirth

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Read my review here.

How do you choose a book? eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews

I usually read books by author's that I've read before. Or if an author I like writes a foreword or recommends the book. I also love book recommendations from friends.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?

I usually read fiction but sometimes I pick up non-fiction.

What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot?

A gripping plot. I love a book I can't put down.

Most loved/memorable character (character/book)

Lilly Bart (House of Mirth)- such a tragic character. One reason I read the book over and over again.

Scarlett O'Hara (Gone With The Wind, Scarlett)-I loved her as a young girl. I wanted to move to Atlanta and become a debutante.

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?

Aesop's Fables

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?

Breaking Dawn. I finished it last week.

Have you ever given up on a book half way in?

Yup. Sometimes it's just not going to work.

Yummy Ramen!

No, not this ramen.
This ramen.
Tai loves ramen. In LA there are ramen shops everywhere. Here not so much. The Uwajimaya near our house serves ramen. Not bad as good as Samurai Noodle but not too bad. But I wanted to learn to make ramen at home so we can have it when ever we want.
After a couple of failed attempts I decided that I would have to get some help. I found these at Uwajimaya:Here's Tai's:
Made with the miso. I added roasted pork (that I made the night before), a hard boiled egg, green onions and nori. This one is mine:
I made mine with tofu, a hard boiled egg, and green onion. The broth is right on. I will definitely be buying this again. The thing I love about ramen is that's very customizable.
Oh, this stuff is nothing like Top Ramen. It's so much better. The miso broth is like fish soup and the tonkotsu is a pork broth. As you can see it's not clearish like the top ramen. It's meaty like a meal. I do keep the Top Ramen on hand though. Tai likes to make soups and will use that as a base. I like the noodles so I use them in soups.

A Challenge

I found this list of 1001 Books You Must Read and decided to tackle it. Before starting the list I've read 29 (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Life of Pi, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Robber Bride, Jazz, Beloved, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Song of Solomon, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Bluest Eye, In Cold Blood, Franny and Zooey, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, The Little Prince, Gone With the Wind, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Hobbit, Billy Budd, The Age of Innocence, The House of Mirth, The Turn of the Screw, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Wuthering Heights, Frankenstein, Oliver Twist, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility) of them. And I've tried to read 7 (The Poisonwood Bible, The Bonfire of the Vanities, Love in the Time of Cholera, Cold Comfort Farm, The Great Gatsby, Women in Love, Sons and Lovers) of them so I'll have attempt again.
There are tons of books on the list I've always wanted to read but never got around to it. This list will definitely force to read them! I've put the first book on hold. I'm starting at the bottom with Aesop's Fables. I'll keep you informed on my progress.

Nesting

Lately, I've been feeling like decorating (not just for the holidays) and cleaning our little home. Probably part of settling into being married and the weather. I've been slowly cleaning up the clutter and trying to get rid of the excess. What's left, I've been trying to make look nice.
I've had this painting for over year and I just put it up the other day. I was hemming and hawing about where to put it but I decided that the bedroom was fine. I can always move it later if need be. I have 2 other walls in the bedroom that need something too. I'll be keeping my eye out for something for over the bed and the wall opposite. I'm no good at finding things and I probably need Tai to help me. Unfortunately he doesn't have a lot interest in the little things. But I want things to look nice and homey.
We have a pile of boxes and other "homeless" crap that I'd love to get rid of so I can put another bookshelf up. But I'm slowly running out of room since there's only so much space and my intent is to declutter not clutter. I want to get some stuff put away so I can pull out the holiday decorations and not make it look worse!

Thankful

When I was a kid, Mom would want us to say everything we were thankful for before we ate dinner. This was my least favorite part about Thanksgiving. I would plead to get out of it, but Mom held her ground. So I would always say something lame like I'm thankful the Cowboys are losing or attempt to go first to use the perennial favorite I'm thankful for our health.
But I'm learning the merits of expressing gratitude. So here is what I am thankful for this year in no particular order.

Tai, my beloved husband. I'm so thankful that I have him in my life. He calms me, makes me laugh, and supports me through everything. I'd be lost without him.

My dad. He was a trooper through the wedding. Despite the loss of my mother he tried to make our Houston trip as painless as possible. He's a tremendous source of inspiration to me.

My brother. I'd been estranged from my brother for several years before my wedding. I sent an invite to him on lark hoping that he hadn't moved. He did but the invite got forwarded. He sent us a gift and started talking to me and Dad again. Tai got to meet him when we were in Houston. I'm so glad to have my big brother back!

My friends. The awesomest ladies in the world. I'm so grateful to have found friends that I can rely on. I really needed them through the wedding and then when Mom passed. I didn't need to test their friendship, but it certainly held up!

This blog and those I've met through it. I never thought I would make friends and be inspired by total strangers. Thank you for making me keep coming back for more.

Have a great day everyone. Enjoy the food, family and friendship!

Ow!

I'm not an accident prone person. I don't stumble and fall frequently. I've yet to break a bone (knock on wood). I rarely fall and injure myself. The only place I'm accident prone is in the kitchen. At least once a night Tai will hear me say ow! I usually burn, cut, or otherwise injure myself during the cooking process. This week I grated my finger on the zester! My beloved husband keeps the band aids close since I frequently need them!
Tai thinks this is sign that I rather not be cooking. So far from the truth. Usually my mind wanders and I forget what I'm doing or I forget that I just took that pan out of the oven. Sometimes I think I'm Claire and that don't need my mitt to get that pan out of the oven. Often times I'll remember in time. Others I'm not so lucky. I've never seriously injured myself in the kitchen. Never required stitches or anything but I go through a lot of band aids :)

Chocolate, Chocolate everwhere

Here are few things that me and my friends made at baking day over the weekend. I love baking day. Sitting around, making goodies, and talking. Here are some things that we made.
Kris made these chocolate covered mice. These are adorable and great to make with kids or for them. I made these love Chocolate covered Shortbread logs or as I called them poo logs :) Very easy to make. I made the shortbread one night and just dipped them in chocolate the next day. Jen made these rum balls. I don't know what recipe she used since it's one her mom used, but here are some recipes.
There are of course more things that we made, but I don't have pictures of everything yet so there will be another post with those later.

Tai Approved

Every year my friends and I get together and make dessert ie the Holiday Baking Day. It's annual event which I'm so happy about. We all make cookies, pies, candies, brownies, dessert items and split them. The goal is for everyone to walk away with a variety of treats.
When I asked Tai what he wanted me to make he only had one request-chewy lemon cookies. Tai loves lemon and by putting it on most things he will eat it. But I had no lemon cookie recipe and even worse my cookies rarely turn out chewy. I like cookies crispy. So I set out to find one and found the aptly named Chewy Lemon Cookie.
The recipe is so easy. I would have never, ever thought of using cake mix. But they are lemon-y and as Tai says yummy.

Currently....

wanting
Right now, when I'm cooking dinner, I have to walk over to my computer to see what to do next. It's not too bad but when I'm up to my elbows in dough or have greasy hands the last thing I want to do is touch my computer. This little device holds 2500 recipes and has a user friendly (iPhone type) interface. I would add one to my wish list but it's a little pricy for a one trick pony.

watchingOk, I was so looking forward to Twilight. I'm addicted to the books. I loved Twilight the book. Twilight the movie was terrible. I laughed through most of the movie and it wasn't a comedy. I didn't think I was going to the girl playing Bella but she was the best part. I almost walked out when the actor playing Jacob walked on. Not what I had envisioned at all! Most of the movie was like that. I cannot recommend this movie unless you are in love with the actor playing Edward. I would say wait for DVD.

listening
I've been listening to Pandora for a while now. I love it since it learns what songs I like and which I don't. Tai wasn't a fan at first. But now he listens to his own station too. I recently discovered that I could link it to my facebook page. Double score!

trying
In an attempt to make cheesy foods that Tai can eat I've been trying goat cheese specially goat mozzerella. It's a little gamey on it's own but delicious shredded into a pasta. I also bought goat cheddar which also worked. Look for recipes with these cheeses in them soon.

Menorahs

Remember how I said I didn't collect anything? Well I guess I lied. I collect menorahs. I didn't think about them since I just put them out during Hanukkah. I was cleaning out the holiday shelf and found 2 of my 5 menorahs. The rest are at Dad's, so I'll have to bring them over before the first day of Hanukkah. Plus I have to figure out where to put them. This is why my collection is in boxes. No room.
But ever year since I started really celebrating Hanukkah I buy another menorah. So which one will I buy this year?
I like this traditional menorah. I like the clean lines and the fact that it doesn't look like any other one I have.
Or how about this one to commemorate our wedding? It's a little campy for me, but it would make me smile each time I pulled it out.
Or this oil one would be very traditional. I don't know though. It could get messy.
I'm ambivalent on this one. I like how it looks like art and not a menorah. But I want a menorah to be a menorah. I really don't like the $200 price tag!
Honestly I tend to wait til after Hanukkah and buy one on sale. When I get the whole collection in one spot, I'll show what I've got.