...and life goes on!!!

After a very stressful, worrisome, nothing can go right for me day, I decided I needed to get outside.  My Uncle Billy had been in town the last couple weeks helping get my Grandpa get back on his feet.  He called me the other day and said that there was a plant left at the house that was one of my Grandma's that needed some TLC.  I'm pretty sure it's called a "mother in laws tongue" (the tall ones in the picture).  It needed split, replanted and loved on like my Grandma used to do.  So that is exactly what Bailey and I did!  While we were at it we replanted a couple jade plants that are from Matt's Grandma B's house that we got years and years ago and also some little spider plants that I started off of my sister in law.

I think it's pretty cool to be able to have living plants in the house and know that at one point our loving Grandmothers started them and we are keeping them alive and enjoying them still. 

Probably a little sappy.....but makes my heart feel good, none the less!

Thai Pork Tenderloin and Sweet Basil Soba Noodles

::Marinate, Grill, Slice and Serve::

Marinade

1/2 C Soy Sauce

1/2 C Thai Chili Sauce

Sweet Basil Soba Noodles

Cook noodles per instructions

In a saucepan combine:

1/4 C Thai Chili Sauce

1/4 C Water

3 T Soy Sauce

2 Green Onions sliced

Simmer until sauce is mostly absorbed

Add in 1/4 C fresh chopped basil

Mix and let wilt

Serve with sliced, grilled pork tenderloin!!!

These things are good!

Microwave 45 seconds • Toaster for 2 minutes • Bread • Honey Mustard • Cheese

Good stuff!!!

Grilled Fish-N-Chips

Meal #1 of the healthy menu - Grilled Red Snapper and Redskin grill chips along with an extra large loaded salad.....Perfect!!!!

Fresh snapper sprayed with olive oil and seasoned with Jane's Krazy Mixed Up Salt  grilled on a piece of foil till flaky!

Redskin Potatoes slice long ways about 1/4 inch thick, sprayed with olive oil and seasoned with Jane's Mixed Up Salt and grilled till brown. 

Low fat, low cal, quick and easy!  My kinda meal!!! 

How my garden grows......

I had very big plans for a garden this summer. 

This is the extent of my garden! :(

Two tomato plants in pots and one basil plant in a planter....

It's pretty sad but on the positive side of things.....at least I will have some home grown tomatoes! 

My fave!!!! 

Fresh Marinara Pasta



Quick, Easy, Healthy, Delicious Lunch

1. 2 Fresh, Ripe, Red Tomatoes diced
2. Handful of Fresh Basil
3. Saute w/ little bit of garlic powder, onion powder, S & P, and dash of sugar if needed!
4. Serve over you favorite pasta!
5. Top with more fresh Basil and shredded Parmesan cheese
6. Enjoy!!!!! 

Honey BBQ Chicken Tortilla Pizza

• Grilled Chicken Breast w/ Honey BBQ
• Sauteed Onions
• Shredded Cheese
• Steamed Corn Tortillas
• Green Onions

Layer, stack, bake to melt the cheese and serve with a creamy horseradish sauce!! 

Frozen pistachios = Delish!

Freeze them - Try it - You'll like it

What will they think of next?

While late night snacking AGAIN I read the box. I'm totally going to plant a piece of card board tomorrow. I like dill!!!

How I spend every spare minute I have...

::Text book :: Laptop :: Ice Tea::

What have I got myself into?!?!?

Mexican "Miracle" Noodles

I've been experimenting a little bit with the Miracle Noodles.  There is a restaurant in Findlay called Olers that serves Mexican Noodles as a side dish.  I LOVE Mexican noodles...so I decided to try my hand at it.  This was a pretty simple dish and turned out tasting pretty close to Olers noodles.  Mine were a bit spicier, but I like it that way! 
::Ingredients::
1 pkg. Shirataki Noodles - rinsed, drained, rinsed, drained and rinsed again
1 can Rotel Tomatoes drained
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 T Better than Bouillon - Beef Bouillon
1/2 can of water

Saute the onions and garlic in a little bit of olive oil.  Once softened add in bouillon, water and Rotel.  Stir together to dissolve the bouillon completely.  Add in the noodles, cover and simmer for 5 - 10 min. stirring occasionally.  Remove the top and let the water all evaporate and cook a little longer to take all of the moisture out of the noodles.  Done!!! 

Ahi Tuna and Shrimp Kabobs

In this hot weather I do everything thing that I can to avoid turning on my oven.  Our grill will be getting lots of action this summer.  I've been craving seafood lately so I made a trip to the market and stocked up.  This meal was had an Asian twist. 

::Ingredients::
2 Tuna steaks
10 Large Shrimp
Zuchini
Yellow Squash
Yellow Onion
Brown Rice

Cook rice in rice cooker with a 1/8 tsp fresh ginger and a clove of garlic.

Slice Tuna into thick square chunks and marinate for 20 minutes only.

::Marinade::

1/4 C Soy Sauce

1/4 C Mirin

1/8 tsp Sesame Oil

3 T Sugar

1 Green Onion

1/2 tsp Fresh Ginger

Preheat the grill!!

Peel and de-vein shrimp, skewer and season with toasted sesame oil and salt.  Slice zuchini and squash into long strips and season with sesame oil and salt.  Quarter onion and skewer. 

Grill the veggies for a little while first until they are almost done and then add on the seafood.  Cook tuna to a medium rare and shrimp until they turn cooked through.

ENJOY!!

Prime Rib Sliders.....

enough said!

College.....

So....I'm going back to school.  That sounds weird when I say it.  But I am!  After 10+ years I am a college student again.   I started my first class this week.  It's a ART 101 - Art Appreciation.  I know nothing about art or artist.....nothing.  I guess I'm going to learn.  This is a web course so I'm trying to find my way around the website to figure out how and what all I have to do.  There are assignments posted every week: a reading out a book I paid $140 for, discussion board topics I have to post on and then comment on others comments and then a quiz.  Not sure what I was expecting but HOLY CRAP this is going to be a lot of work.  The first assignment was entitled "Behold Beauty".  We were to look at a website that showed artwork from different eras and cultures and then describe what beauty means.......UGH!!! 

This is my first discussion board post: 

My perception of beauty is going to be different than your perception of beauty. I believe that beauty is defined by each individuals desires, which have been in some ways persuaded among cultures, across borders, inside religions and throughout history. The definition of beauty has changed greatly, as evidenced by the artwork depicted on http://www.winifred.cichon.com.

It is very clear that naked human body has been universally viewed as beautiful, but in vastly different shapes, sizes, clothing and settings. This is not to say that the depiction of what beauty was in Ancient Egypt is any more or less valid than the Rubenesque bodies. Beauty is a pure matter of choice, desire, and emotion trying to be portrayed by the artist and then the opinion of the audience. An artist may portray on canvas what they believe is a passionate, beautiful scene, but if the viewer has a different opinion about what beauty is then it could be viewed as weird, strange or disgusting.

Art is the physical product of each artist's beliefs, emotions, passions and perceptions. I believe that artists have a inner desire to portray to others what they believe is important to them, at that time, and they also have the ability to do so without the need for acceptance. Every artist knows that not everyone is going to like their work, but they know that what they have created is beautiful in their eyes. All art is beautiful to someone!

I have NO idea if I'm even close to writing what the teacher is looking.  I guess I will find out! 

Wish me luck!!!!!