sunday supper: the big ass hot dog

Is this really in my fridge?

Yes, it is! And every time I open the refrigerator I'm slightly disgusted, but mostly amused by being the owner of a big ass hot dog.

It's seven pounds of meaty goodness that I will not be eating.

Now, the question is. . . . What should I do with this?

round 3

The next couple of days are going to be crazy as I've made it to the 3rd and final round of this competition.

A lot is at stake here folks...A LOT!!! I could win a big ass hot dog!

autumn or fall?

I grew up in Phoenix where there are really only two seasons- hot and hotter. Needless to say, I'm very excited to be experiencing my first season of fall (or autumn). Oh, the colors that the autumnal equinox will bring. It's my favorite time of year!

sunday supper: sweet potato, corn & jalepeno bisque

Before making this recipe I had no idea what 'bisque' meant because what I made looked just like soup. Yes, 'bisque' is just a fancy word for soup, but it's a certain kind of soup. Traditionally, a bisque is "a smooth, creamy, highly-seasoned soup of French origin, classically based on a strained broth of crustaceans. It can be made from lobster, crab, shrimp or crayfish." Nowadays, bisque also refers to cream-based vegetable soups that do not contain seafood. This recipe did not contain any cream, so I'm thinking it's considered a bisque because of the pre-cooked sweet potatoes I pulverized into a mushy goodness. I used chicken broth as my base, but a vegetable broth can be used if you prefer a vegetarian bisque.

I wanted it be a simple meal of just soup and salad, so I asked Jeanette from Everybody Likes Sandwiches what kind of salad I should make. She suggested I "serve up a salad that highlights fall flavours", so I made a green salad with walnuts, dried cherries and a mustardy vinaigrette. I completed the meal with crusty baguette slices on the side. It was very hearty and filling. The best part is that we have leftovers. Ebert and I love leftovers!

Sadly, I forgot to take pictures of this deliciousness! But, if you click on the recipe link you can see how yummy this bisque looks.

happy blogs

Just thought I'd share some happy...

oh happy day

that's happy

happiness is...

happy mundane

colour me happy

stevens happy accidents

the happy home

my little happy place

one hundred years of solitude

There were times when it felt like it would take me one hundred years to finish reading this book. There were moments when all I wanted was to be at the final paragraph, reading the last sentences, so that I could finally cross this book off my list. But, as I laid in bed last night surrounded by the conclusion of life and death, I wanted nothing more than for the Buendia's journey to continue, for them to live on.

I suppose that's why this book is so brilliant, because that's exactly how it is with life - we don't realize the meaning of it, until it's over. We think we have all the time in the world, although we're not always enjoying the journey.

"What hurts me most," she would say, laughing, "is all the time that we wasted."

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, you are a master storyteller.

Sunday Supper - Brown Rice

Not very exciting for a Sunday Supper, but since we went out to lunch with friends and Ebert is not feeling well, brown rice for me it is. We cooked this brown rice yesterday so all I did was re-steam it and then I added some peas, Bragg's and parmesan cheese. It was quite delicious! But, next time I think I'll try something new to make my brown rice a little more exciting.

Brown Rice Salad with Basil and Pistachios

via cook-snap-repeat

Parmesan Spinach Casserole with Garlic Brown Rice

via thecookingphotographer

Herbed Zucchini and Feta Quiche with a Brown Rice Crust

via closetcooking

Baked Brown Rice Balls

via stolenmomentscooking

Brown Rice Pudding

via judicialpeach

Sunday Supper - Pesto Gnocchi

It all started with 3 pounds of potatoes that we baked,

then shredded,

then mixed,

and mixed until it resembled some kind of dough that we then

kneaded,

and rolled,

and cut into pieces,

and then boiled.

And after 4 1/2 hours we had a delicious Sunday Supper of pestognocchi with an arugula salad!

s-a-t-u-r-d-a-y night!

It was a lovely afternoon...bike riding to the Green City Market to buy some fresh basil and a 6 pound bag of apples, grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and the Lincoln Park Whole Foods, which just so happens to be the most amazing Whole Foods I've ever been to, and more bike riding through our neighborhood. Then, Ebert and I ended the day with this delicious dinner and a night of movie watching. We sure know how to party on Saturday nights.