Sunday, April 15, 2012

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

I was looking through my food pictures lovingly this morning remembering when I used to make meals like this.  Eating has been so completely uninspired and honestly, not the healthiest lately.  One of the hardest parts of moving cross-country is not moving any food.  So, we are eating up all the random bits from the pantry and freezer.  I cannot WAIT to get moved and fill my fridge and pantry with the good stuff again!
I made this salad a while back and it was AMAZING!  Like, forget the other things in the meal and just make-out with this salad...repeatably. 

Spinach Salad
Recipe Source:  Alton Brown, he is the bomb-diggity
  • 8 ounces baby spinach
  • 2 large hard boiled eggs
  • 8 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
  • 3 TBSP red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar (or your favorite sugar substitute)
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 large white mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 ounces red onion (1 small), very thinly sliced
Wash and dry (by spinning or patting) the spinach and place into a large mixing bowl.
Slice or chop the hard boiled eggs, set aside.
Fry the bacon and remove to a paper towel to drain, reserving 3 TBSP of the rendered fat.  Crumble bacon and set aside.
Transfer the bacon fat into a small saucepan set over low heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar, sugar, and Dijon Mustard.  Season with a small pinch of salt and black pepper.
Add the mushrooms and the sliced onion to the spinach and toss.  Add the warm dressing and bacon and toss to combine.  Divide the spinach between 4 plates or bowls and evenly divide the egg among them.
Season with pepper, as desired.  Serve immediately.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Hump-Day Confessional


I confess...I will be driving to Austin with 3 kids, a cat, and my mother.  The cat scares me the most.  I have never traveled cross-country with a cat.  Any hints or advice would be greatly appreciated.  The second most scary thing is driving with my mom....she can be like adding another child to the mix...between texting her boyfriend and showing off her new-found dance moves, I may have to drink heavily at night.

I confess...While repacking some boxes in the garage this weekend, I found my old journal from college.  Oh.  My.  Hell.  I was a twit.  Like a majorly boy-crazed, self absorbed, drama queen type-twit.  I am so embarrassed for myself that I was ever like this.  I should have burned it...then buried it...then poured a cement basketball court over top.  But I didn't.  I repacked it.  Bridges of Madison County it isn't....I pity my children for having to find this hideousness one day.

I confess...I am a certified hypnotist.

I confess...In my early 20's, I went  skinny dipping in a lake and woke up the next morning with a rare strain of strep that eventually had to be cut out.  Not flesh eating, but too diseased to heal.  I should be thankful it was just my tonsils and not my lady-bits.

I confess...I want to learn how to do glass-blowing.  Dale Chihuly is my favorite artist...going to see his exhibit at the Bellagio is Las Vegas literally made me weep.  Know what?!  I switched my Groupon city to Austin and one of the first deals to come through was glass-blowing classes!  Ahhh...more signs!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Happy Easter

Hoppy Easter my friends!
Hugs and Sugar-Free Kisses to you all - xoxo

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Hump-Day Confessional


I confess...My Mom is dating.  It is weird.  At least she hasn't asked me if condoms come in different sizes.

I confess...I used to have a pet duck named Quackers.  He was leash trained.  I hatched him in an incubator.  He was eaten by a fox.  The end.

I confess...I can sing.  While I have sung in front of thousands of people doing PR for my college, I have never had the desire to sing professionally.  I love to sing loud and proud....unless it is in front of my husband or family (except my kiddos)...then I have SERIOUS stage fright.  This bugs my husband to no end. 

I confess...I have an irrational fear of serial killers.  Sure, they are something to be scared of, but they seriously FREAK me out!  Though I am pretty sure there hasn't been a serial killer that has targeted overweight suburban stay at home mamas....(((shudder)))

I confess...I somehow tweaked my lower back/sciatic last week and have been a total slug since.  I have been to the massage therapist and chiropractor, I have applied ice and heat, I have been taking Advil like it was candy and applying Bengay like it was going out of style.  I am not nearly as far on my packing as I should be.  I am getting so very frustrated.  Ever since I started doing the BFC, I have either been sick or hurting, which is definitely NOT the norm for me.  I have been in bed more the last 2 1/2 months than I have the last 5 years combined.  I am not sure what to make of it.  I have relaxed the reigns on my eating.  My head is not there right now.