Just. Breathe.

I know it's Wednesday -- I've been technically challenged this week and couldn't get this to post! Oh, and I procrastinated a bit... I've written about this place before : I found a new spice mix there that I used to make these beauties: It's the "Coastal Blend" and it is light and lemony and garlicky and all the good things that shrimp needs. And very, very easy. I put about a dozen cleaned shrimp into a Ziploc bag and added about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mixed that around to coat the shrimp, then sprinkled in about 2 teaspoons of the spice. Tossed the shrimp in the bag and took a look -- they all had visible spices on them, so I decided that was enough. (Like how exact I am?) Then I added a couple of teaspoons of lime juice and let the shrimp sit until the grill was hot. This time, I just put them in a grill basket. So metimes I'll skewer them, but was too lazy to work that hard. About 7 minutes on the grill, tossing them around a b...

Seriously, people, somebody help me with these blog titles. I'm only using days of the week to try to force some structure on myself, but this is going to be boring really quick. Okay, moving on to the topic. This month, I finally was able to start running again after injuring my foot. I'm now in in week three of fairly consistent workouts. Go me! Running in Texas in the summer is an iffy proposition. Either you have to get up before dawn, run after dark, or find a treadmill inside. I don't have a treadmill, so that's out. RDub won't let me run after dark without the dog along, and he's a big baby. So, early morning it is. Yuck. And seriously, if you wait until 8am, it's too hot already. RDub and I tried running together a couple of times. 5:30am isn't as impossible for me as it was a few years ago, but it definitely isn't my favorite thing. But he needs to run, too, and before work is the only option. The first day was okay - got a couple of m...

This meal (and variations of it) has become one of our go-to, too-tired-to-really-cook meals. For a while, it was every Friday, then it started sneaking into Wednesdays, and I've been known to make it when I'm the only one around to eat it! When I was doing cookups every week, this skillet dinner became the best way to use up the chicken/beef/sausage as well as leftover veggies I'd cooked during the week. Before long, though, I'd gotten attached to the sausage I use almost all the time now -- it's "close" to Paleo (sausage has a tiny bit of sugar in it). The variations are almost endless -- so let's get to it. What you need: Already looks complicated, doesn't it?   Favorite frozen vegetables - I use sugar snap peas and California blend Cooked meat(s) - tonight it was my beloved Andouille sausage and some frozen shrimp EVOO Minced garlic Favorite spices or spice mix -- I use a mesquite blend with a little kick Heat the oil and add the...

Other than the color, eggplant is not one of those vegetables I'd expect to like. It's weirdly shaped, and I've really only eaten it in restaurants. I've tried cooking it myself and never liked how it turned out. That changed a couple of weeks ago, and to prove it wasn't a fluke, I made this eggplant recipe again. I know it's not for everyone, but if you'd like to try, just get your grill ready. Grilled Eggplant with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette (from Weber's New Real Grilling )     What you'll need: For the vinaigrette: 4 sun-dried tomato halves, packed in oil, minced 2 Tbls balsamic vinegar 1 Tbls shallot, minced 1 tsp honey 1 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 1/3 cup olive oil Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together, excluding the olive oil. When they're mixed, drizzle the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Set aside. For the eggplant: Slice into 1/2 inch slices. Brush both sides wi...

I found a notebook where I'd drawn out some ideas for the blog, made plans for new/different exercise programs, and jotted down recipe ideas, and decided I should get back to it. When I first started blogging last year, I had a goal (weight loss) and used this forum for accountability. I now have another few goals, so let's see if it will work this time. Losing the rest of this weight is of course a goal. I've been stuck here for about a year (some down, some up in the last 12 months, but generally the same place). On the one hand, that tells me that maintenance is something I CAN do -- good to know. OTOH, I don't want to be at THIS weight! I'm working through what that means for me - I don't do well with deprivation, counting calories makes me feel deprived, and this is almost completely about what my brain says. I know that no amount of exercise will make up for a crappy diet - but I'm still struggling with the changes that will stick. A few things I...

June ended on a high note -- 80th birthday party for my sweet mother-in-law. It would be the first real birthday party she'd ever had. No pressure. The Players : My sister-in-law Sharon (husband's sister), sister-in-law Kathy (brother-in-law's wife), and me. The guest of honor is Barbara. The Plan: We started planning in April, and I had one condition: I couldn't do the food from three hours away. They both live locally to Barbara, so they were forced convinced that they could do the food part. I'd handle the decorations and serving details. The Menu : After discussion, we decided on cupcakes. There was some thought given to having a chocolate fountain, until we realized how big a mess it can be. So cupcakes, nuts, mints, tea, water and punch was the final menu.  The Decor : Pinterest to the rescue, as usual. I wanted something simple to dress up the church's fellowship hall. Six foot tables, folding chairs, kitchen area right there...this wasn't go...