Three Day Goodness

Thank goodness for MLK Day and three day weekends!  I'm relaxing on a Sunday night watching the Golden Globe Awards with my beau!  (So many beautiful gowns to see!)  Our between breakfast and lunch snack today was a smoothie. I wanted to add fresh melon but soommmmmeeebody (coughkeefercough) doesn't like melon.  It was still very tasty though!

For lunch we had butternut squash soup from Trader Joe's that I've heard great things about.  I topped it with a tad of oregano and it was delicious!  We also had grilled cheese with tomatoes, YUM!

After seeing Avatar, (Good!) we got to try our new recipe and thank goodness we did.  Keith found this recipe.  Chicken Gruyere with sauteed mushrooms just may be one of my new fav recipes!  SOOOO GOOOOOOD!

We are both huge mushroom fans but these mushrooms truly made the recipe!  I could have even had more.  I especially liked that they were halved and not chopped up.

The gruyere cheese was great but it was fairly pricey so we both agreed another white cheese could be used and still be just as tasty.  Can't wait to make this again!

We had acorn squash (with a bit of margarine and brown sugar) and fresh green beansf on the side.

For dessert we tried one of Carrots N' Cake's ideas.  Her 3 minute oatmeal raisin cookie turned out to be a yummy treat.  We added dried cranberries which were great in it!  We each topped with our own favorite brand of peanut butter.  Keith loves Jif and I love Krema.  It's an everlasting argument.  I think I'm close to changing him though...

I'm off to enjoy my last night with Keefer here!  (and order some textbooks, ugh.)

Nighty night,

Tara (:

Ra Ra Ra!

Like always, the agenda changed for yesterday.  We did try a new place for lunch which we have heard awesome things about.  Everytime I drive by Johnnies the line is out the door.  Keith and I decided we needed to try this place so we headed there for lunch.  It's a tiny hole in the wall but those are always the best places!

I got a combo italian sausage and beef.  Yummm!

We weren't planning on ordering an italian ice in the middle of winter but we were told we had to and thank goodness we did!

We were planning on trying a new chicken recipe for dinner however we got talked into going out for happy hour sushi at Ra.  They have happy hour six days a week!  I had hot sake and a lemon drop martini.  Sorry for the sideways pics!

We were seated at the bar so it was fun to watch them make the rolls!

Keith and I got lobster spring roll appetizers.  SO good.

I also got an uchi no salad.  I LOVE ginger salad dressing.  Does anyone know any good recipes?

I ordered the tootsy maki and Keith ordered the Viva Las Vegas.  Both were great!

Flash ruined the pic!

For dessert we tried one of Carrots N' Cake's ideas and it was great!  We had peanut butter on a slimwich half topped with chocolate chips.  It was great, I wish I had just toasted the slimwich.

Last night we headed out to Lincoln Park for some drinks so this morning we woke up wanting some yummy french toast.  Haven't had the healthiest breakfasts the last two mornings but they sure have been yummy.

Today we are going to try our new dinner recipe because we didn't last night.  First we are going to go check out all the buzz about Avatar!

Tara (:

Saturday, SATURDAY!

Keefer finalllllly arrived last night so we could eat the roast.  It turned out so great!  It was so easy to make to.  All I did was throw everything in the crock pot and let it set for a day.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been some potatoes but I was all out of those.  Oh well, next time.  We also had some bran muffins from my mom!

The meat was so tender it just fell apart but the onions were my personal fav.

For desserts we had smoothies which always turn out a little bit different but this time they were especially good!

This morning we wanted to try out my new waffle maker that I got for Christmas.

We used a bit of Bisquick and a 10 grain mix and topped with blueberries, blackberries and a bit of syrup.

On the agenda for today:

• grocery shopping
• trying a new place for lunch
• MSU bball game. (Go Green!)
• a new chicken recipe for dinner

Tara (:

The Best Part of Wakin' Up...

'Ello Bloggersssss!  It's the weekend!  I woke up to the aroma of  a cooking roast in my crock pot this morning.  MMM.  I had my cream of wheat, banana and agave blend although this time I added some mixed berry granola.  Although it was tasty, I think I enjoyed it more without the granola the other day.  The granola made it a bit too dry.  I'm seriously becoming addicted to the agave nectar though.  Anyone have some good recipes?  Also had my chicory coffee and oj this mornin.

Today I had my first seminar of the semester which is basically my class with all the interns.  We got out early so I hit the busy gym again.  Started my workout, like every other, with Bad Romance by Lady Gaga.  That song gets me hyped for my run!  She is being interviewed by Oprah today so I'll have to stay up and watch.  (Hopefully Keefer will agree!)

I Love this video!

By the time I got home I was so ready for a late lunch.  I've been craving grilled cheese with tomatoes lately and had to avoid eating the roast before Keefer gets here.  Keefer got me addicted to adding tomato on my sandwich.  It is the best!  Grilled cheese is definitely one of my top comfort foods.  It reminds me of home!  I may have grilled this one a bit too long, woops!

I think the best part of grilled cheese is the REAL cheese.  I've grown up on Land O' Lakes American Cheese.  I am SO not into that singles crap.  Ugh.  Tastes like plastic to me.  My mom's dad worked for Land O' Lakes so thats what she always had growing up and that's what my kids will grow up on too!  YUM!

I also heated up my leftover corn from the other night.  Still tasted delish!

Better go keep busy so I don't eat the roast.  Droooool.

Tara (:

Keepin It Classy

After running some errands and working out at the PACKED school gym (two treadmills...really?) I was starving.  Luckily I planned ahead and set out some of my dad's homemade turkey soup he made with Thanksgiving leftovers and froze for me.  Working dinner into my school schedule is not the easiest task because I have to eat right at five so I'm ready for another meal at ten!  Today I heated up my soup and made a bran muffin.  My mom sent back homemade bran muffin mix back with me.  (Back at school and still eating from mom and dad, it's great!)

It was strange being back in the classroom (and for accounting too, ughhhh) but luckily my prof only kept us for an hour instead of three so we headed to the local watering hole for a drink.  I love Poor Phils because they have so many different brews and great food.  Plus, there is always a beer and drink special.  Today it was Victory which is a pilsner.  I've had it before and it's not my fav but definitely tasty and I can't beat $3!

The next best thing (or maybe the best) is that Poor Phils has POPCORN!  I love popcorn so it always hits the spot.  Kathleen is snatching some up here!

Alllll day I've been talking about how I've had a craving for ice cream.  Ice cream is one of my fav foods and I have not had any of it lately.  When I saw someone getting a sundae I couldn't resist.  I had to order a hot fudge turtle sundae and yep, I ate the whoooooole thing.

I'm now sipping on a glass of cab and relaxing.  I put a roast in the crock pot which I've never done before but I'm hoping it works.  I added onion soup, whole onions and carrots.  I wanted to add potatoes too but they all had gone bad.  (I don't know if they would even fit either....the crock pot is small.)  My apartment smells so delicious right now so I really hope it turns out and we can eat it when Keefer arrives tomorrow!  Can't wait for this weekend!

TGIF...almost!

Tara (:

One Dolla Holla

My aspirations of making a post last night quickly faded when the offer to go out came up.  I figured that before everything starts to get too busy it would be nice to have a night out in Lincoln Park with some of the interns!  (Also, I didn't have to wake up early today and I can't say no to dollar, yes one dollar brews.)  We headed out early so that we could make it back on the train and not have to pay for a cab.  Clearly there weren't many people on the train on a Wednesday night/Thursday morning at 1am.

Before we headed out I made a tasty dinner.  I brought back some Omaha Steaks burgers.  Very tasty and easy to make.  Not too cheap but they were a gift!  I sauteed some onions and mushrooms to put on my burger and topped it with a slice of swiss cheese on a Slimwich. (I'm becoming very addicted to Slimwiches.)  I LOVE mushroom and swiss burgers.  I paired my burger with some corn and skim milk of course.  YUM!  Although I like making my dinners now that I'm back at school, I do miss eating them with others.  One of the down sides of living alone I suppose.

 

This morning I woke up and started a pot of my chicory coffee which I'm still enjoying.  I love this coffee.  Perhaps I'm going to have to start placing orders from Cafe Du Monde.

Yesterday I cut up a melon that I brought back from home.  I always tell clients that cutting up fruit when you get it is the best because it's there to grab for a quick, easy and healthy snack!  This morning I paired my egg and cheese breakfast sandwich with the melon I cut up.  I've been lazy with my picture taking and using my phone which makes for some poor quality pics.  I think I need to start using my camera more frequently.

Now I need to head off to the gym.  My first class is tonight.  I can't believe I'm starting my second semester of grad school already.  Time is flying by!

Good day bloggies!

Tara

Ready, Set, GO!

Whether I was ready or not, everything started back up today.  I had to head to the hospital this morning for a class for my internship.  Luckily it didn't last too long and it was interesting to see where I'll be for the next three and a half months!

When my alarm went off this morning I sure wasn't excited about the early rise but once I'm up, I'll like to get a head start on the day.  I began with the chicory coffee Keefer got me and it was DELICIOUS!  Very rich and tasty.  I didn't drink it out of the new cup he got me.  He snuck it in my bag yesterday with a note that said it was only for tea.  Don't you hate when you are drinking tea out of a mug that permanently tastes like coffee??

I am always starving right when I wake up no matter what the time so I was anxious to get some breakfast.  I made some cream of wheat topped with a banana and a bit of agave nectar.  SO GOOD!!!

On the train home I snacked on some mini caramel rice cakes.  I love taking the train instead of driving.  I read a book and relaxed the whole way home on this beautiful, sunny Chicago day.

View on the way home.  Pretty!

When I got home I made some lunch.  I absolutely love TJ's hummus.  It's so fluffy.  I got the quartet so there were four different kinds to try.  The garlic is definitely my favorite.  Not a fan of the roasted red pepper (ickkkk peppers.)  I'll have to save that for Keefer when he comes this weekend.  My salad was simple but yummy! Just a bit of spinach, a small apple, cucumber, tomatoes, colby jack cheese and Italian dressing.

I'm off to work out at the tiny school gym again.

Until tonight....

Tara (: