It's crazy how things can change in one year

One year ago today, at approximately 5PM Mountain time, my world was shattered and life as I knew it ceased to exist.

For those who know me, you know that there had been several life defining moments in my young 31 years. The big difference this time was that my rock, my best friend, the one person that was there for me each time before, was what I lost.

In the last year, here is what I have learned:

• These life defining moments are stepping stones. The only option is to keep moving forward.
• Marshall taught me that I am strong, he let me be independent, and he let me fall apart when I needed. Everyone needs someone with whom they can completely be themselves.
• While I will cherish the 10 years I was fortunate enough to spend with Marshall, I know that I have someone looking over me. And when certain songs come on the radio that seem to speak to the situation I am in, I know that Marshall is sending me a message.
• Life is too short to surround yourself with negativity, people that don't value you the way you value them, to have regrets, or to not enjoy life.
• I am very blessed with my family and friends, old and new. Do not take anyone for granted, you never know when they will no longer be around. 
• Laugh often, forgive quickly, love hard, and smile through the tears.

 I have included my original post from last year below.

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I have been told many times that I should write a book about my life, and surviving cancer. About a month ago, I added a new chapter to my "story" and figured I would write a blog post once it played out. I was diagnosed with Gallbladder disease and told I needed to have my gallbladder removed. But then about three weeks ago, my "story" came to a screeching halt. Let me start at the beginning.

My husband, Marshall, and I flew to New Mexico on October 3, for my brother's wedding in Ruidoso. It was a wonderful weekend with my family. We stayed in a cabin with my parents, my sister, and her fiance. We watched Tres and Liz exchange vows, and partied into the night with them. Tres also had the DJ play our song (Randy Travis' Forever, and Ever, Amen), so we could dance. It was truly a memorable event that I was glad to be a part of.

Marshall, my sister, future brother-in-law, and I headed back to my parents house on Sunday night, since Marshall had a flight back Atlanta the next afternoon. We had a great night watching movies and eating pizza. The next day we had planned a trip to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta,  and a quick trip out to Moriarty, so Marshall could "walk the land" we were planning to buy.

I woke up that morning with horrible indigestion. Traci and Jeroen weren't wanting to wake up earlier either, plus the balloons had been grounded due to weather. We finally got up and about and headed to Albuquerque. We decided to head to Marshall's favorite restaurant for breakfast, and then run post-wedding errands for the newlywed's, then out to Moriarty. By the time we dropped Marshall off at the airport, I was feeling pretty bad again. We headed back to my parents and they had just gotten home. By about 6PM, I was feeling horrible and had thrown up twice. This is very unusual for me. Marshall called to tell me he had landed in Las Vegas (his connection) and I told him I was headed to Urgent Care. He offered to turn around, but I told him he needed to head home and go make money.

When I got to urgent care they were concerned I was having a cardiac event and called for an ambulance. Two hours later I was headed to Albuquerque for the second time that day, where I waited several hours for the cardiac tests. Several more hours later Marshall made it home, and was ready to head back. Again, I told him that he needed to go to work the next day. I had an ultrasound done, and the doctor saw TONS of gallstones.

Long story short (sorry, it was already LONG), I had a hard time getting in to see a surgeon just for the consult. Marshall and I decided I would stay in New Mexico, since the doctors were already getting the ball rolling for my surgery, and if I headed home, I may be waiting longer. I finally got my surgery scheduled for October 18 (six days after I was supposed to fly home) in Rio Rancho, about an hour drive from my parents' house.

On the day of the surgery, it turns out my gallbladder was A LOT worse than the doctor's originally thought, and the operation took a little longer than the surgeon thought. While I was having surgery, Marshall was meeting with a Workman's Comp doctor. He had pulled his neck/back while working in the freezer at the grocery store where he works. (He had recently been named frozen food manager in September). His doctor told him he needed to stay home from work and could return on Monday, October 22, on light duty.

I guess his neck/back was still bothering him, because he went home early that day, and called me before 7PM Georgia time to tell me he was going to bed. He generally did not go to bed until around 11PM. I didn't think too much about it. Tuesday, he was supposed to go to work, and then see his Workman's Comp doctor that afternoon. Tuesday morning I texted him, as I figured he was at work. A couple hours later, I tried calling him. Still no answer. I figured he was busy at work. After several calls throughout the day, around 5PM Georgia time, I called my neighbor across the street and asked him to go see if the truck was at the house. Doug called back to say the truck was parked at the back door, and the house was locked up tight. He and his wife walked around calling Marshall's name, with no luck.

My mom called the store to find out if Marshall had gone in that day, but it turns out he called in sick. I told Doug to do what he could to try and get into the house. I knew it would be hard, since Marshall had that house locked up tight. All windows are screwed shut, and the doors were reinforced. My mom called the non-emergency police and told them what was going on, and asked that they send an officer over to assist Doug. After trying and failing to get the hinges taken off the back door, Doug was able to slide the guard on the A/C window unit over in the bedroom window, and see Marshall laying on the bed. The police officer with them called the paramedics.

I then told Doug to do whatever he could to get the door open. Once they got into the house, it was determined that Marshall had passed away in his sleep.

He was 57 years old, and other than the neck and back issue, as far as I knew, he was healthy.

The worst part has been losing my best friend, and being in Georgia without him. My mom flew with me to Atlanta that Thursday, and my aunt (who unfortunately lost her husband on August 5) drove in from Texas on Saturday. Marshall wanted to be cremated and did not want a funeral. We had a celebration of his life on Sunday at a local restaurant. It was exactly what I think he would want. There were some tears, but there was also laughing and a lot of stories. I think he was looking over us and beaming.

I have several family trips planned over the next month, and will head home to New Mexico for Christmas and New Years. The holidays were our favorite, so this will be pretty hard, but I am doing my very best to hang in here.

Maybe someday I will write this book, and it will be dedicated to the greatest man I have ever known. He was my best friend, and while he annoyed me more than I would like to admit, he taught me patience, love, and how to be my independent self. That is probably the best gift he ever gave me, he encouraged me to be me.

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UPDATE: I learned in January that the cause of Marshall's death was Cardiomyopathy, or an enlarged heart. We did not know that he had a heart condition, but as my sister said "aww, he died of a big heart."

Honey Nut Wrap

I recently had a Honey Nut wrap at Infusion Tea in Orlando. It was so good, I had to try and recreate it! Here is my version.

Start with a whole wheat tortilla and your favorite nut butter. I found crunchy almond butter at my local store. Spread the nutter butter on the tortilla.

Cut a banana in half crosswise, and then in half again lengthwise. Layer these over the nut butter.

Cut 1-2 strawberries, depending on size (and size of tortilla) into 1/2 inch pieces (or bigger, your choice) and then add those over and around the bananas.

Sprinkle the bananas and strawberries with your favorite granola.

Drizzle your favorite honey over the granola, strawberries, and bananas.

Roll up and enjoy!

So glad to put 2012 behind me

This is a blog I have been planning to write for a while. Instead of rambling like I am sure I generally do, I will just say that 2012 sucked big time. There were some glimmers of silver lining around the huge, dark clouds, but those clouds were so big, it was hard for the sunlight to get through.

First off, Marshall and I were in a pretty bad car accident. We were very lucky to walk away with just scrapes and bruises. The car was not so lucky. But that's okay, it was just a car, and we had another one we could share. This was a character building experience.

Later, I lost my Uncle Tim. He passed away from an infection in August. He had been diagnosed with cancer, and as a fellow cancer survivor, I took his death rather hard. I should have been there for him, checking in and finding out what I could do to help. Instead, I found myself in our local catholic church, praying for forgiveness and strength for my Aunt Kathy.

In October, I was diagnosed with gallbladder disease while in New Mexico, and needed emergency (as emergent as could be scheduled) surgery. Marshall and I had been home for my brother's wedding, and he had to get back to work here in Georgia. When he learned that I needed surgery, he offered to fly back to be with me, but I told him I was in good hands with my parents. 10 days after my diagnosis, I finally had my gallbladder removed, and 5 days later, Marshall passed away in our home.

Next, my dad was hospitalized in early November for pneumonia. He went back and forth between being out of it and cognizant, such to the point that the doctors decided he needed to be sedated so his body could heal. He was placed into essentially a medically-induced coma for several days, and then they weaned him off the sedation to see how he was doing. It seemed the less sedative they gave him, the harder it was for him to come out of it. He did get better, and was taken out of the ICU for a couple of days, but ended up back in there after a series of seizures. They ended up having to put him back in the coma, and on life support, in early December.

It was decided to move my dad into hospice, and remove him from the life support, as that was not what he wanted. He was extubated and moved to hospice around 3PM on December 10. My mom, Traci, Reed and I were there with family and close friends when my dad took his last breath at 4:40PM.

All of the above could be seen as character building, and stepping stones on my path. I am not sure where that path may lead, but I am very sad to know that the two greatest men in my life will no longer be walking beside me. I do know that there is a grander plan, and scheme, and that all three of these men are guiding and protecting me from above.

And while 2012 sucked, I have faith that 2013 will be a better year.

The Patience of Job

This is a blog I originally posted on my cancer blog, but because of the story, it's affecting my entire life.

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I have been told many times that I should write a book about my life, and surviving cancer. About a month ago, I added a new chapter to my "story" and figured I would write a blog post once it played out. I was diagnosed with Gallbladder disease and told I needed to have my gallbladder removed. But then about three weeks ago, my "story" came to a screeching halt. Let me start at the beginning.

My husband, Marshall, and I flew to New Mexico on October 3, for my brother's wedding in Ruidoso. It was a wonderful weekend with my family. We stayed in a cabin with my parents, my sister, and her fiance. We watched Tres and Liz exchange vows, and partied into the night with them. Tres also had the DJ play our song (Randy Travis' Forever, and Ever, Amen), so we could dance. It was truly a memorable event that I was glad to be a part of.

Marshall, my sister, future brother-in-law, and I headed back to my parents house on Sunday night, since Marshall had a flight back Atlanta the next afternoon. We had a great night watching movies and eating pizza. The next day we had planned a trip to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta,  and a quick trip out to Moriarty, so Marshall could "walk the land" we were planning to buy.

I woke up that morning with horrible indigestion. Traci and Jeroen weren't wanting to wake up earlier either, plus the balloons had been grounded due to weather. We finally got up and about and headed to Albuquerque. We decided to head to Marshall's favorite restaurant for breakfast, and then run post-wedding errands for the newlywed's, then out to Moriarty. By the time we dropped Marshall off at the airport, I was feeling pretty bad again. We headed back to my parents and they had just gotten home. By about 6PM, I was feeling horrible and had thrown up twice. This is very unusual for me. Marshall called to tell me he had landed in Las Vegas (his connection) and I told him I was headed to Urgent Care. He offered to turn around, but I told him he needed to head home and go make money.

When I got to urgent care they were concerned I was having a cardiac event and called for an ambulance. Two hours later I was headed to Albuquerque for the second time that day, where I waited several hours for the cardiac tests. Several more hours later Marshall made it home, and was ready to head back. Again, I told him that he needed to go to work the next day. I had an ultrasound done, and the doctor saw TONS of gallstones.

Long story short (sorry, it was already LONG), I had a hard time getting in to see a surgeon just for the consult. Marshall and I decided I would stay in New Mexico, since the doctors were already getting the ball rolling for my surgery, and if I headed home, I may be waiting longer. I finally got my surgery scheduled for October 18 (six days after I was supposed to fly home) in Rio Rancho, about an hour drive from my parents' house.

On the day of the surgery, it turns out my gallbladder was A LOT worse than the doctor's originally thought, and the operation took a little longer than the surgeon thought. While I was having surgery, Marshall was meeting with a Workman's Comp doctor. He had pulled his neck/back while working in the freezer at the grocery store where he works. (He had recently been named frozen food manager in September). His doctor told him he needed to stay home from work and could return on Monday, October 22, on light duty.

I guess his neck/back was still bothering him, because he went home early that day, and called me before 7PM Georgia time to tell me he was going to bed. He generally did not go to bed until around 11PM. I didn't think too much about it. Tuesday, he was supposed to go to work, and then see his Workman's Comp doctor that afternoon. Tuesday morning I texted him, as I figured he was at work. A couple hours later, I tried calling him. Still no answer. I figured he was busy at work. After several calls throughout the day, around 5PM Georgia time, I called my neighbor across the street and asked him to go see if the truck was at the house. Doug called back to say the truck was parked at the back door, and the house was locked up tight. He and his wife walked around calling Marshall's name, with no luck.

My mom called the store to find out if Marshall had gone in that day, but it turns out he called in sick. I told Doug to do what he could to try and get into the house. I knew it would be hard, since Marshall had that house locked up tight. All windows are screwed shut, and the doors were reinforced. My mom called the non-emergency police and told them what was going on, and asked that they send an officer over to assist Doug. After trying and failing to get the hinges taken off the back door, Doug was able to slide the guard on the A/C window unit over in the bedroom window, and see Marshall laying on the bed. The police officer with them called the paramedics.

I then told Doug to do whatever he could to get the door open. Once they got into the house, it was determined that Marshall had passed away in his sleep.

He was 57 years old, and other than the neck and back issue, as far as I knew, he was healthy.

The worst part has been losing my best friend, and being in Georgia without him. My mom flew with me to Atlanta that Thursday, and my aunt (who unfortunately lost her husband on August 5) drove in from Texas on Saturday. Marshall wanted to be cremated and did not want a funeral. We had a celebration of his life on Sunday at a local restaurant. It was exactly what I think he would want. There were some tears, but there was also laughing and a lot of stories. I think he was looking over us and beaming.

I have several family trips planned over the next month, and will head home to New Mexico for Christmas and New Years. The holidays were our favorite, so this will be pretty hard, but I am doing my very best to hang in here.

Maybe someday I will write this book, and it will be dedicated to the greatest man I have ever known. He was my best friend, and while he annoyed me more than I would like to admit, he taught me patience, love, and how to be my independent self. That is probably the best gift he ever gave me, he encouraged me to be me.

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

I absolutely love mac and cheese. It is one of my two absolute favorite go-to recipes when I am not in the mood to make dinner (the other is pizza, but I don't always have fresh dough on hand). To me, making mac and cheese is no big deal, and definitely worth the work. I am worried though that I may be pushing my luck with making mac and cheese so often. I pushed my luck with chick flicks and and my husband. For a while there, every time we went to the movies, my husband wanted to know if s**t blows up. I think I have taken him to enough action movies lately that I have reversed my karma. But I digress.

The other night I wasn't in the mood to come up with something for dinner, so I thought, mac and cheese! But then I worried that Marshall might start complaining "not mac and cheese, AGAIN!" so I had to come up with a unique twist. I started to think about what I had on hand, and Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese came to mind.

With my recent love of Pinterest, it may surprise you that I did not go there for the recipe. I just decided to use my tried and true recipe, with a few tweaks. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did!

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

Makes 4 normal, or 2 large servings

4 ounces short pasta (I love cavatappi)
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 if using bacon drippings)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup unsalted chicken stock
1/4 cup half and half
2 ounces extra sharp cheddar, grated
salt and pepper
1/4 sliced pickled jalapenos, chopped
1 teaspoon pickled jalapeno juice
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook pasta one minute less than package directions. While pasta is cooking, cook the bacon. Drain bacon on paper towels, and reserve fat, if you would like the smoky flavor. Drain pasta, set aside.

Melt butter and bacon drippings (if you reserve the bacon drippings, add only enough butter to equal two tablespoons) in pan used to cook pasta. Add flour and cook for a minute or two, over medium/high heat. Slowly add half and half and chicken stock, whisking away any lumps. Continue to whisk until bubbly and thick. Turn off the heat and season with salt, pepper, and jalapeno juice. Add in 1 ounce of the grated extra sharp cheddar, and stir until melted. Add in the chopped jalapenos and bacon. Stir to combine. Add in the cooked pasta. If the sauce seems runny, that is okay.

Add mac and cheese to 1 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 ounce extra sharp cheddar, then panko bread crumbs. Drizzle bread crumbs with olive oil. Bake, uncovered, until brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. Let cool for a couple minutes before serving.

Nutrition Info*
Calories 335 

*According to LoseIt.com calculation of 4 servings

I miss the old days on the Disney Channel

Most people know this about me, but for those that don't, I'm a bit of a Disney freak. I have been to  Walt Disney World 7 times in the last four years, and had the chance to finally visit Disneyland last December. I grew up obsessed with Disney movies, like most kids, I am sure.

Today, Hallmark Channel had some classic Disney movies on its schedule. Swiss Family Robinson, Pollyanna and then the modern version of The Parent Trap (and as much as I love the original Haley Mills version, the Lindsay Lohan movie totally does it justice).

This made me think back to growing up and staying up late to watch classic Disney movies on the Disney Channel. I absolutely loved all of the movies with Kurt Russel (The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Barefoot Executive, and my FAVORITE The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit), Dean Jones (The Million Dollar Duck, The Ugly Dachshund, and all those original Herbie movies), and Tommy Kirk (Swiss Family Robinson, The Shaggy Dog, and Old Yeller).

I remember back in the late 80s and early 90s, The Wonderful World of Disney/The Disney Sunday Movie remade many of the classic movies from the 60s. Kurt Cameron reprized many roles originated by Kurt Russel. My mom and I were both in love with the actor that played Davy Crockett in the 80s remake. I loved those movies just as much as the originals. I guess Disney's plan in the mid-to-late 90s and 2000s of remaking movies for the big screen (Flubber, The Shaggy Dog, Freaky Friday, Herbie Fully Loaded, and The Parent Trap) has brought these movies to a new generation. But what about the originals? I wish the new Disney Channel would bring back these classics, so that my nieces and nephews (the ones I currently have, and the future ones) can fall in love with these wacky characters like I did.

Here is a short list of my favorites, not already mentioned:

Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Mary Poppins
The Apple Dumpling Gang
Babes in Toyland
The AbsentedMinded Professor
The Misadventures of Merlin Jones
The Monkey's Uncle

Pinterest Roundup August 2012

 

Surprisingly, I have not spent much time this month on Pinterest. I did find a recipe for no-knead bread that I decided I had to try.

Amazing No-Knead Bread

When I followed the recipe, my bread was a little dry, so I added about 2/3 cup extra water, in order to get all of the flour incorporated.

I let my dough rest for about 18 hours. I started the rise process about 4PM on Saturday, so that I could bake the bread the next morning.

I was worried that adding the extra water had made the dough TOO sticky, but I was able to get it out of the bowl (with quite a bit sticking behind, oops).

My sister gave me the greatest tea towel from her trip to Pella, Iowa, so I decided to  use it for the second, two-hour rise.

I forgot to get a picture of the bread in the dutch oven, before sticking it in the oven. The dough filled the pot almost completely. Unfortunately, my pot is the largest I have. I am hoping to add to my collection when we move. (Le Crueset has the coolest set in purple, called Cassis).

Here is the bread in the pot, once it was done baking. Looks so yummy, I could barely resist letting it cool.

 The bread had a great crusty outside, and chewy inside. Yep, I could not wait for the bread to completely cool. My bad. I did let it sit for about 20-30 minutes, before I could not wait any longer.

I will definitely be making this bread again. Nice interior texture, and crusty outside. I would almost like to buy a set of the small ramekin size dutch ovens, in order to make mini loaves!

More Ideas from Pinterest

There were several things I found this month that I did not have a chance to make, but plan to in the future:

Strawberry Glazed Donuts 

 

From Mary Quite Contrary Bakes

Halloween Popcorn

From Sing for Your Supper

 Holiday Decor

Halloween/Thanksgving Decor

From Jillian Harris

Thanksgiving Candles 

From Home Furnishings

Christmas Trees 

From My Home My Style

Pinterest Roundrup July 2012

I am sure that I am not the only person slightly obsessed with Pinterest. Actually, I know I am not, as I am following 62 people's pins, and have 95 people following mine. Not to mention the probably millions of other people out there. I really do try to use Pinterest for realistic ideas. My favorite categories are Home Decor and Food & Drink. I love to look for ideas for our new home (the one will we have once we sell our property here in GA) and for yummy recipes. Home Decor is also a great place to find tips, crafts, and storage ideas. Food & Drink  is basically what it says it is. A great place to find ideas for dinner. I also love to see what my friends are loving. :)

I am going to try and post at the end of each month the best recipes and tips I have found on Pinterest.

Home Decor

Baking Soda is AWESOME!

Jillee at One Good Thing posted about how to clean old, dirty, cookie sheets with a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Martha Stewart's tub-scrub is also a great way to clean porcelain using a mixture of baking soda, water, and liquid dish soap (I did not use the essential oil as I did not have any). I used Martha Stewart's recipe to clean my bathtub and kitchen sink. Great tip to have in the cleaning arsenal! I used Jillee's tip for baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to clean my oven door (we had a major mess happen, when I accidentally dumped a pan of nachos onto the open, HOT, oven door). I wish I had gotten pictures of all of this, but you will just have to take my word for it, BAKING SODA IS AWESOME!!!

Food & Drink

Lemon-Zucchini Loaf with Lemon Glaze By Nancy Creative

I absolutely love lemons! I love zucchini bread. So when I saw this pin, I was more than intrigued. This loaf is moist like a cake, but simple to make, like a quick bread. Definitely take the time to let the bread cool and add the glaze. It imparts a sweetness, as well as the delicious, tangy, lemon-ness.

No-Bake Energy Bites by Gimme Some Oven

I'm not entirely convinced this little bites are healthy, but I am convinced they are GOOD! I have made several variations. My first batch was made with oats, peanut butter, honey, butterscotch chips, and walnuts, since I did not have the listed ingredients. They were pretty tasty. I love the combination of butterscotch and walnuts. These are a common swap-out for chocolate chips when I make cookies. My second batch, I followed the recipe, only substituting mini-chocolate chips. These were tasty too, but not my favorite. I think the toasted coconut, wheat germ, and honey gave it too many flavor profiles.

For my latest batch, I decided to go old school, and make this more like the drop cookies I believe these were based upon. I melted my mini-chocolate chip cookies (1/2 cup) in the microwave, and added the melted chocolate to the peanut butter and oats. I ended up adding about an extra 1/4 cup of oats since my mixture was a bit wet, but once the chocolate cooled and hardened, I don't think the additional oats where necessary. I also did not chill the mixture before forming into balls, since I knew the chocolate would harden once chilled. For all three batches, I used a small scoop to make the balls. The first two batches I rolled into balls, once scooped. For the melted chocolate bites, I just scooped and left them as it. Gave them a more rustic look. However you make these, they are DELISH!

 

Baked Spaghetti By  Kids in the Sink

With the hubby working crazy hours, occasionally I need super simple, but filling dinner ideas. Enter Baked Spaghetti! The only difference I made to this recipe, is that I added about 8 ounces of ricotta cheese to my jarred marinara, and about a half tablespoon of red pepper flakes. This gave the sauce a kick, and a creaminess. I cooked the pasta, and tossed with my sauce and cheeses, then topped with cheese, before heading to pick the hubby up from work. I just covered the pan with foil, and put it in the toaster oven. When we got home, I removed the foil, and cranked up the heat, to broil the cheese. I added some garlic toast, and VOILA! A quick and easy dinner. 

Crispy Buffalo Chicken by Can You Stay for Dinner?

I have discovered I love Buffalo Chicken. I have never been a fan of wings. I think it has to do with the lack of meat on each wing, and the amount of work and they are messy (good be the same reason I don't care for ribs). Enter BONELESS Buffalo Wings! I can eat with a fork and its another way to enjoy Blue Cheese Dressing? And who doesn't LOVE Blue Cheese Dressing?!?!?

When I found this recipe I was very excited. My husband is not a fan of Buffalo Wings either, but I figured I could make him plain ol' chicken tenders, and I could make mine Buffalo! I like to make my own chicken tenders and nuggets, but I was reminded why I don't make chicken tenders all that often. Each chicken tender has a tendon running down through it (perhaps why it is called a tender?). I can't stand that tendon, so it has to be removed. This is time consuming, but worth it. (I use a pairing knife, and make slits down each side of the tendon, and then take the knife and "push" the chicken down around the tendon while pulling it out. The slits help to keep from leaving a hole where the tendon used to live.) I served these tenders with Steak Fries (LOVE Steak Fries) and dipping sauce. Another yummy, if not as easy, dinner.

Can't wait to share with you what recipes and tips I find next month on the wonderful PINTEREST!

Better For You Pancakes

Wow, is that title even possible? Probably not, exactly.

Years ago, while working at the travel agency, I was browsing the internet during some down time. I came across one of those AOL galleries with healthy recipes, and decided that I really should TRY and eat healthier. What I found amid a bunch of recipes that did not sound appealing was a recipe for the South Beach Diet pancakes. I was intrigued. The recipe call for rolled oats instead of flour, and cottage cheese instead of oil or butter. I printed out the recipe to try at a later time.

Fast forward like four years, and I have to say I LOVE THESE PANCAKES! Plus, the recipe is for one serving! In a world of dieting (or just trying to eat healthier), baking for one is HARD. This recipe is also super easy in that you can make it in the blender (or food processor, as I discovered one morning when the blender was dirty, and I didn't feel like hand washing it). Over the years, I have topped these pancakes with strawberries or added blueberries or blackberries, but just this past week, I discovered even further heaven! I had a couple bananas on the verge of over-ripeness, so I threw one into the blender with all of the ingredients. At the end, I added some chopped up walnuts to the batter, and OMG! Banana Bread Pancakes! I made them two days in a row, they were JUST..THAT...GOOD.

 Photo from http://www.food.com/recipe/south-beach-diet-oatmeal-pancakes-109387

Here is the basic recipe I have been using. I have seen other versions, but this works well for me.

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup lowfat cottage cheese
2 egg whites (I buy Jumbo eggs)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash each ground cinnamon and nutmeg

Yields 2 pancakes 

Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend. I have a KitchenAid Blender, and I have discovered that using the Chop setting works best. Sometimes Mix (and definitely the faster settings) make the batter too runny. In those instances, I have added more oats to thicken the batter. You're making pancakes, so you want this the consistency of pancake batter. (Go figure.)

Heat a griddle pan over medium heat, and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Pour half the batter (or less if you want more, smaller pancakes) in the center of the pan. Now is the time to add blueberries (or blackberries or nuts) if you would like. Once bubbles have formed, and popped, go ahead and flip. This can take anywhere from 2-4 minutes depending on the thickness of your pancake. If the pancake is too dark (which happens to me all the time with a glass top stove), adjust your heat. The second side will cook in 2 to 3 minutes, again, depending on thickness.

Note on the Banana Nut Pancakes: The batter will take a little longer to cook, and may seem unset, but that is the yummy banana in the batter.

I hope you find this recipe as delicious as I do!

I use FitBit and Lose It! to figure out calorie counts, and according to my FitBit calculations, the above recipe has 241 calories, 4 grams of fat, 4.4 grams of fiber, 31.3 grams of carbs, 350.2 milligrams of sodium, and 18.1 grams of protein. (FitBit doesn't have Jumbo egg whites, so the above calculations are bases using Large eggs.)

I LOVE Pinterest!

I have fallen in love with Pinterest. It has become my new obsession. I actually spend more time on there than Facebook these days. Gasp! Shocker, I know. While Pinterest has been dubbed the place where women go to dress children they don't have, design houses they can't afford, and plan weddings they'll never have, I use the site for ideas. Ideas for our new house (keeping in mind, that my wants need to match the available funds), ideas for craft projects, ideas for gifts, and ideas for dinner (and breakfast, lunch, appetizers, parties, etc.)

I have actually made several recipes I found on Pinterest. All have been delicious, but not all have been successful. I define success as it looks just like the recipe picture. I know, I'm a bit of a perfectionist.

Here are the recipes I have made (and where you can download/print the recipe yourself.)

Breakfast

• Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
• Pineapple Orange Smoothie (I've made these twice, the second time I added fresh strawberries.)
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal (this was DELICIOUS!)

Dinner

• Artichoke Crusted Chicken
• Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

What I love about Pinterest as a way to find recipes is that I get to see pictures of the food, and then decide if I am interested in reading the recipe. Prior to finding Pinterest, I had to know what I was interested in finding, and search by name or ingredients. I have discovered so many recipes that I never would have even thought to look for, like Harry Potter Butterbeer Cupcakes! Can you even imagine such a thing existed? Thank you Pinterest for introducing me to such a treat!

Here are some other recipes I am looking forward to making, thanks to Pinterest.

• Oatmeal Creme Pies (like Little Debbie's!)
• Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
• Homemade Pot Stickers
• Brownie Batter Pancakes
• Spiced Apple Sangria

Here are some pictures I took of the recipes I made.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Pineapple Orange Smoothie

Scrapbooking Tips

One thing I love as much as travel and food is taking pictures of my travels and new foods I try (and even the food I make) and putting together scrapbooks. I just wish it wasn't so expensive (embellishments and albums, cost a lot of money, not to mention the cost of printing the pictures!) and didn't take up such a huge space. I can sure sprawl out while scrapbooking!

Here are some recent pages I completed:

For each of the Walt Disney World Parks

Magic Kingdom

Disney Animal Kingdom

Epcot

Disney's Hollywood Studios

For these pages, I used the park maps to start off the section (or in my case, each album). I find that using brochures, fliers, and even magazines are a good way to beef up an album. It gives a bigger picture to add to the story you are telling.

Magic Kingdom's Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Parade

For the parade pictures, I used colorful paper with movement to convey fun and celebration.

Recent Trip to Europe

For my scrapbook from our trip to Europe, I added boarding passes and tickets to the pages. This is a great way to display mementos from the trip. I am also not a fan of my handwriting, so I printed my captions using the Feltpoint Font. I love that there are so many free downloadable fonts on the Internet. You can find just about anything to correspond with your pictures.

What are your favorite cost saving tips for scrapbooking?

Happy New Year!

It's funny how traditions get started. Early this morning, about 12:05AM, I got a call from my mom wondering why I hadn't called her yet. I HAD sent her a text, but I had completely forgotten about a tradition I started years ago.

The year was 1989, and while sitting in my Dad's den, something occurred to me. Although I had only just turned 8 in October, I realized that the next year (1990) I would turn 10! I turned to my mom, and said "Guess what? Next year I will be 10!" and a tradition was born. Every year since, I have called my mom at midnight wherever I was, and told her "Guess what? I will be [insert age] next year!" My little sister has been doing the same thing for years now, too.

A couple years ago, my mom asked me when I was going to be too old to keep calling her, so I asked if she wanted me to stop. I don't think she ever answered, but now I know. I think she looks forward to that call as much as I enjoy making it. So hello world, guess what? Next year I will be 33!

Happy 2012 to all! I hope it is a prosperous and wonderful year!




123Tagged.com - More New Year 2012 Comments

Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 5

For my final post of favorite foods of the year, I'm going to feature a favorite drink. For our anniversary (which ended up being the same day as my graduation from grad school) Marshall and I took an Odyssey Potomac River Lunch Cruise. The cruise had a full bar (unfortunately not included in the lunch price) and I had a very potent but delicious apple martini. Here is the recipe. Try one tonight at your New Year's Eve party!

Candy Apple Martini

1 1/2 ounce Apple Vodka
1 ounce Apple Pucker
1/2 ounce Buttershots (butterscotch schnapps)
1/4 ounce Grenadine
Apple Slice or Maraschino Cherry for Garnish

Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish.

Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 4

I was very fortunate earlier this year to travel to Europe with my sister and best friend. My sister had never been to Europe, and was about to embark on a 3-week total immersion program to learn Dutch, in Belgium. Since my sister did not speak a word of Dutch (or at least she didn't prior to picking up a Dutch dictionary before we left), French or German (the three official languages of Belgium), we started our trip in London, where they do speak English (sort of). On this trip, after London, we went to the Netherlands (Holland), before heading over to Brussels in Belgium.

Now, when most people think of Belgium, they probably think of beer, chocolate and WAFFLES! We were very excited for all three (well, two out of the three). Turns out there are two major differences in the Belgian waffles, by way of types. There are Brussels waffles and Liege waffles. I found a great blog post (and may have already posted this) on the differences.

Having tried both waffles on this trip (both covered in Belgian chocolate, of course!), it was decided that the Liege waffle is preferable. It is denser, and sweeter than the Brussels waffle. While researching recipes, it has come to my attention that making Liege waffles is time consuming, and requires special ingredients and tools. If you are able to find the Belgian Pearl sugar, and a Liege waffle iron, you are in for a treat. If you are able to find these items, here is site that offers an authentic recipe. For those of us that do not have the special equipment, I have found several sites that mention crushing sugar cubes for the pearl sugar. Here is one site that has a simple enough recipe, listed below.

1 package yeast
1/3 cup lukewarm water (about 105 degrees F- too hot will kill the yeast)
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
3 eggs
1 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Belgian pearl sugar*

1. Mix the yeast, water, sugar and salt in a bowl and let it develop or sit for 15 minutes.
2. Place the flour in a separate large mixing bowl (we use the bowl of our kitchen aid stand mixer) and make a well in the center of the flour.
3. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and mix until blended on medium speed.
4. Add the eggs (one at a time), melted butter a bit at a time, and the vanilla and cinnamon. Be sure to mix well after each addition to the batter. Keep in mind the batter will be thick and VERY sticky (this is normal).
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and let the dough rest until it doubles in volume inside the bowl.
6. Gently fold in the pearl sugar and let the dough rest for 15 more minutes.
7. While the dough is resting, heat the waffle iron (we use a Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Iron and I recommend Belgian waffle irons because they have the deep pockets).
8. Spoon about a 2" ball of dough into the center of the waffle iron (this should yield a waffle that is about 4" in diameter). I know that sounds small, but these rich waffles pack quite a punch. Waffles will take 3 to 5 minutes to bake (in our waffle iron, they take 3 minutes and 15 seconds on level 3).

Liege Waffle with Belgian Chocolate, Strawberries and Whipped Cream

* Recipe author note on pearl sugar:

It has been our experience that Belgian pearl sugar is difficult to find in the U.S. so we buy C&H sugar cubes (normally for coffee), place about 60 of them in a plastic Ziploc bag and 'crush' them with a meat tenderizer (you could use a rolling pin or heavy sauce pan as well). Then put the sugar through a sifter maintaining only the 'pearls' of sugar for the waffles. You need about 1 cup of pearls. The fine sugar that goes through the sifter can be put in your kitchen sugar jar or used to sweeten the strawberries if you are using them for the topping. I was able to find an online source at L'Epicerie. See the pearl sugar photo to the right so that you know what you are trying to obtain.

The addition of pearl sugar in the batter is what gives these waffles that special caramelized Liege waffle taste. However, that same sugar makes them sort of sticky so be careful not to burn yourself when removing them from the waffle iron.

The pearl sugar also makes clean-up of the waffle iron tricky. As the sugar melts, it runs in the crevices of the waffle iron. So my biggest tip is that after you finish baking your waffles, clean the waffle iron while it is still warm. If it cools completely, the caramel sugar mixture can be nearly impossible to get off the iron.
These waffles freeze extremely well so consider making a double batch. We just let the waffles cool, wrap them individually in Saran wrap, and then place them in a large Ziploc freezer bag. When we want one, we remove it from the freezer and put it in the oven on a baking sheet to heat it up.

Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 3

As you can tell from the title of this blog, I love to travel, and I love food. Continuing with my favorite foods from the last year, today I am sharing another recipe from Disney, this time from Shutters at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, in Orlando. The Caribbean Pasta with chicken is so delicious! (You can also get the recipe with shrimp instead.) It's creamy, with just a touch of heat, which, after researching the recipe, I discovered comes from fresh jalapeno. If you cannot find orechiette pasta (which is Italian for "little ears"), medium shells would work just as well. (I found this recipe on http://www.allears.net/.) This recipe is for one serving.

1 ounce Red Peppers

1 ounce Green Peppers
1 ounce Diced onions
1/4 ounce Jalapenos
2 ounce Heavy cream
1 ounce White wine
1 ounce Tomatoes
4 ounces Chorizo Sausage
1/4 ounce Cooking oil
1/4  ounce Goat cheese
1 ounce Spinach
4 ounces Cooked Orechiette Pasta
6 pieces Shrimp OR 5 ounces Chicken breast

1. In large pan, bring water to a boil and add 4 ounces of Orechiette Pasta.
2. Cut vegetables (small diced red, green, and jalapenos peppers, and onions) (medium diced tomatoes and Chorizo sausage).
3. In hot sauté pan, add oil, onions, peppers (red, green and jalapenos) and cook until tender.
4. Add Chorizo sausage and any other add-ons you would like to have.
5. Deglaze with white wine.
6. Add heavy cream and add pasta, tomatoes, and spinach.
7. Sprinkle on the goat cheese.

While this recipe did not taste exactly like dish at Shutters (face it, do they ever?), it is a great dish if you are craving something similar. ENJOY!

Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 2

Yesterday I wrote about Blue Bayou's Monte Cristo sandwich and Au Gratin Potatoes. Today, I am going to tell you about another awesome recipe featuring potatoes.

The Pioneer Woman has become my favorite person of 2011 (easily trumping Rachael Ray). She blogs, writes cook books and wrote probably one of my (and all of my sisters, it seems) favorite books of the year (From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels). Ree Drummond is the Pioneer Woman, and I think she is awesome. Here is her recipe for Potato-Leek Pizza. It is one of the tastiest pizzas I have had in a long time. Makes me want to make it tonight for dinner. (From The Pioneer Woman Cooks copyright 2009.)

Pizza Dough (I will share my recipe for dough at the end, but any refrigerated dough will work)
Extra Vigin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 leeks, rinsed well to remove grit, and thinly sliced
5 small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced paper thin
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly gound black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
2. Prepare the pizza crust and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
3. Begin by placing the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the bacon until cooked, but not crisp.
4. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside.
5. Pour off most of the grease. Do not clean the skillet. Return the skillet to the stove and turn the heat to medium-low.
6. Add the leeks to the pan and saute over medium-low heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. Using a sharp knife or mandoline, slice the potatoes very thin. You'll need to do this just before you need them, as the potatoes will brown very quickly.
8. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer all over the crust, slightly overlapping the edges.
9. Sprinkle the potatoes lightly with salt, then lay the mozzarella slices in a single layer on top of the potatoes.
10. Place the leeks on top of the cheese.
11. Sprinkle the fried bacon over the leeks.
12. Then add the crumbled goat cheese, grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
13. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into wedges or squares and serve immediately.

For step by step picture instructions, pick up Ree's book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

I have tried many recipes for pizza dough, and I have finally found my favorite. It is a tweaked version of the one listed in Food Network Magazine. This makes 2, 1 pound dough balls.

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups warm water

1 tablespoon honey

1 packet yeast

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Whisk flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well and add water, honey and yeast. When foamy, add olive oil and knead for 5 minutes. (I do this in a stand mixer with the bread hook attachment.)
2. Add dough to an oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Divide into 2, 1 pound balls of dough.

Here are my tips for making any kind of pizza:

1. Stretch dough to desired size. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with kosher salt.
2. Parbake in a 500 degree F oven for 2-3 minutes, to start the crust baking (a pizza stone is an invaluable tool for a crisp, yet chewy, crust).
3. Top with desired toppings, and bake for an additional 8-11 minutes, until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 1

When I started this blog, it was supposed to be about travel and food (and everything in between); however, it has been a while since I have posted about food. During the last month alone, I have taken some great trips, and experienced some GREAT food. For the next several days, until New Year's Day, I will share pictures and recipes of some of my favorites from the past year.

Today, I will start with a classic from Blue Bayou at Disneyland: The Monte Cristo Sandwich. (Recipe courtesy of Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs copyright 2004.)

1 egg
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 slices egg bread (challah works well), sliced 1/2 inch thick
2/3 pound ham, cut into 4 slices
2/3 pound turkey, cut into 4 slices
1/4 pound Swiss cheese, cut into 4 slices
3 cups canola oil
Confectioner's sugar
Blackberry preserves

1. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels; set aside.
2. Whisk the egg and water together in a mixing bowl. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and whisk thoroughly, scraping the side of the bowl. Continue to whisk, for 20 minutes, until smooth.
3. On one slice of bread arrange a slice each of ham, turkey and cheese, covering the bread evenly. Place another slice of bread on top and slice sandwich in half diagonally.
4. Heat oil to between 365 and 375 degrees F in a 10-inch pan. Do not let the oil reach a higher temperature than this; if the oil starts to smoke, turn the heat down. Dip half of the sandwich into the batter, allowing excess to drain, and very carefully place into the oil. Repeat with the other sandwich half. Cook 3 minutes on each side. Place the cooked sandwich on the prepared cookie sheet in a warm oven until ready to serve. Repeat for the other 3 sandwiches. Cook the sandwiches one at a time, and allow the oil to reach the desired temperature in between each batch.
5. Sprinkle sandwiches with confectioner's sugar and serve with blackberry preserves on the side.

The potatoes served with the Monte Cristo Sandwich (and all of the Blue Bayou entrees) are to die for! I found this recipe on http://www.talkdisney.com/.

Blue Bayou Au Gratin Potatoes

3 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter
4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Mix onions and potatoes and put into a buttered baking dish. Mix cream, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves.
2. Pour mixture over potatoes and onions, and cover with aluminum foil.
3. Put in a 350 degree F oven, and bake for about 1 hour.
4. When the potatoes are tender, remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. Return to oven, uncovered, and bake until brown, about 10 minutes more.

I hope you enjoy both of these recipes as much as I did!

2011, The Best Yet

As 2011 slowly winds to a close, I am thinking back on a pretty good year. Here are a few highlights from the past year, and a photo retrospective, month-by-month.

• Several trips including Florida, Europe, Washington DC, New Mexico, Texas, California and Louisiana
• Experiencing Europe with my sister and best friend
• Finishing graduate school and receiving my Master's degree
• Meeting my nephew and spending time with our ever-growing family
• Spending time with old friends and new
• Planning the next chapter of our life with Marshall

I hope this past year was wonderful for each of you as well! Here's to an even more eventful, fun and prosperous 2012!

Always,
Lonnie

This free scrapbook design customized with Smilebox

Always Remember, Lest We Forget

It's ironic, for a 20 year-old female, I thought September 10, 2001 was one of the worst nights of my life. I spent that evening on the phone with my, at the time, on-again-off-again boyfriend, learning about his time during the off-again. It was devastating, but it was a conversation we needed to have. Especially since I was set to move to England on September 15th. We talked on the phone until after 2AM. Since I was getting ready to study abroad, I had spent the summer at my parent's house in New Mexico. The morning of September 11th, my mom came in, said something to me, and turned on the TV. It was only 7AM, and I had gone to bed only about 5 hours earlier. I shut the TV off, and buried my head under the covers. A few minutes later, mom came back in, turned the TV back on, and said the words I will never forget: "NO AMERICAN SHOULD SLEEP THROUGH THIS!"

That made no sense to me in my groggy state, but I sat up and looked at the TV, just in time to see the footage of the second plane fly into the World Trade Center. You want to talk about a wake up call. The next few hours were a blur of phone calls to Monique, who was also headed to England, just a few weeks later than me, and the travel agency that booked my tickets. We had no idea when the airports would reopen, but I was certain I would not be flying to London that Saturday.

My flight did actually take off on Saturday, however, I was not on it. I rescheduled my flight for the following Tuesday, one week after this horrifying event. It's weird for me to look back at these events, because I wasn't here, but for a week. I moved to England, and put studying (well, if I'm completely honest, traveling) at the top of my list, and I really did not look back. Ten years later, I remember that instant vividly, and I will never forget.

God bless America, the troops who give me the right to say that, and all the families who will never be the same again.

I Graduated! Now what?

I can't believe what I have been working towards for almost two years is now finished. I have a Master's degree. And while I don't have to work on school work anymore, things seem like business as usual. I guess once I receive the actual diploma I will feel like a graduate.

It's funny, once we finished our final presentation, several of my classmates said that it felt anti-climactic, and I would have to agree. Even though I put on the gown (a gown with funny sleeves, that made Marshall say I looked like a dementor from Harry Potter), marched in to Pomp and Circumstance, and bought all the obligatory GW Alumni items, I still don't quite feel it.

I have started looking and applying for jobs. Maybe that will give me the feeling I am looking for. While I do feel relieved and proud of myself, there is just something missing.

Has anyone else felt this way after completing something to which you set your mind? Oh well, I guess time will tell.

European Food-Is there anything better?

While it has been a while now since we returned from our European trip, the food still lives on in my head. While Britain is not known for their culinary offerings, we had some great food while in London. Funny side story, while studying abroad in Reading, England, Monique and I actually escaped to Calais, France on a trip to Dover, in order to get good food. We had a stash of spices we carried to every meal in the dining hall (season salt and lemon pepper were a mainstay at our table).

Back to our most recent trip, our first meal was a traditional English Tea at the National Portrait Gallery. The scones and tea sandwiches were delicious, but we added on a cheese tray and charcuterie (cured meats) plate to make it into a meal. The entire meal ended up being a little more than the three of us could eat, but it was a great way to start off our trip.

The next day we met up with some of Monique's friends for authentic dim sum in China Town. I had never had dim sum, so I was excited to try something new. I think Traci was a bit leary, but ended up enjoying the food.

That night, after a day of siteseeing, we hit a pub over near Earl's Court and our hotel. I was thrilled to get my favorite British drink, a Snake Bite. This is made with cider and ale, and I asked for a shot of currant syrup (which I thought was called a Snakey B, as that is what I always ordered in the pub in our dorm, but I learned, after the bar tender laughed at me, that this is also a Snake Bite). Traditional pub food was on the menu and our minds. I ordered Bangers and Mash (which is sausage and potatoes with an onion sauce). I had never risked ordering this before, as I am not a fan of onions; however, this onion sauce was cooked down so much that there were no chunks or pieces, just the perfect essence of the onion. It was delicious! Traci and Monique each got the fish and chips.

Our last meal in London was snacks (sausage rolls [my FAVORITE] and veggies with hummus) while we watched Wicked! That was a pretty good one too.

Our first night in Amsterdam (after I was freed from the bathroom), we experienced an authentic Dutch meal. Traci ordered smoked salmon, which was served with capers; Monique got chicken satay, which had the best satay sauce; and I ordered macaroni and cheese. My meal was not what I was expecting, but it was really good. Elbow macaroni, with a bacon/pancetta type meat in a light tomato sauce, and grated aged gouda (known as oude kaas, or old cheese).

Traci and I took a tour of cheese, windmills, and klompers (wooden shoes). On this tour we were taken to Volendam, where the South Sea was dammed to create a lake (I'm pretty sure that is what they told us). Here were found a cafe (or essentially a Dutch pub) where we had some of the best fish and chips (the BEST fish ever, in my opinion) and a glass each of Amstel beer. I am not a big fish eater, but this was just awesome. There was no fishy taste, and it was moist and flaky all at the same time. I'm not sure I will ever find fish like that again.

That night, after visiting a local grocery store (so Monique could find some of that yummy satay sauce, and buying wine and more cheese), we found a local restaurant and decided we had to try Dutch pancakes. These were very good. They were like large crepes, served flat with our choice of topping. Traci went for a sweet pancake, with currants (which are like raisins)  and whipped cream, Monique got more of a breakfast-type one, with canadian bacon and cheese, and I ordered ham and cheese.

That night, we had our very own wine and cheese spread in our hotel room.

In Delft, we ate at another cafe. The food here was also very good. We started out with beef carpaccio, which is thinly sliced uncooked beef, served with a salad of greens, pine nuts, and shaved cheese. This beef was so delicious, and it melted in my mouth like butter. The idea of raw meat never really appealed to me, but I am so glad I stepped outside of my comfort zone and tried it. Next,  I ordered the steak (which was a filet) and Traci and Monique got the special, which was pork. One thing we noticed here especially, but definitely throughout the areas we visited, there is no rush to turn over the tables. We had gotten to the restaurant around 6:30-7:00PM, and planned to catch an 8:00PM train back into Amsterdam. 8PM came and went while we were waiting for our food. Once we ate and got our servers attention that we would like our bill, I just gave her my credit card right away, so we wouldn't have to further wait. I think it was way after 9PM by the time we made it to the train station.

Another interesting fact about the restaurants in Amsterdam, apparently pets are allowed. Two of the restaurants had their very own cats. Yes, I said cats! They weren't bothering anyone, they were just hanging out. I love cats, but this was strange.

In Belgium, we got what we had patiently be waiting for: Waffles, Chocolate, and Waffles with Chocolate! We learned on this trip that there are many types of Belgian waffles, but the two most popular types and sold all over Brussels are Brussels and Liege style waffles. Brussels are the type you normally think of when you think Belgian waffles. They are rectangular, with the deep holes. Liege waffles are a little different. They too have the deep holes, but they are not exactly square. I found a great website that explains the differences well. Monique and I both agreed that we prefer the Liege style waffles to the Brussels style. They are denser and sweeter. Both styles are great topped with Belgian chocolate, strawberries and whipped cream!

Belgian chocolate is one of my favorites (although I am not that big of a fan of chocolate). Around Brussels, we found tons of chocolatiers. And some very interesting chocolate statues!

Our last meal in Brussels was actually Italian, but it was quite good (probably more of the American Italian we are accustomed to). Traci, Steven and I all had different variations of pizza, and Monique had a chicken (or it may have been pork) dish that I can't remember the name, but it was smothered in a cheese sauce, and looked delicious. Traci also got tiramisu for dessert, and was excited when it showed up with a sparkler-type pompom on top.



Another interesting fact, fries in both the Netherlands and Belgium are served with mayonaise, not ketchup. And the mayonaise tastes different (more flavorful) than American mayo. The combo actually is pretty good.

I promised myself that on this trip we would do our best to eat only local, non chain, type food. And with the exception of Starbucks (and come on, we gotta get our caffenine fix somewhere, and they are everywhere), we did a very good job of this!