summer days

kebobs on our porch are our new favorite thing.

especially when enjoyed with friends & followed up with cranium.

when we got married, we started our quest for recipes that were easy, cheap, healthy and good- and since last night's dinner fits the bill, i figured it might be worth sharing on here:

our kebobs were inexpensive, easy to make, and surprisingly filling. we just used mushrooms, onions, green & red bell peppers, pineapple, tomatoes, and chicken. to season them we just threw on some salt & pepper, lemon juice, soy sauce on some, and of course, tonys. next time we want to find a good marinade (any suggestions??), but our make shift flavoring worked out pretty well. for sides we grilled some deliciously sweet corn on the cob & christa made some awesome rice with lime that i might have had three servings of.

i only have two weeks left with ross this summer before he leaves for 5 weeks of air force officer training, so we hope to enjoy the heck out of our time together. heres to more grilling, time with friends, little adventures, and time with each other. he's my favorite.

books, food, and true love

what do these three books have in common?

a. they rock

b. they've made my january lovely, despite the lame weather

c. they are each uniquely addicting & inspiration

life of pi has been out for a while, so i realize there's really not much for me to say about it that hasn't already been said. if you're looking for a book with a beautiful story that leaves you wanting to really live, this is the book for you. this novel is particularly hard to put down, and it provide a refreshing and somewhat unique perspective on religion.

now, onto food. ross gave me the sweetest christmas gift this year: a copy of mastering the art of french cooking, the paperback julie and julia, and the dvd- all tied up with string. actually, i watching julie and julia right now. it's so sweet, and i'm starting to love meryl streep almost as much as i love tom hanks. the books is pretty different from the movie, but very enjoyable. her honest humor & cooking mishaps are addicting. and of course- my own copy of mastering the art of french cooking now seems to be calling my name.

while i'm still just a little too intimidated to start mastering julia child's infamous cookbook, i have fallen head over heels for great food fast. it's perfect for the girl (like me) who hasn't yet cultivated culinary skills through years of practice, but wants too. even better is the fact that all of the recipes are even tastier than they are easy and fast. best of all? not only is the book divided by the four seasons, but every recipe is complete with a gorgeous photograph. what's not to love? so far ross & i have enjoyed:

- pureed butternut squash soup

- sloppy joes

- chicken curry served with red potatoes, rice and raisins

- crispy apricot pork chops served baby broccoli with orange sauce

- potato and onion frittata

- cranberry upside-down cake

ooo i really can't say enough about this fabulous cookbook. most of the dishes are made up of budget friendly elements as well, which allows us to try out at least one new recipe a week.

confession: when ross & i first got married, i didn't put in that much effort when it came to preparing meals. i was so concerned with not being little betty homemaker (despite my [somewhat annoying] natural instincts) that when i did cook, the meals generally comprised of frozen veggies and just sticking some salmon in the oven for 10 min with some lemon juice (if i was feeling fancy). BUT- i recently discovered what millions of men and women have known about for years- the true joy of cooking. seriously- it's wonderful. and the only greater joy than that of creating a wonderful meal with gorgeous aromas and the symphonic sounds of sauteing is the fulfillment that comes with serving your husband (or wife). i really don't mean that in the sense of "i am a woman, let me cook and clean for you, a man." rather, i mean the gag-worthy, "i just freakin' love you, and i love lightening your load, and making your day just a little brighter (and tastier) by cooking for you...because like i said, i freakin' love you. " obnoxious, yes... but true.

and just incase you weren't sold on the whole loving through serving bit, here is even more motivation (if you're even looking for it [whoever the you is i am so frequently referring to]): giving leads to more giving, and good cooking yields to better cooking. what i mean is this: if i cook a particularly scrumptious meal on tuesday, ross will be even more inspired to cook and equally (or surpassingly) wonderful meal on wednesday. who wouldn't love such a cycle? not that ross needs inspiration to be awesome, but more on that later.

"julia, you are the butter to my bread, the breath to my life. i love you, darling girl."

- julia's husband, paul.

cooking is the new love language.

favorite meals, lately

date night last week.

fish tacos, margs, and the yummiest strawberry-heavenly-disappearing-tart.

three words: first class rocks! 

first time to enjoy the pleasure of big seats, a real meal, warm cookies,

free drinks, and tiny salt & pepper shakers. 

in&out burger. yesssss.

but tonight's meal was extra fulfilling. our kitchen sink was full of dirty dishes, 

but that means one happy thing: lots of people eating off those dishes. 

pot luck dinners are the best.  everyone contributes, everyone shares.

forever grateful to my tiny college roommate for teaching me

the beautiful of community. 

i'm starting to remember how it feels to like where you are

because of the people you have around you. 

that's a good feeling. 

our weekend, in too many words

from the outside looking in, our weekend didn't look much like a rollercoaster at all.  but somewhere in between our date night, saturday afternoon run, pool time, an 8 hour saturday shift, church & a marathon of the west wing, this weekend was a pretty touch and go.

friday was very nice.  after ross woke me up from a lazy afternoon nap with three beautiful roses, we had another sweet date night which included a homemade version of our favorite sandwhich from a much missed waco restaurant: the george's southside chicken sandwhich. whole-wheat buns, grilled chicken, & homemade guacamole made this meal cheap, easy, healthy and good (even better than the real-deal!).  not to mention pretty. 

afterwards we saw julie & julia. ummmm a movie about blogging, france, food & love...pure joy. {ross even laughed out loud on more than one occasion} the true story showcases that hard work & determination necessary to pursuing your dreams and basically saving your own life, all the while putting your love and marriage first. and the question kept persisting in my head: what is my calling? why aren't i working towards it? what am i doing with my life?

so, saturday afternoon ross & i took advantage of the less hot weather and went for a run around the a&m campus...until i broke down crying. after complaining about nonsense ("i hate this campus! it's the ugliest thing i've ever seen! [which for the record- it really is) i finally opened up with ross & shared some of the pain i've been dealing with.  mostly, missing baylor & my amazing community there in conjunction with feeling lost & lonely.  so he held me & listened, and then prayed for me.  

once again, God answered our prayers and comforted us.  sunday we went back to grace bible church, and at one point in the message the preacher proclaimed: "i am my own worst enemy. everyday i wake up and all i think is me me me." how comforting to know i'm not the only one.

he later went on to talk about the importance of serving God's kingdom.  i was reminded of the fact that always seems to escape me when i'm swimming in self-pity: our purpose here on earth is to love and serve God and our neighbors, and to expand the kingdom here on earth. what else matters outside of that? no matter what job i have in whatever city, this one true calling will remain the same. 

when gratitude dissolves for the job He provided, i quickly become unhappy in my work.  but in many ways, it doesn't matter what our job is or where we live.  when i am intentional through His grace, i can see the impact He can have on people through the silly job of a not yet skilled barista.  the best part of work happens when a connection forms, fosters conversation, and produces a smile...a brief linking of souls in a ugly world, sharing for a small moment much needed joy and contact, all over a cup of coffee.  because it's not the coffee, it's Him.  

anyway, my main desire to write this post came from a poem that will not get out of my head for weeks.  robert frost's "mending wall," in which the neighbor keeps repeating the phrase, "good fences make good neighbors."  throughout this poem, frosts ironically depicts that relationships cannot be formed when the boundaries are the main focus.  

in a new city (filled with aggies, no less) i'm appreciating more and more the glimpses of vulnerability i see in others.  it's the only way for us to connect, to be neighbors, to be the body of Christ.  it's so comforting to know that we're all struggling, hurting, lost.  but were also persevering, comforting and seeking.  and we can't do it alone.  and we can't do it with fences. 

"rejoice alwasys; pray without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of Christ Jesus for you." 1 thessalonians 5:16-18 

easy, cheap, healthy & good

i'm reeeeally a sucker for cookbooks.  the kinds with pretty covers, hip fonts, and fabulous photographs.  the truth is, i rarely try a recipe, and that's for a couple reasons:

1. Super complex recipes scare me... and i have a pretty broad definition of complex

2. Can't really afford to buy a million different ingredients... maybe someday! but not on this budget.

but, it is a fun challenge to find inexpensive meals that are easy to make.  more importantly, we want healthy, nutritious foods that taste great... 

tonight we got creative with a weight watcher's recipe for a roasted red pepper dip {and it's zero calories}

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Ingredients:

2 large red peppers, roasted

2 teaspoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

In a food processor, puree the ingredients until smooth. 

tip for roasting the red peppers: preheat broiler. line baking sheet with foil.  broil 3 inches from heat, turning frequently, until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes.  let stand until cool. discard cores & seeds.  

the book suggests enjoying the dip with cut up veggies or baked potatoes.  so tonight we baked a couple in the microwave (about 15 min together).  next, we grilled up a couple frozen chicken breasts, then chopped them up into bite size pieces. the final product: two baked potatoes (2 for $1),  with spray butter, cheese, filled with chicken, & covered in the roasted red pepper dip. the meal was made better, as usual, with tony chachere's. veeeery good & we have dip left to snack on. would be even better with some chives and grilled corn thrown in. 

anyway, we liked it :)

get in my belly!

101 salads from Mark Bittman

ross & i are trying to eat out as little as possible, 

and so far it's going really well. 

we're trying to master the art of healthy, cheap and easy meals.

and we've had some surprising success.

and dare i say it...ross even likes salads now.

i've got to run with that :)