Meat and Potatoes.

Last night, I made dinner FOR A MAN. Please click the link read Kalin's blog. She is hilarious!



I took 1/2 onion and 2 cloves of garlic and caramelized them. It was a slow process. I put the burner on low, added a tbsp of olive oil and stirred.



While the on-yons and GAAAAAHHLIC (a nod to Andy's grandma's southern boyfriend) did their thing, I put a pot roast in the oven with more onions. I was paranoid about cooking a pot roast. I kept checking the thermometer to see if the internal temp had reached 145*.



Of course, a pot roast cannot be complete without potatoes. I took these mini yellow potatoes and cut off the ugly bits. (I leave the skin on!)

For my mashed potatoes;

use 1 bag mini-yellow potatoes
1/2 cup caramelized onions and garlic
1/2 cup fat-free milk
a dash of half and half
salt to taste
pepper to taste
and 1 tbsp real butter.

The addition of the onions adds so much flavor. (Please feel free to substitute almond milk and earth balance if you are participating in Vegan Week (Or if you are a vegan!) And make some meatless meatloaf ala See Sarah Eat

I definitely could use more vegan meals in my life. But alas, I made pot roast. And it was SO GOOD!!!!



I was so happy with how this turned out. The pot roast had tons of flavor and the potatoes were spot on. I'm almost 100% irish so I know my potatoes. I loved these! I just wish I would have had some veggies on hand. I think some carrots, parsnips or green beans would have complimented this nicely.



But I digress, sometimes meat and potatoes is satisfying. Today I will focus on more veggies. I plan on doing something magical with a butternut squash and an eggplant.

3 things before I go.

1. My weigh-in last night wasn't as good as I expected. I lost 0.6. Which means I need to lose 0.4 to be at 10 lbs lost. Andy's birthday is on Saturday and I plan on sharing some sort of dessert with him...but I'm nervous. I plan on amping up the workouts!

2. Check out Lindsey's Give and Feel Good Challenge. I have been trying to do the dishes everyday. It's a way for me to give to Andy. I loathe doing dishes but it makes me feel good to do them for a change. Andy works so hard and deserves some sort of a break when he gets home!

3. Do you crave veggies? I always do after a few days of carbs, meat and starch. I'm on my way to drinking a big GREEN Amazing Grass Smoothie right now.

P.S. I am seeing New Moon friday! YAY!!!!!!!

O' Brother where art thou?

After several days of going out to eat, I was craving a comforting meal at home. One that was (mostly) made by my own hands.

With my fancy new cutting board (Thanks Coral!) and new paring knife, I got to work. I sliced up one nectarine, pluot and some blueberries.


Added a little bit of each of these. Mostly the malibu rum!



Finally used the wine opener Andy got me for Christmas! And set out to make sangria. While the sangria flavors were blending, I got to work on dinner.


This is totally not made by my hands, I know. I had a craving for mashed potatoes so I decided to be lazy and crazy. I bought a small package of premade taters from Fresh & Easy. (Did I seriously just write taters?) I grated some pepper jack cheese.



And mixed the two together on the skillet just like I'm sure Bobby Flay would never do.

Meanwhile Andy mixed up red onions, bell peppers and chicken sausage in another skillet.

And we had dinner! This was a great meal for us because it means we have lunch for tomorrow. I loved the potatoes with the pepper jack cheese mixed in, it was a little spicy!

The sausage, onions and bell peppers would have been superb in a warm garlic roll. If only someone (me) wasn't trying to lose weight!

And I busted out the sangria. I love using nectarines in sangria! As you can see, the nectarines aren't nearly wine soaked enough. The sangria will be perfect tomorrow night after a long day at work.

I used- one bottle of cheapo cabernet sauvignon, 2 glugs bacardi, 2 glugs dark rum and a heaping amount of malibu rum. Then I stirred in a cup of blueberries, one nectarine, one pluot, 1/2 tbsp simple syrup and half a bottle of Wyder's Raspberry Cider. Oh and a splash of pineapple juice. It's not as carbonated as some sangria's I've had out but I like it that way. Homemade sangria is so simple to make.

And simpler to drink!

Something that's on my mind: So many people have asked me if being married is different than when Andy and I were just "dating." I feel like it might be weird of me to say but being married to him isn't that different! Maybe because we've lived together for three years? I still continue to love him more everyday and we are still best friends. That hasn't changed. Putting a label on our commitment to each other just solidifies things. I'm thrilled that we are married and I'm even more thrilled that we are happy!

So for you married folks out there--Do you think being married is way different than when you were dating?