Cooking for One

Brian was on a business trip last week, so I had the perfect opportunity to make something I had been craving. Bridget had recently mentioned the word "BLT" and normally it doesn't sound appetizing because I don't eat bacon, but as I was driving home from work pondering the fact that my husband was gone and I had no cares in the world....

I decided to make my own version of a BLT.

I always think this, but thank goodness for Bristol Farms being so close to work because it saves me from dragging myself to the regular grocery store with my sore feet.

Good thing the BLT requires very few ingredients....

So if you find yourself alone or just in the mood for a simple dinner, try this one out!

TBTG (Turkey Bacon, Tomato, Guacamole):

-3 Slices Turkey Bacon Pan Fried (in Cooking Spray)

-2 Large Slices of Juicy Tomato

-3 Tablespoons homemade Guacamole (Avocado, Salt, Pepper, fresh Garlic, Cilantro, Lemon Juice)

-Toasted Whole Wheat Bread

Note: I do not like lettuce on sandwiches, so I made the "L" part of the BLT into a salad!

Another Year...

I can't believe it is March already again, time just flies by! My birthday was this past week and I am so blessed to have such good friends and family around to celebrate with! My parents went over-the-top and hosted a fun birthday party for me with some of my close friends from college. Things have changed so much from when we were at Pepperdine and just a short walk down the hall to someone's dorm or apartment and when classes were all the responsibilities we had. It is much harder to get together with friends as often as we used to see each other.

This year I feel so fortunate to have been able to have dinner with everyone, regardless of my birthday. Some of my friends weren't able to make it and I missed them, but we will get soon hopefully! Along with great company, my parents hired a chef from a local restaurant to make a gourmet dinner for us complete with my favorite food: PIZZA!

Caprese Salad with Portabello Mushrooms

Penne Arrabiata

Had the best time! Even got a tin full of my favorite Taco Bell Hot Sauce Packets! Love it!

Beautiful Carrot Cake my sis made me! Thank you everyone for making my birthday so special, I will cherish these memories. This is just a small sampling of pictures, I tried to keep them food related, but we sure did have lots of fun!

Restaurant Review: Tuscany

Another gorgeous day at Snowbird! This picture looks like it is from a magazine, but I actually took this on the slopes. We just had the perfect weather and snow conditions, but I think every time I have been to Snowbird, which is many times, I say this same thing.

For my mom's birthday dinner we went to Tuscany, which I found on OpenTable, and it turned out to be such a great choice. We had a big debate about the dinner place while we were resting before dinner, and I am very glad we went here. The restaurant looks like it should be a museum with all sorts of really neat historical things around.

Coolest Menu! Had an internal light that turns on when you open it!

Picturesque

Birthday Girl Blowing out her Candle! To many more happy years and vacations ahead!!

Restaurant Review: Tiburon

For my mom's birthday all she wanted was to take the whole fam on a trip to Utah skiing. Best birthday gift to be a part of because we all had a fab time and laughed the entire time. I read something once that said that laughing does all kinds of wonderful things for your health. If that is true, we all came back a LOT healthier!

Another benefit to skiing is that by using one of the largest muscle groups in your body, your legs, you burn a ton of calories. The week before we left I was feeling like a blob and hadn't been feeling 100% so I wasn't able to workout like I normally do, but I was so happy to get moving again and get those endorphins going!

The second night we were there, after a long day on the mountain, we went to Tiburon and had a great meal. The restaurant is so cozy and feels like you are at someone's home in the middle of the woods. It is small and we sat in a small room that felt really private. It was a very relaxing end to the day and the food was excellent!

Do you have a favorite restaurant in Salt Lake? We are planning on making this an annual trip!

Must Read

It has been a while since I have posted, but to be fair, I have been travelling and am just exhausted! I have to share this new book I have been reading. It is so atypical of what I normally am drawn to, but it is hilarious. I read one review where the book was described as "so funny I almost wet my pants several times..." Sold! Had to see what was so funny!

Normally, I read all of the author's books from the first published to the last and will not deviate. It doesn't matter whether it is a series or not, that is just my thing. When researching about the book I read that all Jen Lancaster's books are mostly about her life and this book, although just published, is about her childhood. With hesitation I started this one first because it is the most logical starting point.

I am only half way through, but it is hysterical. I laugh out loud constantly and her dry humor, even as an 8 year-old, is so perfect! I can't wait to read the next one already!

The Best Thing I Ever Ate

Have you ever watched that show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate..."? Well, this, is the best thing I have ever eaten. There doesn't need to be a category or descriptor. This is the best thing I have ever eaten.

This dish is from Brian and my favorite restaurant in Long Beach called L'Opera.They have lots of things that are delicious there, but this takes the cake. It is called Capellacci de Zucca which is a homemade pasta wrapped into little bundles with Butternut Squash and Ricotta, a Brown-Butter Sage Sauce, Shaved Parmesan Cheese, Fresh Sage and the most heavenly Spicy Tomato Sauce.

Melts in your mouth. It is the best. End of Story.

Heaven in small bundles

Groundbreaking

I am a tea lover and this is the coolest gadget for tea I have ever seen! I recently saw this baby in action at Brian's Aunt Barbara's house and it is amazing. Let me give you the tour...

First of all, it has a basket for loose leaf tea which is the only way to go. Secondly, it heats the water for the tea to the perfect temperature and for those of you who are like me and don't have an instant hot water tap in your sink this is a huge convenience. Third, when the water reaches the exact right temperature the basket lowers like a submarine into the water and sits there for the proper amount of time for brewing. The machine asks you when you start it up what kind of tea you are making so that it knows how long to brew.

No one likes over or under steeped tea.

It is wonderful. I need to have it. Sur La Table is out of it in all three South County locations so obviously others think this thing is fab also. It is my birthday present, to me...from me. Along with some other things =) That is, if I can ever locate one of these babies.

One-Touch Tea Maker

Aunt Barbara giving me the tour. Who would have thought there was someone as crazy as me about tea? This this is "revolutionary" as the website states.

How cute are these cups to have the tea in? Do you see the heart? Adorable. I dislike heart-related things, but these are just too cute! Leave it to Aunt Barbara...