B.E.O.L.T

I have been looking forward to this lunch for a day or so now. Bacon, fried egg, red onion, lettuce, and tomato on a bagel. (Miracle Whip slathers, too, of course.) If you like all these things, together they are your new best friend. The order in which you stack each ingredient on your bagel is very important. Me? I'm fried egg, tomato, lettuce, bacon, onion, Miracle Whip...in case you need some guidance. I like avocado on it, too, but fresh out today.

Yum, yum...eat up!

Did you know...

Peanuts are actually legumes like peas, but for cooking purposes are thought of as nuts.

I had to share this quick fact because I read it while in Utah and got laughed at when I announced it, but I just read it again in a different magazine.

This is fascinating to me.

Snow in August

Because that's normal....right? To all my sweaty, sticky Southern folk...pray for me this fall and winter! James and I decided to go for an impromptu after-work-hike yesterday. When we looked across the canyon, we could see fresh snow on top of the mountains from the rain we got yesterday. SNOW! Of course, I forgot my camera, but trust me....there was freakin snow!

It rained all morning yesterday. It was in the 50s all day and then mid 40s when I went to the grocery store last night. I guess I need to go unpack all the winter clothes I just packed up. (Yes, mid 40s = winter clothes to me....like I said, pray for me this fall/winter.)

Speaking of cold...James and I went on our first backpacking trip in Utah this weekend. We met another couple that moved here from Charlotte, NC this summer. They were instant friends. The four of us and three dogs went backpacking. The most amazing thing to all of us was that we could go for just one night because it only took us 20 min to get there! How exciting! We are used to having to drive about 4 hours one way to get to the mountains, so we were in the habit of taking off for at least two nights. We were like kids at Christmas being able to cruise up the canyon 20 min for a night of backpacking. We went back to the same place James and I did our first hike. A beautiful 8 mi round trip hike to a lake and back. Check out the cows freely grazing. If I were a cow...this would be the deal!

Also, here are some pics from a hike James took the dogs on a while back. It's a really cool canyon and great for a quick day hike. I think it was a little hot that day...Riley had to cool off somehow. Don't judge...beauty is in the eyes of the beholder....

On a food note...James and I made chicken enchiladas last week...yum! Last night, homemade pizza. No pic, unfortunately, but we made homemade pizza sauce, layered up cheese, onions, mushrooms, bell pepper, pineapple and pepperoni. Salad, few glasses of wine...delicious! Hit the spot, right before I passed out cold.

B

We're Back!

From where you ask. Oh just a little vacation to UTAH! Mom and I headed out last week for a five day trip to see Brit and James. (Thanks Mom!)

Since it takes a day of traveling to get to/from out West and we just got home last night, pictures and detailed posts to come. We shopped (with little success), cooked, ate, hiked, and oh gosh you'll just have to read the upcoming posts. It was so beautiful out there and the company didn't hurt either. I can't wait to share details of our adventures!

Since I can't go without mentioning food, here is an interesting sandwich I tried today. Pear and PB.



Mom is the queen of magazines. She brought her stack on the trip for all of us to share. While flipping through one of them this past week, she ran across the Pear & PB grilled sandwich. Knowing I'm the strange one with strange cravings, she pointed it out to me and I had to try it. Eh, don't waste your time unless you have a very flavorful pear. I was anticipating a nice kick of sweet pear with a nutty PB finish and all I got was the PB. After my first bite, I thought apples would have been better. Just in case any other strange-combination-person (oreos and lemonade or sprite anyone?) was thinking of this delicacy, I thought I would save you the time.

Chat soon,
Ashley

PS don't judge my grammar/punctuation rules. I make them up as I go. Kind of strange since a large part of my job requires me to edit hundreds of pages regularly. Good thing I can separate personal from professional life.

Brussels Sprouts

You can still google it but I promise there is an "s" on the end of Brussels.

Now that we've cleared that up, let's move on to this delicious veggie. No really, I think they are absolutely delicious. So delicious that I think they taste like popcorn and I crave them...a whole bowl of them. Side note: I get very specific cravings regularly. This is not a new thing, it has been happening for years. For fun, here are a few recent cravings that are so specific it is weird:

fishsticks - I have not had these in so long, so long that I had to google it to see if it is one word or two. I did not give into this one.

Wendy's medium fountain coke - Maybe it is their cup, I don't know but specifically Wendy's.

grilled cheese - Not weird but a regular and very specific to extra sharp cheddar on wheat. Frequently give in.

cucumbers and feta - Refresh your memory here.

Rush's Hot Fudge Sundae - Yes, not just any hot fudge sundae, but Rush's. When in Greenville, this was never satisfied and believe it or not, it has not yet been satisfied in Columbia either.

barely steamed broccoli - Broccoli that is heated but not soggy because that is gross. Oh and no salt and pepper.

brussels sprouts - Roasted in olive oil with a little salt and pepper.

The last one brings me back to what I wanted to post about (before I got completely sidetracked) because it is my current obsession. Brussels sprouts have a bad rap. However, have you ever tried one? Have you tried them roasted with olive oil and a little salt and pepper? If not, don't talk bad about them until you do. They seriously remind me of popcorn. If you don't like popcorn, still try them. They have so many health benefits as most veggies do. These little gems are filled with fiber and Vitamin C.

Here is how the deliciousness is created around here.

Preheat oven to 450°

1. Rinse your Brussels (we like about 1/2 lb for two if that is your only side or 1/4 as a small side for two)

2. Trim the ends off and cut in half. Also, remove any outer leaves that look like they should not be consumed.

3. Place the halves in a bowl and toss with enough olive oil (olive oil to me means EVOO) to coat, salt and pepper. Use a small amount of table salt. I'm talking a dash or two. Use a little more pepper than salt.



4. Arrange Brussels in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes.

There is no picture of the final product because I did not have the patience to take a picture before consuming them.

Enjoy!

"This Must Be The Place"

This past week was a week we spent at home. We cooked, worked on the house and hiked. It's been really nice to start feeling somewhat settled and "home." Home is where you make it, right? Well then, this must be the place.

We've officially finished our first room. It's the main bathroom on the main floor. As I've mentioned before, this house looks like it hasn't been touched in about 30 or 40 years.

Here's a pic of the before:

And...drumroll....the after:

Yeah, modern day!

Along with working on the inside, we have been spending some time on the outside. The raspberries are rockin. I've frozen some so that when you peeps come visit, you can enjoy them!

One evening while picking, we caught a nice view.

The grapes are going strong, slow and steady.

I've recently become addicted to unsweet tea. I know...I can hear you from Utah yelling "Traitor!" I can't help it...I'm obsessed. James gave me an idea of an easy, homemade way to get my daily fix. Sun tea! Directions: water in glass jar, add tea bags, add whatever else you like in your tea (lavender sprigs, lemon slices, mint sprigs, etc), and place outside in direct sun for 1-8 hours, whatever works best in your schedule. We are currently sucking down about 1 pitcher every 2 days.

We've also spent some time exploring our area. A hike after work last week hit the spot.

And today, we took it easy along the river. Not a bad Monday.

Ash has inspired me to write more about our meals at home. Tonight, we filled our bellies with a mushroom, pea, proscuitto, white wine sauce over spinach fettichini. Some red wine and I'm fat, happy and sleepy....perfect.

There's No Denying It

It is nice to be back in Columbia, I must admit. Don't get me wrong though, Greenville still has my heart and I look forward to getting back there one day. Back to Columbia, home will always be home.

Here are a few of the things that I'm loving about Columbia (of course in list form):

• Our cute rental home for the next three years
• Being able to keep my job and work from home which allows me to enjoy this guy's company all day
  
  
  
• The cork floor in our kitchen...amazing! If you are looking to put floor down in your kitchen, laundry room, etc, you should check out cork flooring. Since we didn't put it in, I don't know how difficult it is or any other details. However, I do know that it can withstand (when sealed) buckets of water being dumped on it hourly from the dog trying to drink water.
  

• Family! I got to have a daddy-daughter lunch date Friday followed up with seeing more family that evening and the following day. This week I'm looking forward to dinner at my aunt and uncle's with all of their kiddos!
  
  
• Being closer to Mom and Dad which means we will get to see a lot more of them. I have already been able to see both of them while living here. Thank goodness for Mom coming to help us unpack the other weekend. We look forward to many weekend beach trips now that it is a quick drive.
  
  
• Cucumbers and Feta. This is not just a Columbia thing but there's no denying I can throw back some food so I had to include this in my list. I am eating it by itself, on a cracker, in a wrap, and any other way (good with a little vinegar too). I also read recently that cucumbers are good to grab for a quick pick-me-up as they are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbs.

Can't wait to show you pictures of the awesome desk my husband

and father in law are building for me!

Happy Monday!

Ashley