Project 365: 03/13/03

Matt making some lo/chow mein! YUM!

Project 365: 03/10/09

Holy guacamole!! Matt made some tasty guacamole!

Project 365: 03/07/09

Matt’s last full day in Chicago…chowing down on squid ink pasta.

Avocados

Last year I wrote about my evolving palate, and the latest food that I’ve been enjoying on a regular basis is avocados. I used to not really enjoy them. I thought they were slimy and devoid of flavor. I didn’t like the texture, and I would even use a chopstick to poke out avocados in sushi.

First, I began to get used to the avocados in sushi. Then I began to like it. Then I began to enjoy guacamole. And very recently, I’ve become a big avocado fan! Matt and I are putting avocados on everything now! Salads, turkey sandwiches, on English muffins with eggs and bacon for breakfast, and as a snack I just sliced up some avocado to go on crackers. (Along with some red onion and tomato…I suppose it was sort of the lazy girl’s version of guacamole)

There are now only three foods that I regularly avoid: beans, goat cheese, and black olives. I’m also not a huge mushroom fan but I can make do with them. I wonder if this will change in the near future.

Project 365: 01/28/09

Matt made a delicious fillet mignon for dinner!! He marinated it overnight in wine, olive oil, and rosemary, then topped it with mushrooms and garlic. Finally, he put a sauce made of red wine, onions, and butter on it. On the side, we had carrots, broccolini, and scali bread.

Project 365: 01/26/09

Dinner at the Asgard on Mass Ave. with Mike and Shelley! Our appetizer was tater tots in truffle oil! I am loving the fact that tater tots are winding up on menus everywhere these days. An elementary school favorite made modern.

Project 365: 01/24/09

Making cookies for a cookie swap. This is the first time in a long time that I’ve made cookies that didn’t come out of a tube with a picture of the Pillsbury Dough Boy on it. I like to cook and I like EATING cookies, but I am just not much of a baker. Making these cookies was a big source of frustration for me, but hopefully the end result will be worthwhile. :-)

Project 365: 01/21/09

Steak-umm!! We took a trip down memory lane by making Steak-umm for dinner! Can’t remember the last time I had this and bought it on a whim at Star Market after remembering a conversation I had earlier this week about it. Reminded me of my elementary school cafeteria…all I needed were some tater tots, a half pint container of milk, and a tasteless brownie.

West Newton Trader Joe’s

The parking situation there is getting out of hand. No matter when I go, no matter what time of day, parking is an absolute nightmare. It’s worse and worse each time I go. Today I wound up parking down the block on Washington Street and walking through two puddles of dirty slush. All because I wanted Trader Joe’s frozen breaded chicken! (they’re delightful on top of Trader Joe’s spring mix salad)

At first when I saw how bad parking was there, I contemplated driving to the Mem Drive location, because if I went there I could buy some wine and/or beer.

It’s not so bad during the other 3 seasons of the year, because this Trader Joe’s location is only about 9 blocks away from my home, so when the weather is good, I walk…but during slush or ice or unshoveled sidewalks, I’d much rather take the car then run the risk of breaking eggs.

The West Newton Trader Joe’s should either move to a bigger location (replace that mediocre Auburndale Star!) or they need to open another one in the area. The West Newton one serves most of Newton, Watertown, Waltham, and Wellesley, and their parking lot probably fits less than 20 cars, although some people run the risk of being towed and park in the spots for the offices that are above Trader Joe’s.

Anyway, I got my chicken, my spring mix, and also some Hansen’s diet root beer, baby carrots, lasagna, and crustless quiches with chorizo. But my snow boots failed me and my feet are wet.

‘Tis the season to gain five pounds…

I’ve decided that calories don’t count in December. I have a hard time getting myself to the gym in December too…like clockwork, right after Thanksgiving I fall into idle-sit-on-the-couch mode. And then there’s the pizzelle that various neighbors brought us, holiday candy from coworkers (I have a big chocolate Santa staring at me!!!), and a million holiday cookies. And hot chocolate. And latkes!!! And holiday parties with plenty of cheese and cracker platters and crudites and lasagna and potatoes. And candy canes.

My pants are snug, but I’m not sure that I care. After all, that’s what January is for!