Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Holiday Weekend & Recipe Updates

Another holiday for the two of us (well, 4 really!) and we spent it quietly "at home."  We both went our separate ways first thing in the morning to get our fitness in: Chris running, me lifting.
 
After showering, we were in the kitchen preparing the 2 new recipes I mentioned in a previous post.  While I usually make a recipe exact the first time, I made a couple tweaks to the oven-baked omelette this first attempt.  Rather than the traditional orange sweet potato, I used the lesser known white (not that this is a big diversion from the recipe, it's just that we have discovered them out here and like the taste better).  I used frozen broccoli that I microwaved a bit before chopping and because we have access to the most delectable bacon at a local grocery store, Lucky's, we used bacon rather than sausage.  We could not be more happy with this recipe!!!  And, we didn't get the sundried tomatoes.  Should I need them in the future for more recipes, I might want to have them on hand, as I am sure they would have imparted just one more layer of flavor to this incredibly tasty dish.  It makes 2 pie plates, so we baked both and wrapped one to place in the freezer for another weekend ~~ when we will get us some more of the Lucky's bacon to enjoy on the side!  As I always suggest, make this recipe your own.  Use the vegetables you have on hand or the ones you like better than red pepper, onions, broccoli and sundried tomatoes.  Oh, I almost forgot....I did forget that the recipe called for about a 1/4 cup of cheese; fortunately, I bought cheese for the other recipe, but it was a nacho and taco flavored.  However, it completely worked!  So, use whatever shredded cheese is your favorite or goes best with the veggies and meat you select.  Change it up every time you make it to see what you like best!!!
 
The second recipe was the southwest quinoa muffins.  They were pretty easy to put together.  I didn't buy the ingredients to make the salsa and I believe it was a mistake.  I don't find the muffins to have enough flavor on their own.  I did pick up some salsa yesterday and we enjoyed another muffin with our dinner.  I do think that if/when I make them in the future, I will add taco-style seasonings, like cumin & garlic.  I make a killer cornbread casserole which has shredded cheese in the mix as well as on the top...perhaps these muffins could benefit from cheese inside, too.  If you make them and add other spices, let me know how it turns out!  I would love your suggestions.
 
Our weather the whole weekend, save for a bit of rain late Saturday afternoon, was gorgeous!  So unlike what we remember from Indiana (they, however, had an 80+ degree day on Easter!!).  We needed to get outdoors, so we took a walk around the neighborhood houses, in shorts and tank tops!  I did have my SPF55 on, but still managed to get a slight sunburn on my chest! 
 
Chris was off work on Friday, for the holiday, so after his dental appointment, we made a beeline for Boulder.  It was another gorgeous day, close to 80 degrees, I believe, and we wanted to be outdoors for a bit.  We enjoyed lunch on the rooftop deck of the Lazy Dog on Pearl Street.  While waiting for our meals, we each drank an Angry Orchard cider, which hit the spot on the warm day, after a short walk from where we parked (the free parking is a little further from the action but not too far).  Our meals were pretty good, too.  Chris tried the Reuben sandwich with sweet corn fritters (holy, yum!) and I got a turkey on focaccia with fries, probably the best fries we have had in awhile. 
 
We then walked around the 29th Street Mall, because it is outdoors, before heading over to Barnes & Noble to peruse a few magazines.  B&N was our staple hangout for so many years, before they closed the one in Hobart.  We would go to the Valparaiso location on occasion, but it just didn't hold as much charm.  We visit the one in Boulder, maybe, every other time we come down here.  It's like slipping on an old, comfortable, reliable shoe. 
 
I hope everyone enjoyed a lovely & leisurely holiday weekend, with family & friends, and got the chance to be outdoors to soak up some sun (the necessary Vitamin D in which so many are deficient).  It's so important to maintain social connections/bonds, to take time for fun & relaxation and to eat good, healthy foods.  Your body will love you for it and reward you with a long & vibrant life!  

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