It's Just Lunch

I had grand plans today. I was going to upload all the pretty pictures Jen took last night as she cooked dinner and give you the recipe she wrote out for me.

The thing is - I left to go to my doctor's appointment and it's on my desk at work.

So all you get is my lunch - which I picked up at Tasty Cafe my favorite deli-cafe type place on the way home.




chipotle turkey fresh roasted turkey, pepper jack cheese and arugula with southwestern chipotle sauce on whole wheat flatbread

So that's all you get. Dinner isn't going to be too exciting either I'm afraid. I'm just home tonight and then back on LI tomorrow.

Off to the dermatologist. FUN!! I might do a quick TJ's run (to the wine store to stock up for NYE) so that I don't have to battle the crowds next week since it's nearby.

I'll see you later!

PS: Breakfast is unpictured - but it was a PB sandwich. I also had a snack of sourdough pretzels from the vending machine.

And now - I'm really going! :)

Back and Forth

I'm heading back into the city tomorrow. I have to be in the office to send something out even though the taping I was going to cover got cancelled. Plus - I have a doctor's appointment anyway. Plus it'll be good to straighten up a bit more so that I'll have a nice, neat, organized start to the new year.

At least that's the plan.

Today I went to lunch at Buckram Stables with my sister.



I had the Country Salad which was served warm w/goat cheese, potatoes, bacon, tomato and mixed greens with a dijon vinaigarette. It was really yummy but I needed a little more protein to tide me over.



We did a little shopping and then when I got home we had a little Happy Hour.





Tomorrow I'll give you the run down on dinner. Jen made her famous Fried Rice which I know I've mentioned here before. I've got the recipe and step by steps to show you - I'm just too lazy right now!



This definitely made up for things in the protein department. It's got chicken, an egg, black beans and edamame.

Plus a cookie for dessert.



Is all your shopping done? I'm just waiting for UPS to drop off the last bits of my gifts and I'm all set! We're supposed to have an icy rainy Christmas. Good thing we're not going anywhere. Everyone's coming to us.

Cookies...and more cookies

You're just going to have to deal with the sweets for a little while longer. I am totally in love with the new icings I got a Sur la Table.



They are inexpensive and work great. The colors are nice and vibrant.



Breakfast was the usual. Nothing interesting there.

I have a few things to take care of (like trying to work out) and then I'm heading out with my sister to play elves for my dad.

See you in a bit.

Wrap Up

Greetings from snow covered Long Island!! Sorry to be MIA. I had two pretty busy days. I was baking and wrapping presents all day today. It was a lot of work but I think we're mostly done now. I just need some of the things I ordered to get here and then I'll truly be finished.

Let's backtrack a little though.

Saturday I went to Zumba and then promptly went to 5 Napkin Burger for lunch. I did walk all the way there (and then to the train station about 30 blocks total) with an overstuffed duffle bag but in the end I think I ate back all the calories I burned off.

It was worth it though.



Due to my rosemary aversion I skipped the aioli.



The place was decorted all festive for the holidays.



Cort and I also shared some yummy homemade pickles.



I made it to Penn Station and the 2:28. It had just started to snow by the time I got to my parents. It was a lazy afternoon. Eventually I had dinner. A bowl of my dad's homemade chicken soup. It is fabulous.



Coming next is a cookie tour but first what I ate today.

Cheesy eggs and bacon for breakfast.



A ham and swiss on whole wheat with honey mustard for lunch.



Salad and pasta with meat sauce for dinner - with breadsticks made by Jen.





My plates...




And now - onto the sweet stuff. All day today I baked up a storm.





Action shot!





One day I'll own one of these mixers myself. One day.

Last night I made the easy stuff. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip.



For the oatmeal I just use the recipe on the canister - subbing chocolate chips for the raisins.

For the record, I feel the same way about raisins that I do about rosemary.







I made shortbread but it was very crumbly and disintegrated when I tried to take it from the pan. I think the butter was too warm maybe.



I got this new pan that I was really excited about but the jury is still out. It made sugar cookies in Christmas shapes but they are so much thicker than your standard cookie.







The ones that are decorated are the shortbread cookies I managed to cut out without them falling apart. I have to decorate the sugar cookies tomorrow. I also have some sugar cookie dough in the fridge that I might cut out tomorrow. We'll see.

I also made Chocolate Crinkle cookies - which I think I messed up. I think I used baking soda when I should have used powder but they taste ok.



And Peanut Butter Blossoms...



And Almond Snowballs...



And that leads us to now, where I'm nursing a slight headache and pretty much exhausted. It's a good exhausted though. I'm feeling very accomplished.

Tomorrow is work followed by some shopping with Jen. I'm going to have to find time to work out somewhere in there because I'm feeling kind of sluggish and full of sugar based on the taste testing I did today.

Until then!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

I was going to blow off both Zumba and lunch but I've decided to embrace the weather rather than be terrified of it. :)

We're due to get at least foot. YIKES!

For breakfast I ate this:



Off to class and then to lunch and then to Penn Station.

See you once I'm by the delightful fire!