Southern Blondie: June 2012

Quote to Live By

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The Day I Met Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinal First Baseman

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Last Thursday I had completed a big online presentation that I had been worried about for weeks. Discussing social media in nonprofits is easy when it's just one-on-one or talking in a group, but knowing that 500 people were on the phone listening to this Southern voice really freaked me out. So after it was over and I could breath again, I decided that it was time for some fun. So that's exactly what I did. After calling up some friends who were going to the Arkansas Travelers game, I decided I might as well hitch along. 


And I'm so glad that I did. The Arkansas Travelers were playing the Springfield Cardinals where St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter was playing for the minor league while on the disabled list for St. Louis. After watching him throughout the game, there seemed like no other option but to find a way to get my picture with the young fan favorite. 


If I've learned nothing at all, I've learned that the worst thing someone can say to you is no. But why on earth would he say no? Luckily, he didn't. After the game, I patiently waited down by the first base dugout where he was going to walk by. Once he started to head my way, I sweetly, yet loudly, yelled Carpenter and gave him a motion to take a picture.




I won't tell you that I might have also used an 8-year-old boy that was wanting an autograph to guilt him into coming over, because I'm sure he also wanted his picture taken with me. 

Right?
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Tilapia and Veggie Foil Pack

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Have you seen the show Chopped on the Food Network? They receive a basket of random objects and have to create a dish using those ingredients. That's what it's like cooking in my kitchen lately. My grocery shopping visits are random and unplanned right now because I can't seem to plan a meal if my life depended on it. Last week I bought a squash and zucchini and this week I bought a tomato and onion. What was I going to do with these vegetables? I have no idea. So tonight, I opened the fridge, freezer and pantry to see if I could make something that would be quick and simple. 

And that's just what I did. I know these ingredients are simple and easy to use while cooking, but this is what I did with them: 


I chopped up the entire squash and half of the zucchini. 
Just a forth of the onion and half of the tomato. 

Since this was going to be my entire supper I needed a lot of veggies.


After I chopped the veggies, I placed a piece of foil on a baking sheet. 
(Easier clean-up)

Added a little olive oil and salt and pepper. 


After I unfroze the tilapia (with warm water)




I sprinkled Mrs. Dash's seasoning on both sides of the fish.


I placed the piece of tilapia on top of the veggies.


Add three tomatoes.




Then wrapped it up! 


The foil pack was baked at 400 degree for about 18 minutes.


It's like summertime in a bowl! 

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Living Life Young and Free

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10 days, five states and another year older. That's what happened on my vacation. After a really tough semester and busy work schedule, I needed a break to unwind, relax and get ready to start new projects at work and mentally prepare for the next semester of school.


It worked. After 10 days of having more fun than an individual should be allowed to have, I came back to 'life' refreshed and energized.

So what did I do during those 10 days? A little bit of everything.

I went to Portfest, a community festival right outside of Newport, AR. It was a blast to see so many of my old friends from high school and college.



This is how low the river was at Portfest - let's just say, all that sand shouldn't be seen normally.


After a weekend at Portfest, my mom and I hit the beach.

It was fantastic. Beach. Sun. Sand. Not too hot, cool breeze. I didn't read, or text, just sat and watched the ocean.


For my birthday night, my mom and I went to Emeril's restaurant in New Orleans. 

It was delicious. However, the only photo I have is from my birthday ice cream.


After a couple of days on the beach I went to Atlanta to see some friends. 

When I got to Atlanta Thursday night two of my friends had extra Sting tickets so Melissa and I
decided to go!


Melissa and I at Sting


On Saturday, Courtney had her baby shower. It was pretty, elegant and actually a fun one.

That's it. My 10 day vacation in a quick re-cap. 

I also need to point out that while in Atlanta I went to Curly's Friend Chicken. That will receive its own blog post soon...
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Steak Fajitas on Lettuce Wraps

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If I haven't mentioned this before, working full time and going to grad school made me a little chunky monkey. No offense to chunky monkeys, but that looks doesn't work for me. In order to slim down and tone up, I've been hitting the no carbs at night rule. So last night for supper I made steak fajita tacos on lettuce wraps. It was my first time really to try this, but it's delicious! 
Let's get started.


So it's best to buy flank or skirt steak for fajitas, but I can't tell one piece of meat apart from the other
so I just bought this. This would be something like top cut thin sirloin. 


I cut it on an angle in fairly thin slices. 


For the seasoning, I used a packet of fajita mix from Krogers. 

(Sorry, no picture. I was trashcan happy.) 


The directions said to add the seasoning with water.


and oil.



This is my new manicure. I'm trying to be trendy 
with one nail painted different than the others.


I mixed up the mixture with my hand to really get the meat coated.

I let this marinate for about 45 minutes because I realized while I was cooking
that I left my work notebook at work and it was really important that I have it last night
to work on a project for the Chronicle of Philanthropy.


Once I got back from running to the office, I took and onion and bell pepper
and cut them up in strips for the fajitas.

Bulk up your food, not your calories.


Ta dah!


Then, I added the meat mixture to a non-stick skillet. 

I didn't need to add anything else at this time besides the water and oil
that was already in the marinade mixture.


While the meat was cooking, I cut up an onion, the other half the onion
from the fajita mixture, and two jalapenos for a little pico.

The spicier the better to me.


Once the meat was cooked, I added the onion and bell pepper.


I also added about 1/3 cup of water and put a lid on the pan.
This cooked the vegetables without cooking the meat as much.


Hello avacado! 


I just used iceberg lettuce for the lettuce wraps.

It was $1.09 at Kroger and sometimes my budget trumps
my ability to buy the fancy, shamncy stuff.


Tore off a couple of pieces of lettuce.


Removed the fajita mixture from the skillet. Let it cool for a moment.
Added it to the top of the lettuce.


A little pico on top.


Couple of slices of avacado on each.


Topped with some cheese and a little salsa I had left over in the fridge.


I also made some black beans, recipe here, that I added on the side
for a little more protein and fiber. 


And there you go! Steak fajitas on lettuce wraps.

Super simple. Super delicious. 

Recipe:
  1. Flank/skirt steak - the amount will depend on your size of party
  2. Fajita seasoning
    1. 1/4 cup of water
    2. Oil
  3. Large onion - use half for fajitas and half for pico
  4. Large bell pepper
  5. Tomato
  6. Avocado
  7. Jalapeño
  8. Cheese (depends on what kind you like)
  9. Salsa - optional 
  10. Lime - optional
Directions:
  1. Cut up your choice of meat on a slight angle into strips
  2. Add steak, seasoning, water and oil to a bowl to marinade. 
  3. Cut up bell pepper and half of a large onion into stripes 
  4. Add marinaded steak to a non-stick skillet to cook
  5. Once the meat is browned add the onion and bell pepper stripes 
  6. Add lid to the pan and let the onion and bell pepper cook
  7. Dice one large tomato, other half of onion and jalapeño to make pico (You can also add cilantro.)  - note - if I have any lime on hand I also add the juice of half of a lime.
  8. Add diced tomato, onion and jalapeño to a bowl, add salt and let sit. 
  9. Slice up an avocado for the top of the fajita.
  10. Once your fajita mixture is ready, get your lettuce wraps ready.
  11. Add fajitas, pico, avocado, cheese and salsa to the lettuce wrap.
Eat and enjoy. This is so simple it's a little ridiculous how much I like it.


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It's A Day At The Beach!

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Happy Tuesday!

(p.s. I'm 26 today!

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