It’s a rainy, stupid Friday. Not totally stupid, but kinda stupid. I’m uninspired.
1. 55 more days until the Hunger Games.
2. If I hear about Rihanna finding love in a hopeless place ONE MORE TIME I might just drive my car into a ditch.
3. Which is a better combination, apples and peanut butter or bananas and peanut butter?
4. We spent 40 minutes in class Wednesday on statistical means. For anyone not paying attention, that is also known as an average.
5. Can anyone tell me what this select-a-set group of three songs has in common? [Small game we play chez Sullivan.]
Band of Horses, No One’s Gonna Love You
Counting Crows, Colorblind
Three Dog Night, Never Been to Spain
Ok, that’s really easy. But if you’re hearing the songs and not seeing them written out, trust me that it’s pretty difficult.
Especially playing with the Dr. and Mrs.
And you know what? That’s what I’m going to leave you with today. Three Dog Night. Never Been to Spain.
Good weekend, y’all.
There are two things I’m sure of:
1. My mom is the best cook in the universe.
2. Cooking Light knows what’s up.
So simple, so delicious, so light and so easy. A real winner!
Don’t mind my ridiculous portions.
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork loin chops
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup chopped shallots
- 3/4 cup pomegranate juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle over pork chops.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops and cook for about 4-6 minutes on each side, depending on their thickness. Remove and keep warm. Add shallots to pan; cook 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Add juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, and vinegar; bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Serve pork with sauce.
A friend sent me this ecard and then when I went to save the jpeg, it came up as “Channing Tatum Rachel McAdams.”
I’m not even kidding I am sooooooooooo totally going to see a movie with them in it. Even if it’s The Notebook part two with someone less hot than Ryan Gosling.
Similar to how I’m totally going to see this movie because RyRey is in it, my boyfriend.
My dad and brother will be so happy to have me tag along!
We have the classy, elegant and refined Professor Preston on the right. And, well, Graceyfacey on the left.
And today’s sky:
Here’s what I’m currently reading: (About Polygamist Mormons and a little current murder mystery)
Here’s my favorite sandwich of the moment: Pork Roll, Egg, and Cheese on Christine’s GF Bread
Favorite Hair Product from New Favorite Store (Ulta):
Aveeno Shampoo and Conditioner (I use Living Color for Fine Hair):
Favorite Scent from my Christmas stocking, Michael Kors, Gold:
Awesomest Nail Product Ever (and I’ve tried a LOT):
I know, I promised a good story. But it turns out the best story isn’t mine to tell, nor to tell the Internets, for that matter. Apologies!
Anyhow, I went to Atlantic City and it looked like this.
GROSS.
Even a little snow would have been better, I think.
We gambled, and I won $30 at blackjack with a nice dealer who told me what to do in every instance. Thanks, dealer!
Then we (me and Courtney)….
…found an Easter Island slot machine.
This was exciting because Courtney and I were likely the only people in Atlantic City to have ever visited said island.
Then something magical and lucky happened. I sat down at a Wheel of Fortune slot machine, hit one button, and won $100. (I actually won 10,000 times my bet, of a penny. I’m really trying not to focus on what would have happened if I had bet $1.)
And, like a good little girl, I took that voucher right over to the cash machine and cashed out. Because people who aren’t addicted to gambling quit while they’re ahead, so I’m told.
(I didn’t want to quit.)
All in all a fantastic trip and a great way to catch up with old friends. I slept not at all and am paying for that dearly now. What happened, did I turn 26.5 and suddenly lose the ability to function on less than 8 hours of sleep?
It appears that way.
Hope you all had great snowy weekends, too.
xo,
Rich Betch
Look. I know my life has slowed down. Less drinks and happy hours and more couches and sunsets.
Not just sunsets.
Sunrises, too.
And cute dogs with their toys:
And funny legs.
YAWN.
Well I apologize that the craziest thing I’ve done lately is have 2 glasses of wine instead of 1. Or try a different dance class at the gym. My life has just…calmed down.
The only thing I can say is that I’m going to Atlantic City this weekend with the old DC crew. I promise you I’ll come back with at least one story, and if it isn’t about me, it will certainly be about someone in the group. Mixing 18 people in their late (sorry guys) 20s with senior citizens on a dead weekend in January at the Trump Taj Mahal—-it just invites some sort of awesomeness.
I mean, there’s an indoor pool.
And this.
And we all know that when I was in Vegas I played blackjack at a $100 table. And did this:
RIP beer.
So we’ll see.
I hope you all have wonderful weekends and that I win some cash or come out even.
Girl can dream,
La
Here’s your gratuitous golden photo and the daily sunset pic.
Don’t take Grace’s toy.
These might get old. I don’t care.
One of the best things about moving home is all the cooking. And baking.
It would be enough that it’s a huge chef’s kitchen, better stocked than about 94% of all kitchens everywhere. (Editor’s Note: I’m taking statistics now, guys. Look out.) But it also comes with a chef (Mama) and the assurance that everything is and forever will be gluten free. That level of quality control has made me approximately 72% less stressed.
We’re trying new things and baking with different ingredients. And our results are fantastic.
This grapefruit pound cake is remarkable. It’s so moist and fluffy with a delicious crumb, and the added subtle grapefruit flavor makes it really something special. It’s reminiscent of the Starbucks lemon pound cake, but like, 100 million times better. It’s also less fat and calories. 100 million and one times better.
Grapefruit Pound Cake
(Cooking Light, January 2012)
- Baking spray with flour [GF Modification: Regulah ol' Pam will do]
- 9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups) [GF Modification: Cup4Cup Flour]
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 5/8 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 6 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup oil
- 2 tablespoons grated grapefruit rind
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice (we used 1 full grapefruit)
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 325°.
- Coat a 10-inch tube pan with baking spray. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well.
- Place granulated sugar, butter, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in oil, rind, and vanilla.
- Add flour mixture and milk alternately to batter, beginning and ending with flour. Spoon batter into pan; bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. [Ours came out in 1 hour exactly.]
- Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cake. Cool on rack.
- Place juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 4 minutes). Cool slightly. Stir in powdered sugar and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Drizzle over cake.
Small, gluten free wonder that I may or may not be eating with my coffee right now.
Amen.
Yesterday, because I have friends in high places (Hi, NSG) I had an invite to an exhibit opening party at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for photographer Zoe Strauss.
It was awesome. Her photographs are so raw and real. I’m not even one for “art.” I was gripped.
We got to see David Dye, my friend from XPN, and Questlove.
Pretty up close and personal. NBD.
The highlight was a drumline that (randomly?) burst into the dance party with high energy pounding and spinning and sick choreography. When’s the last time you were in the Philadelphia Museum of Art and a drumline stopped by?
This drumline, I have to say, blew Nick Cannon et al.’s out of the water. It was incredible.
So anyway, yeah. Life in the burbs isn’t that boring, yet.
[This post is an open call for people in the tristate area to invite me to do things. Anything. Have car, will travel. Thanks in advance. And thanks, NSG!]
Many of you can’t believe that I’m living with Mom and Dad again.
“How is it going?”
“Want to move out yet?”
“Do they want to kill you?”
Well guys, I have to tell you a little secret.
It’s awesome.
Other than the snide comments about my TV watching habits (SWWC, I love The Bachelor) and the snarky remark from my Mom here and there (new twitter hashtag is #momquotes), it’s pretty great.
For instance: Today when I went to class my Mom made me a sandwich. And before I left she made me some breakfast burritos. And last night? When I got home from statistics at 9:45 p.m.?
Well, this was waiting for me:
Dinner. (Healthy AND GLUTEN FREE.) Salad. Sides. Wine. People. A note.
Pretty much a plate of love.
SO yeah. Living with the parents?
Not. So. Bad.
