500 Goals

Way to go, Mikey Mo!!!

More about my boy here.

(Picture from Dallas Stars website.)

Buenos Aires or Bust

I'm not sure if my partner-in-crime travel companion realizes this yet or not, but we're going to Buenos Aires next year...even if I have to pay for the whole trip myself. I started reading about Buenos Aires about two years ago, but I really started doing more research on the city about six months ago. The city is beginning to get more press buzz recently which makes me think we better get there sooner rather than later before it becomes "discovered". And, unlike places like the UK and Europe where the dollar is such a weak exchange to the GBP and the Euro, South America is still affordable (at least for now).

How can you resist a city known as "the Paris of South America"? (Speaking of Paris, I really need to get that itinerary planned for next month. I guess first things first. Sadly, Buenos Aires will have to wait...but not for long.)

Stay tuned for more Buenos Aires (and possibly Iguazu Falls and Easter Island) posts.

A Good Day!!!

Two wonderful things I must share...

My downstairs neighbor Colleen broke the good news to me that the psycho lady who lives next door to me has been evicted. (There are way too many stories to share about this woman.) Thank you, leasing office!!! I look forward to peace and quiet and not being able to smell her cigarette smoke anymore. How this woman's lungs haven't vaporized into tar-black air yet I will never know.

And the best thing about today...
I bought my plane ticket to Vancouver.
Woo Hoo!!! The rate on Delta was just too good NOT to buy it. I'm anxious, excited and just a big blob of happiness right now. Just a bit over three months and I'll be living it up on the west coast. Color me happy!!!

Get Well Soon, Mom!!!

I want to send a get-well hug to my mom down in Florida. She hasn't been feeling well for a few days now.

Feel better soon, Mamacita. I love you lots!!!

Breakfast for Dinner

Coconut milk, cinnamon and quick oats are just three of the numerous ingredients in my pantry that need to be used up before I move to Vancouver in three months. Since I was seeking an easy-to-make dinner tonight, I thought I would make this recipe that I've had in my "to try" pile for almost a year. And since I missed breakfast this morning due to staying up too late last night and the time change one hour ahead, I figured, "Why not have breakfast for dinner?" And so I did.

This oatmeal is creamy, delicious and requires only a short amount of time to prepare. I adapted a few amounts of the ingredients and cut the original recipe yield in half. If you need six servings to feed a crowd, just double the amounts below. Note my ingredient changes in parentheses, too.

Horizons Breakfast Oatmeal

Source: Gourmet Magazine - April 2006
Adapted from Horizons at the Ritz-Carlton, Montego Bay

Serves 3

Substituting coconut milk for part of the regular milk gives this oatmeal an undercurrent of tropical flavor.

2 cups whole milk (I used 1%)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk, shaken and well-stirred
2 T. packed light brown sugar
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups instant oats (I used quick oats)
1 1/2 tsp. unsalted butter

Bring milk, coconut milk, brown sugar, cinnamon stick and salt to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring. Reduce heat to moderate, then stir in oats and return to a boil. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in butter, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes (oatmeal will thicken as it stands). Remove cinnamon stick and stir oatmeal before serving. (Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for extra sweetness.)

The reason you will see so many recipes in the next few months that have cinnamon as an ingredient:

Cherry Blossoms

I will be visiting Washington D.C. for a little bit of sightseeing and to visit my friend Kelly April 4th - 8th. Looks like I may have actually picked the right time to see the Cherry Blossoms at peak. I've got my fingers crossed. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to my trip.

Recipe request from my friend Kristen

I've made this recipe for my friend Kristen and her family twice, and they just love it. She asked me to post it here so if she ever stumbles upon the desire to learn how to bake (it's doubtful) she can make them on her own.

I recommend you bake these the night before and let them sit overnight before cutting and serving. These freeze well for up to one month. My favorite way to eat these is straight out of the freezer.

Peanut Butter Cranberry Bars

Source: Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens magazine

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup (4 T.) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter - do not use natural peanut butter (See Note 1 below)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup peanut butter - do not use natural peanut butter (See Note 1 below)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan; set aside. In a small bowl, combine cranberries and water. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Drain well.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and 1/2 cup peanut butter with an electric mixer until well combined. Beat in brown sugar. Beat in flour on low speed (mixture will be crumbly). Stir in drained cranberries. (See Note 2 below.) Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, for filling, in a medium bowl beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add egg, 2/3 cup peanut butter, and lemon juice; beat until well combined. (See Note 3 below.) Spread evenly over crust. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over top, pressing lightly into filling with the back of a spoon.

Bake about 25 minutes more or until top is lightly browned and edges are puffed. (Do not overbake these or they will not have the moist peanut butter creaminess in the middle that makes them so good. I usually take mine out of the oven at 22 minutes.) Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Note 1: Natural peanut butter is peanut butter that has oil on the top that needs to be stirred into the peanut butter before using. See picture below.

Note 2: Original recipe called for 1/2 cup chopped peanuts to be stirred in with the drained cranberries. Since I wanted a soft bar (nothing with crunch), I omitted them. If you want to use peanuts in this recipe, stir 1/2 cup chopped peanuts and cranberries together and proceed with the recipe as written.

Note 3: You can use 1 T. milk and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract in place of the fresh lemon juice.


Natural Peanut Butter and Regular Peanut Butter:
(As I mentioned above, use regular peanut butter for this recipe.)


Pictures of Peanut Butter Cranberry Bars: