Workin' and cookin'

Not much happened this last week. I spent my days working , then going home and preparing dinner. Here is what I made.
Monday: Broccoli-rice bake (yummy - will make again)Tuesday: Sweet potato, apple and leek gratin (sounds nice in theory, but didn't live up to its name)
Wednesday: Artichoke-rosemary bruschetta (yum!)
Thursday: Beer and cheese soup (once again - it sounds good, but tastes bitter)
Friday: Asian rice and lentil burgers (delicious!)
This week also marks my girl B's birthday. We went out to celebrate for lunch on Thursday. Happy birthday, B!!We went to the same place where we went for my birthday, and I had the most delicious veggie burrito. I ate the whole entire thing, including the decorative lettuce.

Also, on Wednesday, I went shopping with my sisters and spent money at Sephora and Teavana. Also got to see my parents, who sent me home with a tomato plant and green tea.

Happy birthday, Dad!

Yesterday we celebrated my dad's birthday. We went out to eat. I got him a book on old-time vinegar, garlic, baking soda, and 101 more problem solvers. My dad and I are very much into health and natural solutions. We always share tips on these things.
Below is a picture of my hubby, my sisters M and Z, and my pale self.
And here is the other side of the table, with mom and dad. Now you can see where I got my non-photogenic genes from.
I had Cajun Tilapia with broccoli. It was okay - a bit overcooked. But at least it was healthy.
We also shared a dessert. Below is a picture of my dad with his dessert shooter.
Happy birthday, dad! Wishing you health, happiness and wealth. Love you tons!!

We haven't changed a bit over all these years. We look the same, no? :)

Food and great company

Since my parents went camping, my sisters spent the 4th of July weekend with me. This involved food (Italian "veggie burger" bake, rolled blackberry cake, three cheese ravioli) and movies (the Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Time of the Gypsies). We didn't even watch fireworks. Cooking with my sisters is tons of fun. Below is our main dish, the Italian "Veggie Burger" Bake from the cookbook.
We had a fun dinner. My husband is very classy, as usual.
It was surprisingly delicious. It consisted of calamata olives, orzo, hummus, veggies, and black bean burgers.
Then my sister M made this fluffy, gorgeous blackberry roll.
It was a delicious dream of a dessert.

Soupy soup

Last night, I made Minestrone soup from the Easy Everyday Vegetarian cookbook. Here are all the ingredients:It was definitely healthy and delicious. I had one and a half servings and still had enough to save for tomorrow's lunch.

Once I ate/stored my half of the soup, I added meat chunks to the rest of the soup for my husband, the meat-eater.
And here is our yummy summer dessert - also prepared by yours truly:This cooking thing is kind of fun. :)

Welcome to this world, Paisley Skylark!

A and G had their new baby girl, Paisley. I left work early today so I could pay them a visit and meet the new baby.She was born on July 1st, around 5:30pm. She is around 8 lbs. She looks like her mommy, and nothing like her big sister B.
Sooo cute! I got to hold her. She was so precious.

Yummy

After eating junk all week and spending money on mediocre restaurant food, I decided I am going to make a more conscious effort to cook every night. So last night, I made the first recipe from the book "Easy Everyday Vegetarian" - Easy Pizzettes (130 calories a serving). Delicious! I made the same thing for the husband, but put pepperoni on his. Then I craved something sweet, and realized that I have no dessert cookbooks. Since I got a 30% off coupon at Borders, I decided to meet up with my sisters and find a book on fruit desserts. My sister M is a natural when it comes to culinary things, so she helped me choose the right cookbook. The one that appealed to me was this Williams-Sonoma gem. Can't wait to try it out.

Family Summer Vacation 2009 - Longville, Minnesota

On Saturday morning we loaded the car, waved good-bye to the house and the puppy (who was watched by my friend S), and started our 8-hour drive to the most northern parts of Minnesota.
Longville - to be exact. "Camp o' My Dreams" to be even more specific. Below is the cabin that we shared with my mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, her husband and two kids.

The cabin and the lake were charming. The weather was gorgeous.

Here are a few landscape shots. As you can tell, I loved that dock. :)

I also loved the smell of the pine in the air, as well as the clear lake and water lilies.

Here are more views of the location.

Nephew caught a big fish...

I jogged to the nearby town (population 180)...

And I took bike rides and played with the niece...

Picture of myself and husband, who refuses to take normal pictures...

And here is my husband's "work of art", as he would describe his photography skills.

It was nice, and relaxing, and gorgeous. But it's also nice to be back home.