Katie At Large

It's so hard to say goodbye

2009-06-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

Our VERY good friends Kelly & Todd had a going away barbecue for us this past weekend. It was SO NICE and thoughtful! And DELICIOUS!!

Here is a link to Kelly's blog where she posted some photos and her YUMMY menu (Check out the super cute sunflower cupcakes!)

Thanks Kelly, Todd, Gracyn & Tucker!!

Meant To Be The Lees

Affair with a chair

2009-06-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

I have an obsession with the Louis Ghost chair by Philippe Starck. I've been wanting one since I saw it in a magazine about 5 years ago. I think it would look PERFECT with our antique desk that was given to us by Dave's Mom when we got married.

Here is an old picture of the desk:

Notice the ugly folding chair I use now? It's still there - so I NEED a new chair. :) I think I am going to use the desk in our kitchen/family room/nook area for my own personal desk once we are set up in the new house.

That's my goal right now. Find myself a job to get myself the chair!

Cleaning out the freezer.

2009-06-16T06:23:00.001-07:00

I am trying to clean out my freezer & fridge before the big move. I found a beef brisket that I am making today with this recipe that I got on AllRecipes.com. My mother-in-law makes a FANTASTIC brisket recipe and I would normally use it, but thought I'd give this one a try on the frozen brisket. Her recipe really deserves a fresh one. :)

Brisket with BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
4 pounds lean beef brisket
2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
1 tablespoon onion salt
1 tablespoon garlic salt

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Pour liquid smoke over brisket. Rub with onion salt and garlic salt. Roll brisket in foil and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place brisket in a large roasting pan. Cover and bake for 5 to 6 hours. Remove from oven, cool, and then slice. Put slices back into pan.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, ketchup, butter, water, celery salt, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir, and cook until boiling.
4. Pour sauce over meat slices in pan. Cover and bake for 1 more hour.

Let the moving begin!

2009-06-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

We have been in the midst of a move, so I haven't been keeping my personal blog up-to-date. But the good news is that we BOUGHT A HOUSE!

Over the next few weeks we will be finalizing everything and then I can get back to my decorating fantasies! I also started a new blog about moving to Northern Virginia: new2nova.blogspot.com. See you when the dust settles!

Home Alone

2009-05-18T11:04:00.001-07:00

I am all by myself this week - Dave is gone for work. These are my plans for the week:

Go to the gym (I've been slacking).
Pack for Hawaii.
Go to my favorite new store in Saint John - Je Suis Prest. It's a great new store in Brunswick Square for trendy ladies. She's got a great selection of designer clothing for younger women. I only wish she had opened the store 4 years ago - but I probably would've gone broke. :)
Make some cookies. And try not to eat them all by myself.
Take my adopted friend Tucker for a walk or two.
Clean the house before leaving on Friday!
Rent a couple of chick flicks

So those are my plans so far...it's great to have an easy going week - but I miss Dave! He keeps me motivated. :)

I forgot to mention that I had my last day at Little Bundles last week. I am still going to work a few shifts here and there if time permits, but I thought I would need some time to get moving chores done - if we EVER move!! Don't get me started on Dave's company - they are ticking me off right now. Hopefully I will have some good news about the move soon.

I Heart NY!

2009-04-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

I just got back from an ALL-TOO-QUICK weekend in NYC with my Mom! We went on a mission to find dresses for all of the upcoming weddings this summer! And I found 3! I am super happy with my finds but will post those later when I have time to model them. :)

Here are a couple things we did while visiting the Big Apple.

Dinner at Osteria Del Circo - where we sat next to THE Woody Allen. No joke. It was very cool!
West Side Story - one of the best musicals of ALL TIME! The dancing was spectacular - and it was a great show!
South Pacific - also one of the best musicals of ALL TIME! It was GREAT! Definitely one of my favorite Broadway shows - and I've seen A LOT of them.
A fabulous lunch at Le Pain Quotidien with my good friend Susan and old roommate Rachel - I miss those girls! That was the first time I have eaten at PQ and it was great - I am so excited that there are several in the Washington, D.C. area too so I can go again once we move.
LOTS of shopping at Bloomingdales, Barney's, Saks, Lord & Taylor, and the many shops surrounding Rockefeller Center...we didn't venture out of Midtown this trip because we were on a mission. Next time we will have to hit SoHo.
We stayed at The Blakely, one of our favorite hotels. It's small, quiet, and perfectly situated near shopping & shows!

I just love NYC - I am so excited that I will be able to get back there more often once we move this spring. Here are a few pictures of us enjoying spring in New York.

Let the whirlwind begin!

2009-04-19T05:20:00.000-07:00

This week is the start of my crazy spring/summer/fall...

It all begins with a trip to NYC this week. I am going with my Mom. We are planning on doing a lot of shopping and going to a few shows - We have tickets to West Side Story & South Pacific! It will be great.

We are staying at our favorite small hotel in NYC - The Blakely (http://www.blakelynewyork.com/). It can be hard to find a hotel that makes you feel comfortable in NY. Plus, there are so many to choose from. This one is small, homey and we love going back.

Then I am back in Canada for a weekend, and then it's off to NASHVILLE for my cousin's wedding.

Then I am back in Canada for a weekend, and it's off to MAUI for Dave's brother's wedding. Busy, Busy, Busy.

I am also supposed to move back to the U.S. sometime during the next month. Not sure when or how that's going to happen but I am an optimist - I am sure it will all work out. I can't wait to post about my upcoming house hunt. I just hope we are able to find something we are happy with/can afford.

Here's a pic of one of the Blakely's rooms - I love getting design ideas from hotel room pics. I really like the dark moulding around the tray ceiling.

Sports Junky

2009-04-05T04:04:00.000-07:00

I am getting super excited about this week! The Final of the NCAA Basketball tournament is tomorrow night - and we are excited about the two teams that are playing - Michigan State vs. North Carolina! While, I'd be much happier if Purdue (our alma mater) was in the final, I am VERY happy that the Big Ten is represented. And I am also happy that Dave's NEW school is represented TOO!! I mentioned this in my previous post, but Dave was accepted to North Carolina's OneMBA program and will begin there this fall.

Also, next weekend is...

THE MASTERS!! (Oh, and Easter too...) I get SO excited when the Masters Tournament is on, it's like the first sign of SPRING! Yes, I know some people think watching golf is the most boring sport in the world, but I beg to differ. There's nothing more exciting than seeing golfers hit great putts, and knowing that it can all change with the next shot. Plus seeing the beautiful grounds at Augusta just get me excited for green grass & spring!

The next week will be fun for sports!! Oh and for my Canadian friends...I guess the NHL playoffs are coming up, I don't know who's in it, but Go Wings! :)

So, I need to give a shout-out to Kelly for getting me addicted to her Buffalo Chicken Dip - the perfect recipe for any sports-watching event. Here's the recipe. It's not figure-friendly, but totally worth the splurge, except don't eat the whole bowl like me. :)

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

Mix:

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts
2-8 oz. packages of softened cream cheese
1 cup mild or sharp shredded cheese (I added more than a cup)
½ cup blue cheese dressing
½ cup ranch dressing
4-6 oz. Frank’s hot sauce (I used 4 oz.) *Try to find Frank’s!

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes and serve with Tostitos Scoops, regular Tostitos, or Fritos.

● This recipe will easily serve 6-8 people. It is very easy and prep time is about 10-15 minutes. This is a delicious appetizer!!

A new favorite blog!

2009-03-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

I don't read blogs like crazy like some people, but I do have a few that I like to browse. This is one of my new favorites:

Restyled Home

It's all about interior decorating & design and I happened to meet the writer a couple of weeks ago. She is the sister of one of my coworkers at Little Bundles! It's great and very fun to read.

And while I'm at it - I am in LOVE with the kitchens she featured in a recent post:

http://restyledhome.blogspot.com/2009/03/sea-of-white.html

Coming soon to Katie's Kitchen (if I ever get moved and/or get $$ to redo a kitchen!)

A Pause...

2009-03-16T05:29:00.000-07:00

I took a time-out from my blog, and even reading blogs...I do that once in a while. I have a hard time doing things consistently, which is why I could never support a "real" blog that people actually read on a regular basis. ha!

Today is my 30th birthday. Let's all have a "moment of silence" for my 20s. I am now officially in a new decade. I've been nervous about it for weeks, because I keep reflecting back on all the things I didn't do in my 20s. But I think that's a pretty unfair standard to set for myself.

Now it's time to stop thinking about the past and focusing on the future!

I have officially decided that this year is going to be AMAZING - We are going to move back to the U.S., buy a house, and Dave is starting his MBA program. It's going to be a stressful year, but we've had almost 4 years of the "easy life" so it's about time we have a challenge!

I also want to give a shout-out to all my friends & family! You have ALL made my birthday so much better than I anticipated! Thanks to everyone for thinking of me! I miss those of you who aren't here, but I am thinking about you, and hoping we can get together soon.

The living room

2009-02-12T12:07:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I've never been a big fan of living rooms. They just never seem to get used. But I expect that if we end up in the kind of townhouse that Dave would like us to end up in I will have a living room that I have to furnish.

The couch & love-seat we have now are super comfy and in great shape so I expect to put those in a basement or family room.

But what to do with the living room, which will probably be open to the dining room??

I think I would like to have four armchairs surrounding a round cocktail table. My friend Carrie did that in her living room, and it's a great place to relax and chat. Here are the chairs I like:

This is the Loring Chair from Room & Board. I would like them in grey. I wish I could post better pictures from the Room & Board site, oh well.

Here's a cocktail table I like too:
It's the Bond Cocktail Table from Room & Board (notice a trend here??). Normally I would be concerned about the glass (keeping it clean), but since it's the living room it won't be used as much. Plus, I've been wanting a table like this for a while, so I think it's perfect for this type of space.

So now a console table/bar/storage unit...

I think the mirrors in this buffet from Pottery Barn would work great with the cocktail table. Plus it would help tie the dining room & living room together.

Art Ideas:

Parvez Taj Stretched Canvas - Bryant Park

Parvez Taj Stretched Canvas - Ferris

I am still looking for some pillows & rugs for this room, but I think you get the gist. :)

Inspiration

2009-02-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

I realized this morning that I haven't posted any pictures of my inspiration for my dining room - Our Antique China!

This was Dave's great-great grandmother's china, that we were given when we married. I think it's beautiful. I don't really use it for anything but serving dishes, just to keep it safe, but it will always be present in my dining room.

On to the walls. Here are a couple ideas:

Furniture Sketches - There is a series of 4 of these that I think would be gorgeous, framed.

Or maybe a wall decal. This one is beautiful and looks so similar to my china, that I think it would be really pretty. I'm not sure what color I'd pick though. Click the photo for a link on where to purchase...

I think that this is a great start to a FANTASTIC DINING ROOM. I would love to have a buffet too, but I am not sure space would allow. Plus I already have a great antique china cabinet that I will probably continue to use in there. Tomorrow I am going to think about the living room. :)

Dining Chairs

2009-02-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

So if redecorating again in 5 years is not an issue, these are the chairs I would use in "my dining room":

It's the Miles Chair from Room & Board, (still not sure if I would order them in black, brown or ivory...hmmm) and I would use them as the four-to-six side chairs.

Now for the end chairs...This may seem REALLY weird. But I am thinking I would like to go with something more formal for the end chairs:

This is the Gentry Chair from Ballard Designs, upholstered in Danish Linen Sky with Walnut Legs. I love these styles of chairs because I feel like it helps blend modern & traditional furniture.

Or maybe something like this....

This is the Sasha Chair from Crate & Barrel, upholstered in Triton Teal.

Obviously I'd have to see how it all worked together. And if it didn't work, I would probably use something more like this for the side chairs (Thanks MEGAN!!):

This is the Ann Glen Side Chair from Dania...a company I didn't even know about!!

Now it's on to walls, window treatments, accessories, and storage!

The Diner

2009-02-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

So I was going to start decorating my "future house" with the dining room. But I got overwhelmed. And then I remembered that it takes more than a day to plan a room. There is a strong possibility that I won't have a formal dining room. More likely, I will have a corner of a room for a more casual dining area.

This is a table that I LOVE and I hope I can use in an area like that...I am still working on the chairs.

The table:

Cyprus Table - Room & Board - seats 6, 8 with extensions. (60" x 38" table)

I also found a great light fixture:

GE Pendant, The Conran Shop

I am not sure that the pendant would be large enough. It's about 14.5" in diameter, but it could work. I could maybe do 2 pendants too...that would be cool...

I'd like chairs that have chrome bases, because I like shiny things in smaller spaces...Hopefully, I can find some that work well and post them tomorrow. So this will be the week of the dining room :)

Decorating the house in my head...

2009-02-08T18:35:00.000-08:00

I am expecting to get relocated this year. Hopefully that will mean that Dave & I can buy a house, and furnish it! I want to go furniture shopping SO BADLY. So, I am online shopping for the house that I don't have yet.

Basically this is what I am decorating:

An open concept, boring builder's spec townhouse, with not many upgrades & a very cookie-cutter style...

You may say to yourself, well that sounds fun Katie!! ;) Yes, I know it sounds awful, but based on where I THINK we're moving, I am pretty sure that's all we will be able to afford.

I am trying to figure out how to infuse my own style and distinguish my house from the one next door. I already have a couple nice antique pieces from my mother-in-law, but I don't want to decorate with just antiques, and I prefer the modern eclectic look.

I am gonna blog about my ideas for the next few weeks, room by room. Hopefully that will help me collect my ideas together.

Tomorrow - The Dining Room

Deep Thoughts, by Katie

2009-01-15T20:33:00.000-08:00

I've got to get a dog or something. We are in the dead of winter and the doldrums have set in. Christmas came and went so quickly I didn't even really reflect on it. I learned something interesting this Christmas though: It's just not as fun without kids around. This year we spent Christmas with Dave's brother, Dave's brother's FIANCEE, Angela (YAY! More on that later!) and Dave's mom. I love spending time with all of them. But there is just something missing at Christmas when there aren't little pitter patters on Christmas morning. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, because we've always either celebrated AS KIDS, or WITH KIDS, until just recently. Next year we will probably celebrate Christmas with my family again. But my brother will be 14 next year, so his childlike wonder when it comes to Christmas is fading fast! :(

So as I said earlier, Angela & John are getting married!! YAY!!! So now I have ANOTHER wedding to get excited about next year. And even better - they might be getting married in HAWAII!! We'd have to go to Hawaii AGAIN! It'd be our 3rd trip in 4 years...YAY!! Hopefully those plans will start churning soon.

Here's a pic of the happy couple when they were up here visiting about a year ago:

I've been staying busy working at Little Bundles - www.littlebundles.ca. I am becoming the expert in cloth diapering, baby slings, and bottles. It's great. I think I had 2 friends have babies last month, and 2 more friends announce their pregnancies. I have lots of great gift ideas - Yay!

That's all folks!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

2008-12-09T11:31:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures of our house all decorated! We don't have any parties planned. There aren't any guests coming. It's just for us. Decorating is a pain in the arse, but I love the way it looks!

Our Tree:

The Nativity:

Our stockings hung on the TV with care:

Our table all set! I still need a small centerpiece though. And maybe some friends to come over and eat with us.

A fashion confession

2008-12-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

My all-time favorite clothing store is Anthropologie - an over-priced store, with lots of funky and unique clothing. I try to make a stop there any time I am visiting the U.S. And I usually walk out with way more than I should. But I love it.

My all-time favorite piece of clothing is any form of sweatpants & an oversized t-shirt.

I just realized as I was stepping out of the shower, and into a cozy pair of fleece pants, that my favorite store & my favorite clothing item do not mesh.

I guess I like to look good when I walk out the front door, and try to have some sense of style. But really, I would just rather lounge around in my polyester fleece all day - and surf the net looking for new cute clothes to buy. What is wrong with this picture??

Is it really December already??

2008-12-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Once again, I am dumbfounded about how fast this year has flown by. Dave and I only got back from Hawaii a few weeks ago and we are having a really tough time getting back into the swing of things! I seriously can't believe that Christmas is in 3 weeks! I haven't done any shopping yet. Luckily we are trying to cut back on the spending this year so it won't be as difficult as usual.

Next week, I am going to take the computer to the coffee shop with my shopping list and just get ALL of my shopping done. I usually do most of my Christmas shopping online. But it's not really fun to do it at home - so that's where the coffee shop comes in. I recently discovered Red Whale Coffee in Rothesay (it's been open forever, but I haven't gotten there till recently). I love it! It's such a great place and I love going there and supporting LOCAL business!

I also just wanted to give a shout-out to the other local businesses in the Rothesay/Quispamsis/Kennebecasis Valley area that I love:

Little Bundles Baby Boutique - Yes, I know I work here, but it's a great store and I would shop here all the time even if I didn't work there! Great baby & kids items and they offer shopping online!

Pomodori Pizza - FINALLY! A decent pizza in the Greater Saint John area! :) I love this place! The pizza is great, gelato is yummy, and they serve wine & beer!

Benjamin's Books - A lovely independent book store - they know their stuff about children's books!

Okay that's my spiel about the KV area - come visit! :)

New Movies I WANT TO SEE!

2008-11-06T13:47:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen a GREAT movie in a while. Some have been good (The Duchess). Some have been OK (The Express, Burn After Reading). But, the movies out this fall haven't been that exciting. Then I saw the trailer for Australia, and I got super excited again. So, here's my list of movies I can't wait to see this fall & holiday season!!

1) Australia - Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, epic movie, Baz Luhrmann’s first film since “Moulin Rouge!” Hugh Jackman is my "Thunder Down Under". LOVE HIM. I hope this movie is as good as the trailer looks!!

2) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Brad Pitt, say no more. It's a story about a man who ages backwards. Also stars Cate Blanchett. Has potential to be really weird.

3) Revolutionary Road - Kate Winslet (my girl crush) and Leonardo DiCaprio, with director Sam Mendes (he did American Beauty). It seems like an overall good combination! Kate & Leo together again.

4) The Road - loved this book, hope the movie gets it right

5) Marley & Me - loved this book, hope the movie gets it right - part deux

6) Seven Pounds - the curiosity factor has gotten me on this one. Saw Will Smith on Oprah today and it looks pretty interesting & compelling.

That's all I have so far. But if you know of any others I should add to my list - let me know! :)

Back in Black

2008-10-28T06:21:00.000-07:00

I've been behind on my blog posts because I've been chilling with the family in Minnesota for 2 weeks. I am still on Central time, which means I've been up till 1 a.m. and sleeping till 10 a.m. I think I will keep this schedule up too, because I am leaving for HAWAII in 10 days!!

So you know that I went to see the reuniting of New Kids On The Block in St. Paul. What you don't know is that THEY WERE FREAKIN' AWESOME!

I loved it - and I ran home to download all the music I've been missing for the last 15 years. After the concert there was a review in the St. Paul Pioneer Press and my favorite quote was, "Of the 13,000 or so fans in attendance, a good 95 percent were women in their late 20s to early 30s acting as if they'd discovered a time machine that transported them back to 1989. Yes, one could spot the occasional boyfriend or husband, but there appeared to be more men serving sodas at the gig than paying to get inside." - It was the ultimate GIRLS NIGHT OUT! Like I said before - I loved it!!

BTW, Jordan Knight is my favorite New Kid - who is yours??

Here is a link to my pics - New Kids Pics

And a video I made: Right Stuff Circa 2008

I left all the original pics on my parents computer, so you will have to settle for links. But I will leave you with a photo that I think is the solution to the financial crisis on Wall Street. :) And just makes me happy!

Not too exciting...

2008-10-07T15:54:00.001-07:00

Not much is new except:

-I got my first paycheck this week! Whoopie! It feels good to have an extra $30 bucks in my pocket. HA!

-I am leaving for Minnesota - AGAIN - tomorrow. I have to drive 3 hours to Bangor, Maine, stay overnight at a hotel, get up early and then take two flights to get to Minneapolis. That's why I hate living so far away from a decent airport.

-I am staying with my brother Matt so my parents can go live it up in Vegas with all MY** friends. I am the best daughter ever!

**Katie's friends Courtney & Kevin, Nathan & Jenny, Bill and Nejim will be in Vegas at the same time as her parents. This was not a planned meeting, but she is jealous none-the-less.

-And last, but not least, I am going to the NKOTB concert while I am in Minneapolis! YAY! Carrie and I will be partying like it's 1992. I will post pics & follow-up. :)

Working Girl

2008-09-28T05:06:00.000-07:00

I got a job yesterday! It seems there are places out there that will hire a traveling queen! I am super excited about it and I start Tuesday.

I am going to be working at Little Bundles Baby Boutique! It's a store in Rothesay that specializes in Canadian-made clothing, classic wooden toys, natural body care for baby and mom, cloth diapering, breastfeeding support, baby wearing, travel accessories and gear especially for dads.

Now you might ask - what experience do you have with baby gear, Katie? Well, I was the BEST babysitter in the 48642 zip code from 1990-1998, I was living under the same roof as a newborn at age 16, and I have a million** pregnant or new moms as friends and family. And it seem the store likes my wide-open availability. :)

It should be a lot of fun! Check out their online store too - Little Bundles carries VERY cute things and they have free shipping to the U.S. for orders over $100.

**Numbers may not be accurate.

New Blog

2008-09-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

I've started a new recipe blog to keep track of all of my family's favorite recipes. Last year we made a cookbook for my dad's side of the family. I am in the process of getting all of those recipes up online. And will continue to add new ones that they provide to me.

http://miotkefamily.blogspot.com/

Hope you enjoy!

Where is my motivation?

2008-09-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

I am suffering from a serious lack of motivation lately. I sleep late, don't exercise, play a lot of word games online, don't make dinner, eat MacDoughs, and watch a lot of TV.

Today I decided I need to confess to these horrendous behaviors. Maybe that's the first step to recovery.

So by blogging about what I am going to do today - maybe then I will actually do it. I am going to go for a long walk - I usually do about 3 miles in 50 minutes. I am making chili in the crock pot - and beer bread! This is one of my favorite fall meals. I am also going to do some laundry. Tonight I will have clean sheeties.

It's time to get my Mo-Jo back.

Here's the recipe for chili - it's the easiest recipe ever.

Classic Beef Chili - 2 points per serving on Weight Watchers.

1 pound of extra-lean ground beef

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can of red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1 sweet onion chopped

1/4 cup canned diced chilies (I just add a can of the Old El Paso green chilies)

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

Cook the ground beef & garlic in a nonstick skillet until brown. Add the chili powder and cumin, stir to coat.

Add it to the slow cooker with everything else. Cook for 4-5 hours. Sometimes this gets super thick and I just add a little can of tomato juice to thin it out. You could just add broth or water too.

Garnish with shredded cheese & sour cream. And serve Tastefully Simple Beer Bread on the side. :) YUMMY!

(This isn't my chili - just a random pic I found online)

Wants & needs

2008-09-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

I need a job. Or a winning lotto ticket. I know that while the world is in this "financial crisis", looking at shoes, handbags, & fancy clothes is probably not the best idea - but I can't help myself.

I want to go shopping for fall, but I made a deal with myself that I am not allowed to buy anything until I lose the 15 lbs I gained over the last 1 1/2 years. I've lost 6.5 lbs so I am off to a good start. But that doesn't stop me from window shopping.

Today I discovered the most AMAZING boots! And I WANT THEM! But I think Dave would pass out when he saw the credit card bill. I will just say that I've been wanting a pair of Frye boots for a while now so nothing less than Frye will do - which doesn't help with the price thing. Here's a picture so you all can salivate with me.

While I am at it I will post a picture of the Gucci bag I have been obsessing about. I hallucinate about affording Gucci, because I have a friend that works for them and gets 50% off. But the bag I want - the Hysteria, in purple python - is $4,990. No, that's not an extra nine in there. So while that 50% deal is FANTASTIC, it's hardly in my range of affordability. CRAZY!! I wonder how many they are selling these days?

Click on the picture below for a closer look - LOVE IT!

Let the countdown begin!

2008-09-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

I am going to Maui, Hawaii in 59 days!! Or just over 8 weeks. Now I really need to get in shape! I spent an hour at the gym today wishing that's all it took to lose 20 lbs.

Dave had a planned week off for Thanksgiving and we decided that we didn't need to spend it with my family because we've seen them A TON this year. We also know we are spending Christmas with Dave's Mom, so we decided to be selfish and go on a trip for ourselves!! We looked at trips to Rome, cruises in the Mediterranean, and settled on Hawaii, because:

A) We LOVED it so much when we went to Oahu 2 years ago.

B) The price was right.

We are staying at the Marriott Wailea and I've already picked up a couple guidebooks to start planning. I CAN'T WAIT! If anyone has advice of what to see or do in Maui please feel free to pass it along!

Big Fish

2008-09-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

Dave had a work event last night and the company hired this band called "Big Fish" out of Halifax to play. They were SO FUN! One of the best cover bands I've witnessed in a long time. The wide variety of music was amazing and they were really great at putting their own twist on "songs you know by heart". I just wanted to give them kudos for a great show last night. Here is their website:

Big Fish

Fall TV - What I will be watching!!

2008-09-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

I am back in Canada just in time for tonight's premiere of 90210!!!! YAY! This is almost as exciting as the comeback of NKOTB. The revival of my junior high school years are almost complete. I just need an Esprit bag.

As I wait patiently for 9:00 PM Atlantic Time to arrive, I decided to map out my fall TV schedule. These are the shows I will be watching and recording. All times listed are in Atlantic time.

Monday Night

8:00: Monday Night Football
9:00: Gossip Girl (most likely I will record this because Dave hates it) & Dancing with the Stars

Possibly Samantha Who? & The Big Bang Theory thrown in on occasion

Tuesday Night

9:00: 90210, House & Biggest Loser - I will record 90210 & Biggest Loser because I know Dave will refuse to watch 90210, and do we really need 2 hours of the Biggest Loser?? Plus House is a favorite for both of us.

10:00: Fringe - I don't know much about this show, but it's from the creator of LOST so I will watch.

11:00: Maybe Without A Trace if I am awake.

Wednesday Night

9:00: Bones & Pushing Daisies (I will have to record one, because I love them both), and I will have to record Knight Rider for Dave because he's a tool.

10:00: Private Practice

11:00: Maybe Lipstick Jungle

Thursday Night

9:00: Ugly Betty

9:30: Kath & Kim (this show's previews crack me up)

10:00: CSI, Grey's Anatomy, & The Office - I LOVE ALL these shows, and it annoys me that they are on at the same time. But I will probably watch The Office and record the others.

Friday Night

I don't usually watch TV on Fridays, but I might try to record The Starter Wife if I can figure out what channel and night it is on in Canada.

Saturday

I watch as much College Football as I possibly can on Saturdays.

Sunday

I watch as much NFL Football as I possibly can on Sundays.

10:00: Family Guy

11:00: Entourage

Daytime TV:

Oprah & The View

That's all I have time for this fall. And my favorite show of all - LOST - doesn't start until January!

I love sports, but hate Atlantic Time

2008-08-03T14:52:00.000-07:00

Last night I stayed up till 1:00 am to watch the Olympics and it was worth every penny. I LOVE watching sports. Yesterday was the best - The PGA Championship in the afternoon and I flipped back and forth to the Olympics. I was sorely disappointed that Sergio Garcia wasn't able to pull out a win in a major. But, staying up last night to watch the Men's US Swim Team beat France was such a highlight! I woke poor Dave up to watch it and he was glad I did.

I am so tired today as a result of my couch potato escapades yesterday. I hate how late the Olympics are on this year, but I understand there isn't anything that can be done about that - we are on the opposite side of the world from China. BUT, I REALLY hate when other sports are on just as late. In the fall, Monday Night Football doesn't start until 10:00 pm for us. And a lot of really good baseball games go well on into the midnight hour. I think that the best time zone for TV programming is Central Time. Those damn Midwesterners have it so good.

I can't wait until football season starts! But for now, I will go on cheering for the Americans!

Wii got a Wii.

2008-07-29T17:24:00.000-07:00

Well, we've had it for a few months. But I realized that I haven't posted anything about it. I guess that's because it's not really mine. We all know how video games are really "boy toys." But I do admit that the Wii is fun. Dave likes to play Mario Kart and he's almost beaten the whole game, if you can do that....I don't know, 'cause it's not really my thing.

Actually I am coming to realize how uncoordinated I am since we got the Wii. I am SO bad at it. I really thought I was an "average" video game player, but I pretty much lose no matter how much I practice. My mom said to me, "coordination isn't really your thing" - whatever that means! :)

I also bought the WiiFit to go with it. The first time I stepped on it the WiiFit it told me I was fat. That was about a month ago and I haven't gotten back on it since. Hmmm.

My fabulous brownies

2008-07-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

I made my favorite Cream Cheese Brownies yesterday. And they are AWESOME! I am posting the recipe because I think it should be a part of everyone's dessert rotation. It's from The New Best Recipe Cookbook - which is a great cookbook! My BFF Robyn gave it to me a few years ago and it's one of my favorites. It has every standard "American" recipe and the BEST versions of them. It would be a great gift for anyone learning to cook, because it's really descriptive.

And the Cream Cheese Brownies are the best. I am seriously trying not to eat the rest of the pan by the time Dave gets home from work today. Here is a picture. MMMMMMmmmmm. Good!

CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES

2/3 (3 1/3 ounces) cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into quarters
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup (1 ¾ ounces) sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg yolk

For the brownie base: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line with foil, creating handles to easily pull brownies out when finished. Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a small bowl, set aside.

In a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until the mixture is smooth. Remove chocolate from heat and whisk in the sugar and vanilla; cool slightly. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth. Add the dry ingredients; whisk until just incorporated.

For the cream cheese filling: In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar, vanilla, and egg yolk until evenly blended.

Pour half the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Drop half the cream cheese mix by spoonfuls, over the batter. Repeat, layering the remaining brownie batter and cream cheese filling. Use the blade of a table knife to gently swirl the brownie batter and cream cheese filling, creating a marbled effect. Bake until edges of the brownies have puffed slightly, the center feels not quite firm, and a toothpick comes out with several moist, fudgy crumbs adhering to it, 50-60 minutes. Cool the brownies in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan using the foil and place on a wire rack. Allow them too cool to room temperature and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours. Don’t cut until ready to serve, to prevent drying out.

Money, Money, Money

2008-07-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

I believe that only my friends & family read this blog. That's why I don't feel uncomfortable blogging about something as personal as money. In the last few years, thanks to our expatriate assignment and generous raises, Dave (and I, his sole beneficiary) have reached our "comfort-level" with money. We have enough to do pretty much anything our midwestern attitudes will allow us to do. We don't have enough for me to go on a Gucci shopping spree, but I think I would have a panic attack once that money was spent anyways.

I find it funny that now that we've actually reached that point we aren't spending anything. We are constantly saving for our next house, for our Roth IRAs, and rainy days. Yet, last night when we were talking about "how much we have" we truly understood that money doesn't buy happiness.

When Dave got his raise this year the first thing we both thought was, "That's great, but any idea when we are leaving this land of maple syrup and lobster?" We miss our families, our friends. It's really hard to live in the now when you are constantly worrying about where you will be in a year or six months.

I am VERY thankful that we don't have to struggle with bills and financial worries. And I wouldn't give that kind of freedom up, but sometimes I just want my friends back! :)

Read all about it...

2008-07-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

I am back from my trip to Minnesota. And it was wonderful. I am currently attempting to get the 2nd Annual Miotke Family Slideshow up on YouTube to show off what a wonderful time we had.

Now I am trying to get back into my routine but it's just so hard!! I am SO TIRED of being in Canada. Every time I leave, coming back gets harder.

In other news, my friends Delphine & Franck had their baby Benjamin yesterday!! I am so excited to see him. He was almost born on July 15th - which was Dave's 30th birthday - but he stuck it out until the 16th. :) Here is his first photo.

And here is our family photo from the lake this year:

And for those of you who don't already know - my brother Sam & his girlfriend of 8 PATIENT YEARS, Sahar, got engaged last month! Everyone is excited about their wedding sometime next summer! Congrats to them!

Time at the lake

2008-06-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

I arrived at the lake on Wednesday. My mom & brother have been living here since he finished his school year and will stay until he goes back in the fall. I LOVE IT up here. It's so nice to be in a small town. I think the population of Longville is about 200. They have a grocery store, a restaurant or two, a bar, and a few gift shops. I normally despise the fact that there are no good stores in the Saint John area - but somehow I love it in Northern Minnesota. There are no excuses for bad shopping in Saint John, but because of the population and remoteness of lake country in Minnesota they get a pass. :)

Plus the lake is entertainment enough up here. It's so beautiful. And between the waterskiing, tubing, jet-skiing, fishing, raft jumping, walking, watching ducks, sitting in the sun, craft fair wandering, movie watching, camp fires, and puzzle-building how could anyone be bored.

Dave arrives today for a week vacation! Yay!

My Big Bowl

2008-06-24T13:20:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Dave and I ventured to A-1 Auctions for their weekly auction. Dave's parents were big antique hunters when he was a kid so now it's like pulling teeth taking him to antique stores. I am not a huge "antique" fan myself. But I like searching out and finding interesting things that fit with my very eclectic design style.

At the auction they had a bunch of these old bowls that were used on farms in New Brunswick. They had about 4 or 5 of them so I knew it wouldn't be difficult to get my hands on one. They were definitely the hot item of the auction. But there were only about 10 people actually at the auction so I managed to score the third one for about $25 bucks less than the first two! Yay! Bargain!

So I got the bowl home and I realized I have NO IDEA what to do with it. It's HUGE! Right now I have it sitting next to my sofa with blankets in it. And I think I will fill it up with ice and beer when I have parties. But if anyone has other ideas of what I could do with it - let me know! I absolutely love the look of it. It's just REALLY big!

Had to post this...

2008-06-15T13:44:00.001-07:00

I love these guys. They crack me up. Talk about embracing who you are. NKOTB is a group of mediocre singers, with semi-decent looks, and a bad choreographer. But who can't help but love them. Here is their latest video. Carrie, if you read this you better get me a ticket. :) Ha.

My favorite things.

2008-06-15T07:20:00.000-07:00

I love to read magazines. LOVE IT! Although lately it seems every magazine has a "Celebrity's Favorite Things" list. They always pick La Mer skin cream, which is - no joke here - $1350 for a 16 oz. jar. It's ridiculous. I always think these people are crazy. But I always read the lists in detail and think, "How can I get that item in Canada?" :)

To emphasize my own highly celebratory status - in my mind anyways - I thought I'd make my own:

Katie's Favorite Things - Summer Edition - 2008

BareMinerals makeup - Ever since I developed an inclination for hormonal acne I have loved this stuff. It's super easy to get ready, especially when you are trying to pull off a no-makeup look. Plus it's the best makeup for traveling with - no liquids or gels!!

Curel Hand Lotion - I have an addiction to hand lotion. It's not something I am proud of. But this has been my go-to brand since the days of flannel shirts and scrunchies.

Teva Olowahu Flip Flops - My mom turned me on to these flip flops and now I love them. They have really decent support and I love how the straps really hold your foot in. Great for walking!

Itsa Sun Lounger Towel - I don't own one of these yet, but I saw it for sale in a small boutique and I have been thinking about going back to get it for a few weeks. There is nothing I love more in the summer than dragging my parents' one sun lounger down to the dock at their lake house. You can see why from the posted photos. But this towel would be great for holding all of my crap for the 4-6 hours I plant myself on that lounger.

Sorry for the diversion - but I am pretty excited about my upcoming trip to the lake. Back to the list.

Joe's Jeans Provocateur- These are my new favorite jeans. They are sized for petite women so I don't have to have them hemmed. And they have the most comfortable fit. I LOVE THEM. I also bought their Socialite Kickers in White and love those as well. So their regular sizes are great too. :)

Chapman's Ice Cream - I LOVE this Canadian brand of Ice Cream. But my new favorite product from them is their Yogurt Plus line of products. Their Madagascar Vanilla Bean has 100 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 5 grams of fiber - for a WW points value of 1!!! I almost passed out in the store when I saw that. It's for a 1/2 cup serving, but who ever heard of ice cream with FIBER! :) OH and it's DELICIOUS!

I can't end this list without a nod to the Cherry Coke Zero. It's my only major vice that I can't seem to quit. I love the stuff. And I am almost out after our last trip to the states. If anyone is headed our way, pick up a couple cases for me. :)

Whew...

2008-06-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

It's 5:20 pm - I am sipping leftover punch (that really should be spiked) and sitting down for the first time today. Today was the baby shower!! Yay!

Everything went off without a hitch. All of the French women loved it and were very impressed - I think. Delphine was especially happy and received some wonderful gifts. I gave her a crib sheet, a couple of muslin swaddling blankets and a CuddlyWrap.

The food was also a hit. Here is the menu with the links to all the recipes I made. Everything was really tasty and I got rave reviews on all of it.

Aileen's Punch - really good, not too sweet like some punches

Crustless Spinach Quiche - also fantastic, I doubled the recipe and used cheddar instead of muenster

Chicken & Rice Salad - I used brown rice instead of wild rice, and use more olive oil & balsamic vinegar than the recipe calls for - but it's a hit and you don't have to be precise...just dump things in, mix and chill. I serve it cold.

Broccoli Salad - that my neighbor made for the party and I don't know the recipe, but it's a pretty standard broccoli salad and everyone always loves it.

Tea Sandwiches - which I ordered from my favorite tea/lunch spot in Saint John - Infusion Tea Room.

Billy's Vanilla Cupcakes with Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting - I usually love the Billy's recipe, but this time they got a little crumbly, but the strawberry frosting made up for it. DELICIOUS!

Cream Cheese Brownies - from The New Best Recipe cookbook, sorry recipe isn't online, but they are the BEST! The recipe is in the latest edition of the Miotke Family Cookbook though if anyone out there has it.

Lemon Blossoms - can't go wrong with Paula Deen, these taste amazing and were the fastest thing to go, but they are a PAIN in the ARSE to make - they are really hard to get out of the pan. I may make them next time in those little mini-muffin wrappers, that might help. If anyone out there learns the secret to making these easily, let me know...

Besides the food, I also planned a couple games. One was "Name the Baby Animal" - which I wrote in both French & English! And the other game was "Guess the Baby Food", where everyone had to identify the baby food with the labels off of the jars. They were fun and gave all the french women a chance to see what a baby shower is really like. They were very pleased.

So that was that. I am so thankful for all the help everyone gave me. It was a lot of work but very worth it. Here are a couple of photos of the table and Delphine. I forgot to take them early in the party so the table doesn't look so great anymore, but oh well!

Bah Hahbah

2008-06-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

I've been away from home for a week, and away from blogger even longer. But I am back now.

We were in Bar Harbor, ME last week celebrating our 5th (yeah, that's right) anniversary and hanging out with Dave's family: his brother John, his mom, Ann and John's lady friend, Angela. :) It was a Mother's Day trip for Dave's mom too.

We rented an amazing house in the heart of Bar Harbor and it was a great location for walking & biking everywhere. I highly recommend the property to anyone who is looking for a vacation rental in Bar Harbor. It was beautiful.

Most of the week was spent napping, playing Boggle, Dominos, & Bananagrams, doing puzzles, biking, and checking out Acadia National Park. - another beautiful place that I highly recommend visiting. Dave and I spent a lot of time exploring the carriage trails on our bikes and stopping at the Jo rdan Pond House for popovers. We ate some other delicious meals at Miguel's, Cafe this Way, Stewman's Lobster Pound, and Havana. And we took a lovely sunset cruise on the Margaret Todd.

It was a fun week and Bar Harbor is a wonderful place. I can't really offer much more insight than that...

"The Age"

2008-05-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

I am being bombarded by babies in every direction. Over the last 2 years or so all of my friends and cousins have reached "the age". You know, "the age" where people start planning to have kids, talking about having kids, or actually having kids. Nearly all of my college roommates now have at least one or two kids. Even though I am at "the age", it really hasn't affected me much. I live so far away from everyone, that I am able to pick out some cute gift online and send it on its way. I haven't had to endure the baby showers, the visits, or changes in relationships after the baby arrives. I have been able to keep babies and all thoughts surrounding them at arm's length.

But my next door neighbor, and best buddy of the north, Delphine, is currently having her first baby in July. And I am throwing her a proper Canadian/American/French baby shower. Apparently they do not have baby showers in France, so as the only American friend she has, I am stepping up to the role of party planner extraordinaire.

Today, however, Delphine and I hit the baby stores in town to check out baby stuff and I was literally overwhelmed. She's seriously having a baby!! Like a kid! And I felt it kick! And you need a lot of supplies to have a kid! And some strollers cost over $1000 bucks! And some people have more than one (strollers & kids)! And there are things like electric breast pumps that husbands just shouldn't need to know about!

It's freaking me out. And this is coming from a girl who got a new baby brother at age 16. It's not like I haven't been around the whole baby thing. I am just overwhelmed by all of it right now, so I guess I am not quite at "the age" yet. We'll see! :)

If anyone has an baby shower tips/ideas for me - send them my way! I can use all the help I can get.

What we did...

2008-05-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

After bitching about my rash, I realized I should probably review some of the things we did while in Vegas. Especially the FOOD! Mmmm...I love eating out...

We stayed at the Flamingo Las Vegas, one of the oldest casinos on the strip. Room was "OK" by Vegas standards, but comfortable and we were hardly in it so we didn't care much. My parents never stay anywhere else when visiting Vegas, so it was worth it to us to stay where they were too. The best thing about the Flamingo is their pool. It's easily one of the best in Vegas, with lots of palm trees, plenty of shade or sun, and great atmosphere. We used the convenience store in the Hilton Grand Vacations Club (which shares the property with the Flamingo) each day for beer & snack purchases. Technically we weren't supposed to drink the beer by the pool, but no one seemed to notice, or care - so it was worth it to save $3.75 per beer. The sandwiches and snacks in the store were fresh and the staff is SO NICE. Great find.

First night we were there we ate at Voga in the Flamingo. The restaurant is ultra modern with a very modern menu. It's trying to be a very hip place that isn't quite there yet. But the service was great and the food was good. I had Roasted Pepper soup, good but a little too creamy, and Voga Rock's which was a Veal & Prosciutto Scaloppini that I cooked on hot rock that they brought to the table. The experience was interesting and the veal was delicious. I can't comment on what the others had, because frankly I was just worried about not burning myself on the hot rock. :)

Next night we went to STACK at the Mirage. This place seemed like it was what Voga was trying to be. The food was AMAZING. And the service was fantastic too. I had their Kobe Beef special and Adult Tater Tots with Bacon & Brie. Dave had the Organic Chicken which he loved, and some special salad they had to start with blue cheese & walnuts. We ate with my brother, his lovely girlfriend, and my parents, and we were all really happy with our meals. For dessert we all tried the Apple Pot Pie & a Cherry Creme Brulee. Yummy!

Our final night with the whole family we went to Steakhouse 46 back at the Flamingo. Once again, the service was fantastic. Our server was Babbette from France and she was so nice! It was a good meal to celebrate Mother's Day with. Their menu is nothing fancy but there food was great and satisfying. I really liked the Garlic-White Truffle Steak Fries. I ordered the Chicken, which was good, but not GREAT. But I needed a break from all the red meat I had been eating.

On our last night Dave and I decided to play it casual and head to a buffet, which I've never done in Vegas before. We went to the Le Village Buffet at the Paris, which was priced at $30 because it was Mother's Day. The food was fine, but I now know that I don't need to eat at another buffet in Vegas ever again. I am all about quality over quantity and the buffets are the opposite of this.

Okey dokey, so there is my take on the food & hotel in Vegas. I would review the breakfast at Denny's too, but we all know that there is nothing like Denny's breakfast on a slightly hungover morning in Vegas. LOVE IT!

Back from Sin City...

2008-05-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

We were in Vegas last weekend. It was good times. Except for the part where they took our money. But we're fine with it. As my brother-in-law John once said, "Vegas sucks money out of every orifice it can." It certainly did for us. We had a lot of fun gambling though, despite no return.

I managed to score a massive allergic reaction to guess what, THE SUN! Mind you, this is all self-diagnosis based on MayoClinic.com and not from a doctor, but this is the description and it matches me to a T.

Polymorphous light eruption symptoms include a red rash that develops after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV radiation is found in sunlight and commercial tanning lamps and tanning beds. The rash begins within hours after UV exposure and can last up to a week or longer. The amount of UV radiation needed to trigger a reaction varies greatly. The rash can look different from person to person but typically includes one or more of the following:

Small bumps
Redness
Itching
Burning
Blistering and swelling
Stinging or pain

Polymorphous light eruption may also cause chills, headache, nausea and a general sick feeling.

Polymorphous light eruption usually affects people in northern climates after one or two exposures to sunlight in the spring or early summer. It may also affect people who vacation in sunny locations during the winter. With each exposure, light sensitivity decreases so that the eruptions typically stop by the end of the summer. The inflammation may return the following spring, however, after new exposures to sunlight.

I have/had all the symptoms in bold...Now I am fully convinced I need to move south, because I love the sun and if I have a reaction like this every year I am going to be mad as hell.

A jumping off point...

2008-05-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

I recently Photoshopped (is that a word now??) some pictures Dave took on our last trip to NYC and had them custom framed. I am super excited about how they turned out and I am looking forward to redecorating our living room around them. How I plan on doing the redecorating all depends on the next living room I live in. But for now they perk up the living room and I think they look great on the wall. Let me know what you think...

Got to get away...

2008-04-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

I am becoming a huge fan of travel shows. The Canadian travel channel is really stinky so I've been watching Rick Steve's & Smart Travels on PBS. Both quite interesting, but I am starting to wonder why all programming on PBS is tailored to the over-55 set. I love PBS because there are no commercials and it's in HD!

Recently on Discovery HD (in Canada) there was a series called "Paul Merton in China" and it was FANTASTIC. Paul Merton is a British comedian and he spent over a month traveling around China, and digging into Chinese culture. It was fascinating and made me want to do the same. Plus he was funny. If any of you get a chance to watch it or can find it in the U.S. I highly recommend it.

Not much else has been happening in Katie's world lately. I have been anxiously awaiting an upcoming trip to Las Vegas next week - and I can't seem to focus on much else.

A weekly favorite

2008-04-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

This has become one of my favorite recipes as of late. I've made it about 4 or 5 times in the last month, and I am planning on making it again tonight. I got it from EatingWell.com, which is a great website for healthy dishes. Delicious!

Mustard-Maple Pork Tenderloin

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
2 teaspoons canola oil
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh sage

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl; rub all over pork. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 145°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Place the skillet over medium-high heat (take care, the handle will still be hot), add vinegar, and boil, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, about 30 seconds. Whisk in maple syrup and the remaining 2 tablespoons mustard; bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Slice the pork. Add any accumulated juices to the sauce along with sage. Serve the pork topped with the sauce.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: 227 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 78 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 29 g protein; 0 g fiber; 576 mg sodium. Nutrition bonus: Selenium (68% daily value), Zinc (21% dv)

My wish list...

2008-04-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

Next week Andrew Lloyd Webber is mentoring American Idol. If they have to sing his songs then this is what I think each contestant should sing. I am not personally a huge fan of Lloyd Webber like some Broadway crazies, but he has a wide range of song choices for everyone.

Brooke White - "I Don't Know How To Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar - perfect for the singer/songwriter folksy vibe that Brooke has. She just needs to get her confidence back...

Syesha Mercado - "Only You" from Starlight Express. Not a terribly challenging song, so perfect for Syesha. And she can add a lot more dimension to it to make it her own.

David Cook - "Superstar" from Jesus Christ Superstar - it has the best potential for a current rock sound, and I know he can nail this one.

David Archuleta - "Memory" from Cats or "Music of the Night" from Phantom, the only one with the potential to pull off these over the top tunes.

Jason Castro - "Everything's Alright" from Jesus Christ Superstar, I have no idea how you'd pull this off as a solo, but I am sure it can be done, and it's definitely a "mellow" song for Jason.

Carly Smithson - "Think of Me" from Phantom of the Opera. I think it would be interesting to hear this as a pop song and she has the best voice to pull it off.

Good & other things

2008-04-16T11:07:00.000-07:00

Today was weigh-in day with Weight Watchers and I was down 3.4 lbs! Yay! I worked really hard over the last couple weeks so I am pleased with the results.

In other news, Dave found out that we are NOT moving anytime soon, but it sounds like the company wants to get us out of Canada by the end of the year. I was hoping to move this summer but I am trying not to let it get me too bummed. At least now I can get on with planning vacations and other things for this summer.

Question - why is TV on Wednesday nights so crappy? I thought all the shows were coming back and tonight I am stuck with Deal or No Deal (hate it), Big Brother 9 (seriously, there are 9 of these??), the American Idol results show (so BORING), and a Democratic Debate (enough is enough). I used to LOVE that show Pushing Daisies before the writers strike. Come on network executives - give us SOMETHING to watch!

In an effort to be positive...

2008-04-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time agonizing about the fact that I have lived here for almost 3 years. I know it's stupid when I should "live in the now", but I think it is part of my nature. So I decided to make a list of the things I like about Canada.

1) HGTV Canada shows: Design Inc., Location, Location, and Holmes on Holmes.

2) Cadbury chocolate...it is so much better than Hershey's

3) No traffic

4) FAST snow removal

5) Unspoiled water views & coastline

6) Crab & Spinach Dip from the Saint John Ale House

7) Pumphouse Blueberry Ale and Moosehead Light Beer

8) Timeshifting on Rogers Cable

9) Thoughtful neighbors and friends

10) My gym - Goodlife Fitness, it's nice, uncrowded and I like the classes

11) The Saint John Boardwalk - it is nice in the summer

12) Billy's Seafood - or just seafood in general

13) Our apartment and firepit!

14) Our small airport

15) Milk in bags - it just makes me laugh

16) A&W - mmm Root Beer & Teen Burgers

17) No need for air conditioning

18) Eh.

19) Moose - I haven't seen one yet though.

20) The deer, woodpeckers, squirrels and other animals I see everyday in our yard.

21) The beach, even though there are only about 3 days a year worth using it.

22) Suwanna thai food restaurant

I'd say free healthcare - but it's been 3 years and I still don't have a family doctor yet. I have to drive to Maine for my annual exam every year. Hence that's why I don't believe in the Canada healthcare system yet...

That's all I could think of today - but I will add more if I think of others...

It's Wednesday already??

2008-04-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I have no idea where this week went already. Dave and I were down in Maine on Sunday & Monday so that he could take the GMAT. It only took me 5 years of nagging to get him to do it. He hates standardized tests - but who doesn't? He was happy with his score and I am very glad that it's over with! Now we can relax for a while.

Now it's Wednesday. Of course it was my Weight Watchers day, and I am up .6 lbs AGAIN! I tracked everything I ate this week, upped the exercise and I still gained weight. SO FRUSTRATING. I am using this new website that my brother recommended called FitDay to track my calories and nutrional information. I tried to stay around 1400 calories/day last week so this week I am going to try and cut down to about 1200-1300. Maybe that will help.

Time for some positive affirmations. I will lose weight! I made a pact with Dave that if I lose 8 lbs. by May 7th, I get to buy new clothes in Vegas. Wish me luck!!

World peace is just around the corner...

2008-04-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

I got the tingles on Friday when it was officially announced that Donnie, Jonathan, Jordan, Joey, and Danny (AKA NKOTB) were making a comeback with an upcoming tour and album. After years of hiding their poster in the back of my closet to avoid ridicule from my younger but cooler brother, I now have the freedom (and confidence) to embrace my roots as a New Kids on the Block fan. They were one of the first concerts I attended, and I still fondly recall the rockin' dance moves I used to imitate at junior high parties.

Thank you NKOTB for allowing nostalgia to seep into my day. You've got the right stuff. If someone wants to go to the reunion tour, let me know.

A meltdown in procedure...

2008-04-03T05:10:00.000-07:00

I've had a weight problem since 1992. That was the year that I became "a woman" and God blessed me with shortness and a slow metabolism. It only took the next 10 years for me to figure out that I couldn't eat the same amount of food as all my friends who were over 5' 2". I didn't really do much about it until I discovered Weight Watchers about 5 years ago. Since then, I have developed a love/hate relationship with the program. I spend a few weeks losing weight (this is the love part) and then I get bored or plateau (the hate part). Right now I hate it. I weigh in on Wednesdays and yesterday was an "up 1.8 lbs day"...not one of my better moments.

Because of this, I am making the commitment to TRACK EVERYTHING this week. That always seems to be my downfall. Hopefully I won't have another week like that next Wednesday.

I am also going to make this recipe for dinner tonight. It's yummy over rice.

Peanut-Flavored Ginger Chicken & Vegetables

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

3 tsp. peanut oil

1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks or strips

2 tablespoons peeled & grated ginger root

1 cup baby carrots, halved

1 green pepper cut into strips

2 cups of broccoli florets

2 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions:

1) Mix the soy sauce, peanut butter, pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of water, set aside.

2) Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat, with 2 tsp. of the oil. Stir-fry the chicken until lightly browned. Add ginger and cook about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl & keep warm.

3) In the skillet, heat the remaining teaspoon of oil. Stir-fry the carrots & peppers for one minute, add broccoli & garlic, stir-fry one minute longer. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water, simmer covered until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Return the chicken and ginger to the skillet; add the peanut butter mixture and stir-fry until heated through, about 1 minute.

Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings. 4 points per serving on Weight Watchers.

How I hate the machine

2008-04-01T16:04:00.000-07:00

The media is driving me crazy. With Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama fighting for the Democratic nomination, the media has recently started making appeals to high-level Democrats for their take on things. Everyone keeps saying that as long as Hillary & Barack keep fighting then the Democratic party will suffer. I can't possibly understand how that could be true. The two of them continue to get front page coverage every day, while John McCain barely gets a mention. No matter who ends up with the nomination, the Democrats will have gotten the attention of the media throughout their campaign. I don't think this fighting will hurt the Democratic Party at all. If anything, it is already helping them, with record voter registrations being submitted and huge turnouts at the primaries.

I am just sick of it. I am not sure who I am voting for yet. I like Barack Obama, but I don't like all his plans so far. And I like McCain, but I want him to bring home troops from Iraq. I can't stand Mrs. Clinton though. I completed one of those "Select A Candidate" quizzes from one of the major news sites a few months ago and it kept telling me I should vote for Ron Paul...that didn't help me.

You can bet on one thing though - American Idol is on tonight! Bring it hottie Michael Johns!

Kicking my own booty

2008-04-01T06:30:00.000-07:00

I never get excited about exercising. You'd think with all the spare time I have on my hands, I would be at the gym for hours a day. But I do manage to get to the gym about 5 times a week. I like to do a couple classes that my gym offers. BodyPump is a toning & conditioning class that uses a barbell and BodyFlow is a pilates/yoga/tai chi fusion class. And then I add elliptical training a few times a week for extra cardio. Once the weather starts to get better I will do more walking, but I can't stand the cold!

So yesterday at BodyPump the instructor played a song from an old release. It was Summer Rain by Belinda Carlisle in a remix. It was such a flashback, because I had that tape, "Runaway Horses" in about 6th grade I think...Loved it! I am gonna download the song, and hopefully I will get myself to the gym then. Music seems to help me get motivated!

What I Made Today

2008-03-31T17:37:00.000-07:00

This a new favorite in our house. It's easy to make & healthy. And I can't say enough about the immersion blender I have. It's definitely one of the better kitchen purchases I've made. I use it for milk shakes, but I love it for blended/pureed soups.

Bell Pepper - Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. herbs de Provence

3 medium red peppers, chopped

14 1/2 oz. reduced-sodium chicken broth

28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup fat-free creamer or half & half

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. sugar

Directions: In a large pot, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic, stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion and carrot. Cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

Add herbes de Provence, cook stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add peppers. Cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. NOTE: You do not need to cook peppers if you char & peel them first. I did this in the oven under the broiler for about 15 minutes & then set them aside for 10 minutes in a sealed plastic bag.

Add broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover; simmer for 25 minutes. Sitr in salt, pepper, creamer & sugar. Puree in small batches; briefly reheat, if needed. NOTE: This is where the immersion blender came in handy.

8 servings, 1 pt. per serving on Weight Watchers...I have quite a bit leftover so I keep it in the fridge and reheat portions all week long.

Feelin' Restless

2008-03-31T16:12:00.000-07:00

It's been 31 months since Dave and I moved to Canada, and I am ready to move again! I don't even care where we move at this point. It's not that I hate Canada. It's a very interesting country to live in. The people here are amazingly nice and the landscape is beautiful. It's great to live someplace where there are no traffic issues and you can still buy a house for under $150K. I am, however, ready to move. I want to buy a house. I want to live near a decent airport. I want to go shopping at a decent mall on a regular basis. And I want to buy Cherry Coke Zero at the grocery store.

I also want a job again. I am getting tired of people asking me, "What do you do all day?", or "Why don't you work?". Truthfully, I don't really care what people think of me not working, because I know that most people would quit working if they could. I feel like I am lucky to have this opportunity to take a break from things. I am able to travel when I want to, help out where I am needed, and focus on the things that are important to me. I've loved having the opportunity to spend more time cooking & trying recipes. And I love "keeping house". It's silly but I really love being at home. But I feel guilty for not working when I spent so much time preparing in school to do just that...And sometimes I get VERY VERY bored.

So in an effort to curb my aching desire to move and the boredom I face on a daily basis, I am starting a blog. Hopefully it will help me brush up on my writing skills too. I am mainly writing it for myself - a diary or journal of sorts. But if you want to check it out too I won't mind. Check you later!