Passing it on...

I just finished reading William P. Young's The Shack. It was moving, creative and enlightening. I laughed, I cried, I pondered, I rejoiced...I highly recommend this book!P.S. If you do read it, keep in mind that this is realistic fiction...read it with an open heart and mind.

Some quotes that got me thinking today...

Everyone sees who you appear to be, but only a select few know who you really are. 
- Anonymous

Friendship without self-interest is one of the rare and beautiful things of life.
- James F. Byrnes

Memory builds a pathway that goes winding through the heart and keeps friends close together even though they are far apart. 
- Anonymous

A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.
- Walter Winchell

If you can't think of any nice things to say about your friends then you have the wrong friends.
- Anonymous

Veggie Overload!

First of all, remind me never to go out for a run at noon in May...too hot!! But I got a late start on this gorgeous holiday. And ever since our rockin' meal yesterday, all I've thought about is roasted veggies! So, here we go again! Not as colorful as yesterday (I don't have any RED). But oh, so delicious! I was starving after my run (well, after the major cool down!) and this hit the spot! Here is my massive lunch today...try not to be too jealous.I'm telling you, the basil garlic mayo is outstanding...notice how I slather it on my toasted ciabatta?!?!I used some of my new fresh basil plant. My post-run snack was fresh cantaloupe from the nursery we went to yesterday...they had a lot of produce there. It was really juicy and good. So now I am relaxing on the couch (with Charli) watching some DVR'd Barefoot Contessa episodes. I've decided to stay in and rest this afternoon (too much sun the last few days) and maybe do my planting/potting later this evening once it cools off or after work tomorrow. I'm actually excited to get back to the work week...I am riding my bike to work tomorrow for the first time! Yay, me.
lazy

Sunday Grillin' & Chillin'

I had such a good time at Mom and Dad's yesterday. The weather was perfect, the food was out of this world, and Mom and I did some shopping! We went to a new nursery down the street and picked up some great perennials and herbs for each of our gardens.

When we got back to the house, we made the most amazing meal, and one of our all-time favorites: roasted vegetables with fresh rosemary on ciabattas with basil garlic mayo. HELLO???!!!! I found a recipe in a Cooking Light magazine a few years ago and we have tweaked it as our own. Trust me when I say this simple meal is so good. We are always surprised at how tasty it is. We've also made the open-faced sammies on sourdough, but the ciabattas were fresh, airy and wonderful. Dad lightly grilled them so they were warm and had these great grill marks! We also had some awesome grilled chicken (Mom has a marinade that rocks and Dad is some kind of Jedi on the grill) and deviled eggs (with fresh, local farm eggs from the co-op) and strawberry shortcake for dessert.

Here is my beautiful dinner plate...
Roasted Veggies with Fresh Rosemary
(this is not an exact science...)

3 bell peppers, roughly chopped
2-3 cups chopped squash and/or zuchinni
1 large onion, roughly chopped
5-6 garlic cloves, whole (I like A LOT of garlic)
1/2 t salt (we used flake salt)
1/4 t black pepper
2-3 T olive oil
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Combine all chopped veggies, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil in a large bowl. Spread out the mixture on a lightly sprayed baking sheet. Throw in the rosemary and mix it all with a spoon (or be brave like Mom and use your hands!). Roast at 450 for about 15-20 minutes, stirring it once or twice. (Is it just me, or does garlic turn into Heaven when it's roasted?????????)

Basil Garlic Mayo
1 T fresh basil minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2-1 c mayo
Mix to combine.

Here are some more pics of a great day...hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend!! Today I am headed for a run then back to plant and pot all the stuff I picked up yesterday at the nursery!!

Buddy on the back patio

Mr. Buddy, posing for me

Miss Holly, who is camera shy!

Oh! I almost forgot!! Mom and I tried the new Cupcake wine...a Sauvignon Blanc and I thought it went great with the meal (I guess so since I had 3 glasses!). I'd also like to try the Cupcake Cabernet Sauvignon. Next time I am bringing a Riesling for Mom to try...I think she'll be a fan of the German wines! :)

Whole Wheat Pita Quesadillas

Another way to use the yummy squash from the co-op! I love these quesadillas and they are so easy to make.

2 whole wheat pitas (or tortillas)
1 oz shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 - 1 1/2 c squash, chopped
1 T unsalted butter

Heat the butter in a skillet, add onions and peppers. I always sprinkle them with kosher salt and fresh black pepper. Let the onions caramelize...add a splash of wine (sometimes I'll mix 1 t of teriyaki sauce with water and splash that instead of wine). I like my onions and peppers a little browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Then add the squash (same recipe as yesterday except no butter or oil since the pan is already coated). Once the squash has cooked, remove it from the pan. Add each piece of pita to get it toasted on each side, but DON'T BURN IT! Now that everything is cooked, just assemble with the cheese and pop it in the oven (350) for maybe 5 minutes or less (until cheese is melted and gooey).

I serve mine (always) with light sour cream, a drizzle of finely minced jalapenos and chopped tomatoes! These are healthy and tasty!

My trees

I love the trees in my backyard. They are huge! I potted some plants this morning and thought I would snap some random tree pictures. Sometimes you just gotta pause for nature!

And here is some of the stuff I potted...I'm looking forward to relaxing with a book out back on Monday!

I love Friday!

Wow, has today been a productive or what?! I took the day off work and got so much stuff done. I chatted with an old friend back in Kingwood (Miss Karen), said hello to Grandma Ruby at Mom and Dad's house, and then went with the two of them to run some errands. Later, Mom and Dad helped me with a few things in the backyard and then I spent almost 2 hours doing yard work. What an amazing way to get exercise...and accomplish something! It felt good to be out there taking care of business. But boy was I beat when it was done. I showered and settled in for a nice, quiet evening. Mom brought me some goodies from the Co-op!! Yummy strawberries from a local farm (which I marinated in some balsamic vinegar for dessert later), baby squash and radishes! I love yellow squash and I have found that the smaller they are, the better they taste. Here are the strawberries all cleaned!And the beautiful squash and radishes...And here is dinner! A big spinach salad with radishes, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, some pinto beans and a homemade parmesan vinaigrette, with a side of sauteed squash! I almost always make squash the same way: brown it with about 1/2 T unsalted butter and 1/2 T evoo, kosher salt, pepper and a splash of white wine. Oh, and I am trying a glass of a new German wine that my favorite wine guy recommended at the liquor store down the road. I couldn't even finish all of my salad!! I am very satisfied, very happy and very tired.

If I can stay awake long enough, I'm thinking tonight of either a movie (I rented 4) or a book (I've got 2 new ones to choose from). Tomorrow morning is my long run (can't wait to try out my new Garmin that came today!!), later in the evening I am going to a BBQ with some people from work, Sunday I'm headed to Mom and Dad's for grilling and chillaxing on the deck (and looking at the new fence!). Monday is up in the air! But it promises to be a great holiday weekend...and I'm already off to a terrific start!

Be safe,
Jenni

Happy birthday, Jeffrey!

My big brother turns 39 today...

wasn't he the cutest??

Brandon, Jeffrey, Sydney, Samantha

He still is. I love you, Bro!

x0x0
Sal

2 years ago...

...we said our goodbye's. Chewy had such a great doggie smile!!

And she loved her little squeaky animals!

Such a sweet soul...

I still miss you and love you so much!!

Jenni's MF Tacos

Ok, the MF is not vulgar here...it actually stands for Morningstar Farms!! :)

I made these last night and again tonight--that is how much I love them! It's a very simple recipe and one that is low-fat and healthy. I've used both the Boca crumbles and the Morningstar Farms crumbles and I must say I prefer MF in this dish.

Jenni's MF Tacos
~ 4 servings

yellow or white corn taco shells (I use Taco Bell or El Paso)
2 c Morningstar Farms crumbles (frozen)
1 onion, chopped
3/4 c water
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t reduced sodium taco seasoning (or homemade)
1/2 c salsa
light sour cream
reduced fat cheddar, shredded
taco sauce
lettuce (optional)**
tomatoes (optional)**

**Normally I use all the toppings on my tacos, but these just need sour cream, cheese and a drizzle of taco sauce in my opinion--that's how I like 'em!

Chop onion and saute over medium heat (I coat the pan with some cooking spray and I also add a sprinkle of kosher salt to help bring out the liquid in the onions). Mix the Worcestershire sauce into the water. Add the MF crumbles to the onions and pour the water mixture on top. Add the taco seasoning and salsa, stir and let the liquid soak into the mixture. While the 'meat' cooks, heat taco shells according to directions. When most of the liquid is gone and your kitchen smells heavenly, the 'meat' is done. Now just assemble your yummy tacos according to taste!!

Note to Self:

When planning to go on a nice, pleasant night run, do not eat that extra piece of pizza at dinner.



In fact, just 86 the pizza.




a.k.a. *Jenni-isms* The life and times of a runner with IBS.

MY Biggest Loser Pick

Last night's season finale of The Biggest Loser did not disappoint...except for the overall winner. I was rooting for Tara!! I will hand it to all of them--they looked amazing and did a great job of losing weight, getting fit and saving their lives. But I was really pulling for Tara. Some viewers didn't like her and thought she was arrogant. But in my eyes she was simply confident, strong and truly believed in herself. She looked incredible last night! I cannot believe she lost 155 pounds. And Mike! Oh my gosh...he really looked sharp. So Helen won with the most percentage of weight loss. In my personal opinion, I thought Helen looked too thin. I know the whole point of the show is to lose weight, but she almost took it too far. I think the extreme weight loss showed more age in her face. Regardless, she is 140 pounds lighter and $250K richer! :)

I really like this show...I know the weight loss and exercise are not normal and aren't for the average person (they work out like 6 hours a day and do nothing but eat, sleep and exercise for like 4 months or so). But the end results are so inspiring! I'll definitely be watching again next season.

Truly homegrown...and delicious!

On Mother's Day we took a trip out to Tulsa to see my dad's mom and my mom's side of the family. My dad's mom still lives in the house where he grew up. Bixby is just outside of Tulsa and it is where my parents grew up, fell in love and got married! I LOVE Bixby. It's a small town and I love that it's my parents hometown. Because of the sod in the area, Bixby has the most fragrant air...it just feels like home to me. Anyhoo, we stopped at Conrad Farms Market, a place that I'm certain has been there since my parents were kids. It's run by the Conrad family and although it's about as simple a store as you could get, it houses the most wonderful local gems! Mom and I always want to stop there when we make a trip out to Bixby. We picked up some fresh strawberries, radishes, mom got some jam (made in Missouri) and we each picked out the prize of the day--homegrown, fresh asparagus. It doesn't get much better than this, folks. I had never tried locally grown asparagus before...and...it...was...heaven. Here is how I decided to cook it last night:

Asparagus with Browned Butter Balsamic Sauce

30 spears of fresh asparagus
2 t low sodium soy sauce
2 t balsamic vinegar
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 t minced garlic (optional)
kosher salt
fresh black pepper
cooking spray (or evoo)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and pat dry the asparagus, snap off the bottom of the stalk (asparagus 'gives' very easily where it naturally breaks). Lay out the asparagus on a sheet pan and coat with cooking spray, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for about 12 minutes.

In the meantime, brown the butter in a pan, maybe for 3 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan to move it around. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar and garlic. Slowly whisk in the browned butter. Pour the sauce over the cooked asparagus.

I served this with brown rice and it was DIVINE. The asparagus was tender and delicate...this is why homegrown is always best!!

Rain, rain, go away...

I can't even remember when it WASN'T raining every single day! I'm certainly thankful for the rain, considering our famous Oklahoma droughts. But this is getting nuts!

Happy Mother's Day!!

I love you, Mom! You are the best ever...

Why Travel To Other Cities? Oklahoma Has Them All
Cleveland, Oklahoma
Orlando, Oklahoma
Miami, Oklahoma (“my-a-ma”)
Pittsburg, Oklahoma
Santa Fe, Oklahoma
St. Louis, Oklahoma
Chattanooga, Oklahoma
Peoria, Oklahoma
Burbank, Oklahoma
Fargo, Oklahoma

Don't Forget The Wildlife
Wolfe, Oklahoma
Eagle, Oklahoma
Buffalo, Oklahoma
Fox, Oklahoma
Bison, Oklahoma
Deer Creek, Oklahoma
Elk City, Oklahoma

We Have A Town Named After A Number...
Forty-One, Oklahoma

And A Town Who's Letters Don't Spell Anything...
IXL, Oklahoma

And For The Sportsman Who Wants To Get Away From It All...
Fisherman's Paradise, Oklahoma

We Even Have A City Named After Earth's Only Satellite…
Moon, Oklahoma

And A City Named After Our State…
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Feeling A Bit Chilly?
Snow, Oklahoma
Slick, Oklahoma
Cold Springs, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Is Full Of Love…
Lovedale, Oklahoma
Loveland, Oklahoma
Lovell, Oklahoma
Bigheart, Oklahoma
Loyal, Oklahoma

Like To Read About The Presidents?
Adams, Oklahoma
Taylor, Oklahoma
Fillmore, Oklahoma
Grant, Oklahoma
Taft, Oklahoma
Johnson, Oklahoma
Lincoln, Oklahoma
Jefferson, Oklahoma
Reagan, Oklahoma
Wilson, Oklahoma
Roosevelt, Oklahoma
Carter, Oklahoma
Clinton, Oklahoma
Washington, Oklahoma

Other City Names In Oklahoma To Make You Smile...
Frogville, Oklahoma
Loco, Oklahoma
Bushyhead, Oklahoma
Bug Tussle, Oklahoma
Hooker, Oklahoma
Slaughterville, Oklahoma
Bowlegs, Oklahoma
Slapout, Oklahoma

And Regardless What Side Of The Fence You're On...
Gay, Oklahoma
Straight, Oklahoma

Here Are Some Little Known But Very Interesting Facts About Oklahoma:

• The bread twist tie was invented in Maysville, OK
• The shopping cart was invented in Ardmore, OK in 1936
• The nation's first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City in 1935
• The first Girl Scout Cookie was sold in Muskogee in 1917
• Cimarron County , located in the Oklahoma Panhandle, is the only county in the U.S. bordered by 4 separate states...Texas , New Mexico , Colorado & Kansas
• The Oklahoma State Capital is the only capital in the U.S. with working oil wells on its grounds
• Boise City , Oklahoma was the only city in the United States to be bombed during World War II. On Monday night, July 5, 1943, at 12:30 a.m., a B-17 Bomber based at Dalhart Army Air Base, Texas , dropped six practice bombs on the sleeping town, mistaking the city lights as target lights
• WKY Radio in Oklahoma City was the first radio station transmitting west of the Mississippi River
• The nation's first 'Tornado Warning' was issued on March 25, 1948 in Oklahoma City minutes before a devastating tornado. Because of the warning, no lives were lost
• Oklahoma has the largest Native American population of any state in the U.S.
• The name comes from two Choctaw words: okla meaning 'people' and humma meaning 'red'. So the name means, 'Red People.' The name was approved in 1890
• Oklahoma produced more astronauts than any other state
• Oklahoma has more man-made lakes than any other state
• The nation's first traffic 'Yield' sign was erected in Tulsa on a trial basis
• Pensacola Dam is the longest multi-arched dam in the world at 6,565 feet
• The Port of Catoosa (just north of Tulsa) is the largest inland port in America
• The aerosol can was invented in Bartlesville, OK (my birth city!)
• Per square mile, Oklahoma has more tornadoes than any other place in the world
• The highest wind speed ever recorded on earth was in Moore, Oklahoma on May 3rd, 1999 during the Oklahoma City F-5 tornado. Wind speed was clocked at 318 mph
• The Will Rogers World Airport and the Wiley Post Airport are both named after two famous Okies....both killed in an airplane crash!!!
  

Gus in the tree

Little Gus must have spotted something interesting up in the tree...because he shot up there and hung out for awhile!! He is a silly boy. And so freakin' cute!

The Indian Taco

Every year since moving back to Oklahoma in 2006 I have eaten my annual indian taco at the Edmond Arts Festival. The indian taco is a Navajo tradition and recipe. It's a lot like a taco salad but the bottom is Navajo Fry Bread -- and it's sooooooo good! The texture reminds me of a doughnut but it's not sweet. I like to add the taco sauce to mine. The EAF begins on a Friday and a few of us at the office always walk over to peruse the array of goodies: indian tacos, fried corn on the cob, funnel cakes, giant corn dogs, chocolate covered cheesecake (on a stick), brats & kraut, fried green tomatoes, gyros, shoestring onion rings, frito pie, homemade root beer, etc...I could go on and on. I also picked up some cotton candy--yummy! And there is a lot of fun music, art and jewelry/crafts. Mom and I pitched in last year to get Dad this really neat golf picture--it looks great hanging in his office. Edmond never fails to bring the best and there is always a fun time had by all!!!