The weekend is my playtime

Shrimply Delicious

Posted on by Megan

Yesterday, as I was watching Food Network in bed, I was absolutely delighted by the Shrimp in a Garlic Pepperoni Sauce Sunny Anderson made on Cooking For Real. I mean, I love pepperoni, I love garlic, and I looooove schrimp. Mmm mmm wonderful schrimp. [Don’t adjust your vision folks, I typed schrimp] My mouth was watering as she made it and I could practically smell its goodness through my television, so it should come as no surprise that I would make it for dinner Sunday night.

After my Sunday Jazzercise ritual, I went to my neighborhood K-Roger to purchase the necessary ingredients. Unfortunately, K-Roger had other plans, which included not having 2 of the ingredients I needed: Pepperoni that didn’t have Hormel in the name and Adobo seasonings. I was defeated and schlepped to the front of the store for a fresh start. As I schlepped, I remembered my go-to shrimp recipe that I hadn’t made in quite a while (okay, maybe a year), and my mood brightened. Garlicky Lemon Shrimp anyone? I promise it will change your life.

Garlicky Lemon Shrimp by Rocco DiSpirito

Ingredients

  • 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cooked
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice (I use the juice of 2 large lemons)
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (I use shredded)
  • 3/4 cup bread crumbs (I use Italian Style)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss shrimp with lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic.
  3. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add cheese and bread crumbs (coat evenly).
  5. Spread shrimp on a baking sheet in a single layer.
  6. Bake 5 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Serves 4

Road Trip Revelations

Posted on by Megan

About 2 months ago, I took a road trip to Austin, Texas with a friend. I was visiting Adam, she was visiting family [and IKEA. It’s amazing how much you can fit into a 2-door convertible]. During this trip, she decided that it would be best if I scrolled through all 6,524 songs on my iPod while she drove and made note of the songs she wanted.

Approximately 16 roundtrip hours, a cramped left thumb and 6,524 clicks of the next button later, she had chosen 1,607 songs.

It was during this trip that I realized just how revealing an iPod can be about someone. She learned things about me that I’ve made her promise never to share with anyone else, mainly because I don’t want people to know that I own every Paula Abdul album or that I enjoy Disney music or that “Barbie Girl” can be found on my iPod.

But for everything I’ve sworn her not to share I’ve got equally embarrassing dirt on her. Like that she requested both Taylor Hicks and Spice Girls. The best part of this experience was the realization that we both have guilty music pleasures that are equally embarrassing, and many of those are the same.

Here’s three embarrassing songs from my collection that I love no matter what…

Spice Up Your Life by Spice Girls

Step By Step by New Kids on the Block

Straight Up by Paula Abdul

A World Without Ro*tel?

Posted on by Megan

Ro*tel Cheese DipArkansas: The Birthplace of Cheese Dip.

Cheese Dip: The State Food of Arkansas. The staple appetizer at practically any restaurant you visit. The required tailgate food. The perfect topping for chips, chili, rice, and, yes, even burgers. It’s simplicity can be summed up in 2 ingredients: Velveeta and Ro*tel. A match made in heaven if you ask me.

Being raised in Arkansas, I’ve never even considered that some people have never had the pleasure of tasting this delightful dish, not to mention being oblivious to the mere existence of Ro*tel. This weekend, however, I learned that one of my dear friends “up North”, Jules, was one of those unfortunately oblivious souls. Upon finding this out, it became my mission yesterday to force her to make Ro*tel Cheese Dip, or as I like to call it – Ro*tel. In a series of IM conversations, a phone call, tweets, and the offer of a Skype session, I convinced Jules to gather the necessary ingredients and make Ro*tel for dinner.

Me: So in two weeks, I’ll be attending the World Cheese Dip Championships in North Little Rock with Adam.

Jules: What IS this obsession with cheese dip in Arkansas?

Me: Well, number one it’s fabulously delicious. Number two it’s the perfect dish.

Jules: I’ve never understood why a restaurant in Arkansas, no matter the cuisine it serves, has cheese dip on the menu. Are you all really that addicted?

Me: Yes.

Jules: So tell me this, how does one buy cheese dip?

[I tweet this question.]

Me: Well, what kind of cheese dip are we talking about?

Jules: You mean there’s different types?

[I tweet this question.]

Me: Yes, yellow and white are the most popular.

Jules: What’s the difference?

[Jules tweets.]

Me: In my opinion, yellow is not as smooth or spicy as white. I typically order white cheese dip whenever I’m at a restaurant. But at home I make yellow, using Velveeta cheese.

Jules: I’m not a big user of Velveeta, but my husband was raised on it.

Me: Okay, then you HAVE to make Ro*tel. If your husband was raised on Velveeta, he’ll love you more than ever after you make this dip.

Jules: What’s that?

Me: Ro*tel? It’s diced tomatoes and green chilies.

Jules: How do you spell it? R-O-W-T-E-L-L-E?

Me: [laughing] No, R-O-star-T-E-L.

Jules: You mean there’s actually a star in its name?

Me: Yes.

Jules: Can I buy it up here?

[I look up where to buy Ro*tel online]

Me: Yep, there’s 5 stores that carry it in your town! Go. Now.

Jules: Where will I find it?

Me: Probably in the canned vegetables, next to the tomatoes. You’ve seriously never seen or heard of Ro*tel before? Wow.

Jules: Okay so besides Ro*tel, what else do I need to make this cheese dip?

[Jules tweets again.]

Me: 1 pound of Velveeta and 1 can of Ro*tel.

[I tweet a reply correcting Jules.]

Jules: How do I prepare the Velveeta?

Me: Dice it up and throw it in a bowl, then pour the Ro*tel on top. Nuke it until it’s nice and melted, stirring about every minute and a half to 2 minutes. I usually drain the Ro*tel because I like a thicker dip, but you can leave the juice if you want a thinner dip, totally up to you.

Later that afternoon…

Jules: I have my grocery list ready! What goes good with the dip for dinner?

Me: Ha! It’s always just my meal.

Jules: Seriously?

Me: Seriously, but you could do tacos, burgers, fajitas, or chili.

Jules: We should just dip our burgers in the cheese dip. Just kidding.

Me: Even better, you could top your burgers with cheese dip…and bacon. I’m serious.

Jules: Ok, I’m heading to the store.

Later that evening…

Jules: So 2 lbs velveeta and a can of rotel?

Me: NO!!!! 1 lb to 1 can.

Jules: So if I make 2 lbs I use 2 cans?

Me: Yes, that’s typically how math works.

Jules: Ok, heating up now.

Me: Ok, how is it? I need an update?

Jules: It was verra verra good! I am stuffed. We all enjoyed it, ate lots.

Me: Yay! Nothing makes me happier than a new Ro*tel lover.

And that, my friends? Is how I convinced Jules to make Ro*tel for the very first time. Everyone loved it and her daughter Caity, who I’m told does not like Velveeta, deemed it “pretty good”.

So to Jules and her family: I’m glad I could educate you on the state food of Arkansas. May you have many many more bowls of cheese dip and Ro*tel in your future!

And for anyone who’s interested in the history of cheese dip here’s a video:

“In Queso Fever: A Movie About Cheese Dip” from Nick Rogers on Vimeo.

image via Adam Kuban on Flickr

Roam If You Want To

Posted on by Megan

As I alluded to in my previous post, my family + Adam took our separate road trips and met for a week of relaxation on Kiawah Island in South Carolina. I feel it’s my duty as a blogger to share with my faithful readers (all 2 of you) a sort of vacation recap, if you will.

We [meaning Dad, Mom, Sister, and me] hit the road on a Friday, immediately after they got off work and I drove the 30 miles to meet them. During my drive down, I pass a woman broken down on the side of I-40. While I’ve passed broken down travelers before, this incident caused me to pay more attention than I usually would. Why? She was leaned up against her Ford Taurus, wearing thigh-high boots, a black mini skirt, partially unbuttoned white oxford shirt and a semi was backing up to help her out.

I make it to my parents’ laughing, because I couldn’t believe what I had just witnessed. Once I get there I’m shocked to find my dad holding a flip phone. I’m sure it doesn’t sound that shocking, as we are in 2010 now, but my dad has been using a Nokia brick phone for 10 years and has never had a desire to upgrade. Additionally, my mom and sister have upgraded to smart phones so I can only guess how much “tech support” Adam and I will have to provide on this vacation.

We finally get loaded in the Trailblazer and head for the coast. When we make a stop for dinner at a random combination KFC/Taco Bell drive-thru there’s a live chicken walking and grazing in the flowerbed. I guess we should be comforted by knowing the chicken was fresh? Or maybe it had the sense to jump truck? Either way, it provided unexpected entertainment during our wait.

After spending the night in a hotel somewhere in Mississippi, we drive the last 10 hours to the beach. Along the way Dad informs us that the iPod Shuffle we gave him for Father’s Day is an engineering feat, Mom is asking what apps she should add to her Droid, Maddie takes over driving telling us she doesn’t drive below 80 unless required, and I’m doing needlepoint in the backseat. 14 hours on the road together and no one was left on the side of the road, or killed. So far? So good.

When I wasn’t fielding questions from my dad like, How do I make this damn thing call? or I took a picture but I don’t know how to get to it, I was trying to show Adam as much as I could about one of my favorite places in the world. Literally. Our week was filled with drives along the live oak lined, spanish moss draped highways of South Carolina, where we took pictures of the 1500 year old Angel Oak Tree and the village of Rockville at the dead end of HWY 700 and made an unexpected, yet quintessentially southern, stop at the Charleston Tea Plantation. I shared the historic southern charm of Charleston with Adam by taking a horse drawn carriage tour through town and strolling through the straw market buildings.  My sister and I persuaded Adam to drive us to the Firefly Vodka distillery, where we sampled [and subsequently purchased]  sweet tea and lemonade flavored vodkas. We biked all over the Island on beach cruisers, enjoyed BBQ at Mingo Point and scarfed down a celebratory low-country boil, prepared by Adam, for my mom’s birthday. There was beach time too, which might have included a game of Mölkky [in which yours truly came from behind and beat Adam] and an embarassingly unsuccessful attempt of sandcastle construction.

Our long drive home came all too quickly, but we made the best of it with Cash Cab, Don’t Forget the Lyrics, and Sporcle iPhone apps. Between CDs of Sam Cooke, The Turtles, Joe Cocker and The Beatles, my sister quoted Hamlet, my dad asked us about the Electronic Cowboy in Little Rock, our GPS told us it was recalculating, and we stopped at an interesting gas station in Nashville that had a ladies happy hour.

I can’t tell you how awesome it is to have a family that laughs together, as it makes long road trips more bearable and fly by faster. As for our week spent together on Kiawah Island? It was one of the best vacations I can remember. I’m truly blessed!

A Tale of Two Sisters

Posted on by Megan

My family made the 14 hour drive [each way] to Kiawah Island, SC without leaving anyone on the side of the road, so I say that’s a successful trip. 🙂 We had a great time: relaxing, visiting a tea plantation, sweet tea vodka distillery, Charleston, and, of course, the beach. We even spotted a few alligators in the lagoon behind our villa.

However, the purpose of this post isn’t to wax poetic about Kiawah or the tea plantation or the Spanish Moss that draped the highways. Instead it’s to share with you the perfect illustration of these sisters’ personalities that occurred on the drive out.

As we drove through Atlanta, the only thing that popped into my head was “Don’t be Tardy for the Party“, from the esteemed Bravo reality show, “Real Housewives of Atlanta“. I suppressed the urge to sing it, because no one else would  understand. Then, about an hour later we had begun our trip on the scenic highways of Georgia. As we drove through Augusta and saw the quintessential southern mansions that lined downtown, I pointed to one with a white picket fence. My sister immediately replied, “Looks like it needs a little Huckleberry Finn action.”

Me: Reality television aficionado
My sister: Classic literature virtuoso

Perfect Playlists

Posted on by Megan

I’ve become addicted to Songza Sets during the work week, so on this rainy Sunday afternoon I decided to re-create some of their playlists in my iTunes library. These playlists are eclectic, just like my music library, and are perfect to get you down the road, through a work day, or chill on a weekend.
Summertime, Summertime – The Jamies
Summer In The City – Lovin’ Spoonful
Heat Wave – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Bobby Vinton
Under The Boardwalk – The Drifters
Summer Of ’69 – Bryan Adams
Ocean Avenue – Yellowcard
Summer Girls – LFO
Kodachrome – Paul Simon
Summer Nights – John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
Hot Fun in the Summertime – Sly and the Family Stone
Cruel Summer – Bananarama
Ventilator Blues – Rolling Stones
Cemetry Gates –  The Smiths
It Must Be Summer – Fountains of Wayne
California Girls – The Magnetic Fields
Summertime Blues – Eddie Cochran
It’s Summertime –  The Flaming Lips
The Message – Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five featuring Melle Mel & Duke Bootee
Suddenly Last Summer – The Motels
The Warmth Of The Sun – The Beach Boys
Over and Done With – The Proclaimers
Oh Yoko! – John Lennon
Making Time – The Creation
Alone Again Or – Love
Ooh La La – Faces
A Quick One, While He’s Away – The Who
Hey Jude – The Beatles
Me and Julio – Paul Simon
Needle in the Hay – Elliott Smith
These Days – Nico
Judy is a Punk – The Ramones
Stephanie Says – The Velvet Underground
Everyone – Van Morrison
Life On Mars – David Bowie
Wigwam – Bob Dylan
O Astronauta de Mármore (Starman) – Seu Jorge
This Time Tomorrow – The Kinks
Staralfur – Sigur Ros
Where Do You Go To – Peter Sarstedt
Heroes and Villains – The Beach Boys
Buckeye Jim – Burl Ives
Let Her Dance – Bobby Fuller Four
Ain’t No Grave – Crooked Still
Beaumont Rest Stop – Red Molly
Beg and Borrow – Mike and Ruthy
Didn’t Leave Nobody But The Baby – Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch
In Spite Of Ourselves – John Prine
The Littlest Birds – Be Good Tanyas
Lock Your Devils Up – Nathan
My First Lover – Gillian Welch
Picture in My Mind – Freakwater
Mexico – James Taylor
Tamacun – Rodrigo y Gabriela
Peel Me a Grape – Diana Krall
Mi Primo Juan – Chambao
Serre Moi – Tryo
L’Amoureuse – Carla Bruni
You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon
Carpe Diem – Aldebert
Mambo Gelato – Ray Gelato
Mi Primo Juan – Chambao
Serre Moi – Tryo
Mambo Italiano – Club des Belugas Remix
Level Green (Blue States Remix) – Hefner

Weekend Recap

Posted on by Megan

This weekend, Adam and I enjoyed all that Riverfest in Little Rock, Arkansas had to offer. Well, almost. We only made it there for 2 nights, but we still had a blast! Earth, Wind, and Fire, fireworks, and Ludacris, what’s not to love? We also got to see each of our families. All in all, we kept I-40 hot…

Here’s some highlights:

Friday:

  • Heidi Montag left Spencer, is the world coming to an end?
  • Watching Adam rap and groove to Outkast – Ms. Jackson while driving to Riverfest is one if the funniest things I’ve ever witnessed…
  • The streets around Riverfest are filled with cars blaring 90’s rap/hip hop and all the drivers are white.
  • Waiting patiently for Earth, Wind, & Fire http://twitpic.com/1ryqkj
  • A DJ is spinning mixes of old-school rap/hip hop. Think O.P.P. and Da Dip and Hip Hop Hooray into Usher’s Yeah.
  • Save me. Adam is quoting Spaceballs while we wait for Earth Wind & Fire…
  • There is nothing better than watching white people with no rhythm dance to hip hop music.
  • At Earth, Wind, & Fire, Adam’s first impression of the band is “That tall guy is wearing some interesting pants.”

Saturday:

  • On our way to lunch, Adam says/sings, “I’m a Rock. It. Man!” just in case I ever doubted his geek status…
  • Protein. Dairy. Grains. Veggies. Totally healthy right? http://tweetphoto.com/24547642
  • This bike shop is named Poppa Wheelies? Really?
  • I just missed Adam’s fist in a fist bump. #IAdmitMyFlaws #IFail
  • Today I learned that Adam has never seen “Catch Me If You Can”. Tonight we’re watching it together.

Sunday:

  • Dad: “What is box wine?”
  • Dad: “I had some of that behind the blue moon beer”.
  • Oh Sonic, does it really take 5 minutes, 1 callback, and 3 tries to order 2 shakes? Oh, it does? Yay!
  • After Ludacris sang “Move B!tch” Adam and I left. We didn’t want to disobey Mr. Luda, as he had an entourage.
  • Listening to the LRPD scanner. Glad we got out when we did…
image via LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

I Love to Laugh

Posted on by Megan

Mary Poppins Movie Poster

Growing up my sister and I split our weekends at our Grandmothers’ homes. This is the last in a series of two reminiscing about those weekends.

On the weekends we stayed with GranMerle, we’d make spaghetti, eat Oatmeal Creme Pies like they were going out of style, play smut, dominoes, and a host of other card games, listen to GranMerle recall moments from her childhood, listen to 8-track tapes, play with the Playmobil dollhouse, and eat the best homemade banana pudding (made by GranMerle, of course). Not to mention accompanying her to her weekly hair appointment, playing Barbies, and generally being her shadow for about 36 hours.

But one of the things I remember most is watching Mary Poppins practically every weekend we stayed with her. [Which led me to buy it when the limited DVD edition came out]. What is it about Mary Poppins that is so intriguing? Is it the fantasy sidewalk chalk world they jump into? The practically perfect measuring tape Mary uses? The spoonfuls of sugar she encourages the children to take medicine with? Or maybe dancing chimney sweeps, which I’m pretty sure led to me inquiring to my parents about a chimney sweep of our own once or twice. There’s also that hilarious guy named Dick van Dyke…Through it all, I fondly remember Grandmerle often opening up her hide-a-bed sofa for us to pile up and watch Mary Poppins on, she would always be totally concentrated on the movie just as we were, until we bribed her for another Oatmeal Creme Pie, that is…

I don’t know if it was coincidence or not that Julie Andrews had the starring role in both movies that we obsessively watched at our Grandmothers’ homes, but either way it helped me name her one of my favorite actresses of all time. To this day, I cannot get over how much love our grandmothers gave us when we visited them. I’m sure they could quote the movies in their sleep, but they never once complained about having to watch them over and over and over again with us. There truly is nothing like a grandmother’s love.

The Hills are Alive…

Posted on by Megan

Sound of Music Movie Poster

Growing up my sister and I split our weekends at our Grandmothers’ homes. This is the first in a series of two reminiscing about those weekends.

On the weekends we stayed with Ottie, we’d make homemade potato chips, walk across the street to Maxine’s Diner (now Mama Max’s) for burgers, “ice skate” on [aka polish] her hardwood floors to a Dolly Parton record, play with our aunts’ old Barbies and make their furniture out of shoeboxes, have a nightcap of Coca-Cola in a small glass, and pick cherries off her cherry tree. Not to mention playing with her dog, Foo-Foo, planting flowers in her flower beds, and generally being her shadow for about 36 hours.

But the thing I remember most is watching The Sound of Music practically every weekend we stayed with her. So it shouldn’t surprise you that it is one of my favorite movies of all time. In fact, I consider the opening scene to be one of the best in the industry. It’s perfect: the blue ski, the lush mountains, the perfection in Julie Andrews’ voice. Every time I watch it, I want to be her. There are so many things about the movie that I love, like the confidence she finds in herself, because really? What is so fearsome about 7 children? Then there’s the strapping Christopher Plummer as Captain von Trapp. I mean, hello. Then towards the end of the movie there’s one of the best scenes, the talent contest. I remember Maddie and me laughing and laughing at the lady who bows her way across the stage to accept her award, then bows her way off the stage with flowers in her arms when we watched it with Ottie, sometimes even rewinding just to laugh some more.

I don’t know how Ottie never got tired of watching this movie over and over again with us. I mean even classics can get old after a while, but she was always there, in her chair doing needlepoint or a word puzzle or absolutely nothing but watching along with us. It’s just one of the many ways I remember Ottie today.

Up next? Weekends with GrandMerle…

Makin’ Banana Pancakes

Posted on by Megan

HG's Fab Five Banana Pancake Minis

Here’s the thing. I’m not a big whole wheat person. [Almost] Every bread I’ve ever tried that’s wheat has been either too “oat-y”, too “grainy” or tasted too much like chalk. So when I saw the ingredients for banana pancakes, a la HG‘s 200 Under 200 book, I was hesitant. Also, I’ve been afraid to try soy milk. Lucky me, this recipe calls for both.

As soon as the cinnamon-y dry ingredients combined with the banana-y wet ingredients I knew this would be a winner. Boy was it ever, if I hadn’t made them myself I wouldn’t even have known they were low-cal and healthy. The texture was perfect, no grainy or chalk taste here, only fluffy pancake goodness.

As for my topping, I didn’t leave them plain as you see in the picture above, nor did I drown them as syrup (because? as much as I wanted to do that I wanted to NOT go to the grocery store more). Instead, I sprinkled them with Splenda, it added the extra sweetness the syrup would’ve provided, without all those calories.

I’m ADD and Proud

Posted on by Megan

Here’s what my Mac screen looks like on a regular basis:

Desktop

  • Facebook? Check.
  • Work email? Check.
  • Random website? Check. [BTW, you MUST check out Imogen Heap if you haven’t already]
  • Tweetdeck? Check.
  • iTunes? Check.
  • iChat? Check.
  • Adium? Check.

Yep, I’m ready for another productive evening on the couch in front of the TV! What does your screen look like?

RIP

Posted on by Megan

This weekend, I lost some of my closest friends. The kind of friends that you can depend on to help you through the worst of times, bringing you joy simply by being in their presence. This weekend? These friends plummeted to a horrifying death that ended on my kitchen floor.

These friends cooked with me, like trusty sous chefs.

They were dependable, helpful, and perfect.

These friends? Were my measuring spoons, and not just any measuring spoons. Spoons I had searched at least a year for and found at the one and only Anthropologie. These spoons were me. They were my soul in spoon form. Delicate, colorful, cheery, and positive. They were all that and more. One even measured a “pinch”. I mean? Come. On. How precious is that?

But now? Now they have a new life. A life broken, lying on my kitchen counter, because I can’t bear to part with them just yet, and a life of unspoken dreams, helping me make Boeuf Bourguignon and Coq au Vin.

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Posted on by Megan

I found a tomato basil soup recipe that I like, FINALLY.

I’ve been through 4 recipes and so far?

  • Southern Living let me down
  • Hungry Girl let me down
  • other random blogs let me down
I was hanging by a thread, and I needed this recipe to be good. If for no other reason than I’ve been craving a good at-home version for weeks.

Here’s the recipe I followed:

Ingredients

  • 1 large can of petite diced tomatoes with juice
  • 3 cups tomato juice
  • 8-10 leaves fresh basil
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Place tomatoes and juice in a stock pot over medium heat.
  2. Simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. Puree the tomato mixture along with the basil leaves.
  4. Return the puree to the stock pot.
  5. Place the pot over medium heat and stir in the heavy cream and butter.
  6. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Do not boil.

Yield: ~5 servings

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Posted on by Megan

It’s Friday! I’ve got the weekend to myself and I’m ready to chill until Monday. I’m starting my weekend off with a bit of comfort food.

I don’t think there’s anything more comforting than a crusty golden bread bowl of tortilla soup. It’s spicy, hot, and a bit cheesy; just what I needed before I start my Friday DVR catch-up!

Another comfort? The movie Tortilla Soup. If you haven’t seen, or heard of it, go rent it. It’s the ultimate chick flick, just don’t watch it on an empty stomach. That is, unless, you WANT to gorge in mexican food afterwards, then by all means…

Happy Friday, y’all!