tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120065452012-01-13T08:33:04.987-08:00What fresh hell is this?Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.comBlogger4101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-63726020963548554672009-07-31T12:48:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:19.835-07:00

The Rugrat and I were running errands on Tuesday and saw that there was a big "Now Open!" sign on The Carvery, a new restaurant across from the Target shopping center. Mr Wonderful and I have been anxiously awaiting the grand opening, so on Wednesday evening, the three of us headed over there for dinner. I'm not a big fan of buffet restaurants, but this one is a little different. It's more

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-18296196862351718082009-07-27T16:33:00.000-07:002009-07-27T16:52:56.767-07:00

Summertime...ah, such a blissful word. It conjures up thoughts of freedom (road trip!) and simple joys, like running after the ice cream truck or scampering through the sprinklers. Backyard BBQs with friends, beach excursions, camping under the stars, trips to the amusement park and the waterslides...yep, we've pretty much got all that covered.The kids have been enjoying our season passes to

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-36716306806751315922009-07-08T08:59:00.001-07:002009-07-08T09:17:05.384-07:00

OK, not really. But it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas knitting projects, as I have completed two scarves and a hat already, and started on scarf #3 last night. So far, I have:1 Woodland shawl (except really, it's a scarf - see photo)1 Woodland hat (my adaptation; there's no real pattern for this, I just wanted to use up the leftover wool on a matching hat)1 River Rocks scarf (

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-15001272095953213072009-06-29T13:37:00.000-07:002009-06-29T13:56:47.145-07:00

Three weeks ago I started my new job, working for a fairly large retail company, doing what I do best: building a content management system and a dynamic website. The website already exists, but is in pretty sad shape, code-wise. Like so many other web projects, it was built a little bit at a time, with things being tacked on as needed and no real framework in place to keep things orderly and

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-32363172530980868172009-06-11T17:00:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:19.855-07:00

The "Tuna Stuff" is my latest obsession. I go through phases where I'll eat lots and lots of something for a few months, and then I'll get sick of it and not eat it for a long time. Tuna Stuff is what I've been making for the past few months now, and it hasn't lost its appeal yet, so it must be good, huh?The greatest thing about the Tuna Stuff is that you can throw all kinds of things in it.

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-81704695116145850502009-06-02T17:53:00.000-07:002009-06-02T18:02:26.119-07:00

It's been a month since our wedding, and not much has changed in our day-to-day lives, except that I'm starting to use my new last name. I finally got the marriage certificate from the county last week and was able to go to Social Security & DMV and get my name changed, and although I don't have the new documents yet, I was able to change my bank accounts and am getting started on the long

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-68912748550789808032009-05-29T13:04:00.000-07:002009-05-29T13:05:25.835-07:00

Including lip balm!

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-37665033563402845172009-05-18T09:40:00.001-07:002009-05-18T09:42:20.629-07:00

Is there any more disappointing moment in a young woman's life than when she discovers that in reality, people never, ever break into a synchronized dance routine?

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-64760450463935387772009-05-04T23:39:00.001-07:002009-05-04T23:43:05.181-07:00

Just wanted to drop in real quick to give y'all a link to the wedding photos. I keep getting more in, so there may be more added to the Flickr set , but I wanted to get something up fast for those who couldn't make it to the party.Also, you might want to watch our first dance. :)Enjoy!

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-30104250543752479652009-04-27T14:02:00.000-07:002009-04-27T14:18:57.089-07:00

We're in the home stretch...and we now have about a hundred people coming! Oh. My. God. And weather.com is predicting rain on my wedding day. One hundred people standing around in the rain. Great.Guess what I did last week? I caved. I bought a veil. I was absolutely positive that I did not want a veil but then I changed my mind and bought a veil from a very nice seller on Etsy. So I'll

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-51779830866839162132009-04-17T22:16:00.000-07:002009-04-17T22:35:55.564-07:00

We're two weeks out now. Most of the stuff on my to-do list is done, but I'm a bit worried about my wedding shawl. The border is taking a LOT longer than I thought it was going to. I've jut got to keep plugging along with it and hope I get it finished in time. I'm planning to spend most of the day tomorrow knitting; I hope I'll be able to get the first end finished (I'm about halfway done

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-34172718126245185212009-04-10T21:10:00.001-07:002009-04-10T21:24:37.155-07:00

Anyone out there used Mirena before? I just got it, uh, "installed" on Tuesday. I had discussed it via email with my gyn a couple of months ago, when I was still employed & still planning to get married in October. I was hoping that the lower dose of hormones, delivered locally rather than systemically, would eliminate some of the things that I hate about birth control pills (the moodiness,

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-9399256975925178212009-04-04T18:49:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:19.871-07:00

I've been MIA for a while now, I know. But in my defense I 1) got engaged, 2) lost my camera for a while, and 3) got laid off. So my wedding, which was initially planned for October, is now taking place the first weekend in May. I'm a bit overwhelmed. :)Today I did a trial run for my wedding cupcakes. I'm not much of a baker, but I figured i could manage mini cupcakes for the

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-15330280391807915502009-04-01T18:53:00.001-07:002009-04-22T17:20:46.848-07:00

You may recall, a few years ago I spent a full autumn day planting over 250 spring bulbs, in the hopes that I'd wind up with a garden full of my favorite flowers to cheer me up during the high hay fever season. Unfortunately, I didn't realize at the time that gophers LOVE tulip bulbs, and not only that, but they can easily get into my planter boxes. I ended up with a few hyacinths and

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-70228556076754797642009-03-30T12:04:00.000-07:002009-04-22T17:20:25.377-07:00

This weekend I did some cupcake trials. I bought a couple of mini cupcake tins, some liners, and a few boxes of cake mix (because I am lazy and don't want to make everything from scratch).First I made a batch of lemon cupcakes - I added lemon zest to the plain yellow cake mix, threw in some lemon juice in place of some of the water, and then made a simple glaze of lemon juice and powdered sugar

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-48329752776277210742009-03-26T10:33:00.000-07:002009-03-26T10:55:08.160-07:00

Oooh boy, things are in full swing now!Still no job, but I've been doing some contract work for individual clients and for my old supervisor, who quit working for The Boss and is now opening up her own consulting business. So there's some money coming in. In fact I'm hopeful that I'll be able to just do consulting, as that would solve my issues with telecommuting quite nicely.The wedding is set

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-20027831484195579762009-03-05T17:23:00.000-08:002009-03-05T17:29:48.277-08:00

OK, so things aren't quite as dire as they seemed last Saturday. Mr Wonderful chatted with his supervisor at work on Monday and discovered that I could be added to his insurance as a "domestic partner." It won't be free, but it will be MUCH cheaper than COBRA and it doesn't require us getting married immediately.So now our plan is to wait three weeks and if I don't have a new job by then, we

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-23776070550986464282009-02-28T11:20:00.000-08:002009-02-28T11:39:23.789-08:00

Yesterday morning I met with Boss and was laid off from the job I've been at for the past five years. Of course he said he was all broken up about it and felt terrible, blah blah blah. But I'm pretty bent that he's keeping our SysAd on staff. SysAd left the company to work for someone else and was doing "on call" occasional work for my company for about a year. Then a month or so ago he got

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-51139121813651723312009-02-24T10:05:00.000-08:002009-02-24T10:19:55.703-08:00

Mr Wonderful and I are now at the point in the wedding planning where we need to make a decision about a caterer. And the best part about this is that you get to run around meeting various caterers and tasting free food. On Sunday, we went to a caterer-sponsored "wedding faire" kind of thing, where there's a few vendors hawking their wedding-related shit (like photographers, officiants, etc.)

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-84931792128768218892009-02-23T15:59:00.000-08:002009-02-23T16:07:07.936-08:00

I broke down and ordered Swingtown on DVD from Amazon. I just love that show; watching half-naked Grant Show and his glorious porn 'stache was one of the things I loved best about last summer. So now I can watch this horribly underrated show whenever I want, even if I never get to see a new episode again. Stupid CBS for sucking me in to an awesome show and then dropping it like a hot

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-55891578979695555522009-02-18T15:38:00.001-08:002009-02-18T15:58:41.772-08:00

Nothing better than free stuff, right? Well, today, I got a FREE tooth whitening kit from my dentist. Not just any crap-ass whitening kit either; he made custom molds of my teeth and gave me the good stuff. This is like a $300 tooth whitening kit that he just gave me.I totally love my dentist. And that is saying a LOT...my dentist phobia is near-legendary. In fact, I won't go to the dentist

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-18815645034354966882009-02-17T18:03:00.000-08:002009-02-18T16:01:06.674-08:00

Am I the only one totally freaking out about California's complete inability to pass a fucking budget? I'm not sure I'll ever see the $1300 that California owes me as a tax refund this year. And frankly, if it means keeping the schools open, and police and firefighters working in our communities, that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.But I'm starting to think California is going to declare

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-37078572937498064392009-02-17T08:32:00.000-08:002009-02-17T08:48:00.188-08:00

If you haven't seen Across the Universe yet, you really should. Beautifully made, with AMAZING covers of Beatles songs that are integrated seamlessly into the story. I just bought this movie on Blu-Ray; I had already rented it twice from Blockbuster and just had to have it.In other news, we opened up savings accounts for the kids this weekend. They will be able to deposit & withdraw money

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-54071254691062826892009-02-12T14:36:00.000-08:002009-02-12T14:39:15.988-08:00

One of my favorite cover songs, like, EVER. Imagine a country band covering Snoop Dogg. This is worth the price of admission, folks.

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-15960413745224269272009-02-10T10:39:00.001-08:002009-02-10T10:40:38.892-08:00

Seeing James Earl Jones in a movie other than Star Wars is just so surreal. I keep hearing Darth Vader's voice coming out of this big black man and it's totally freaking me out.

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-40251298376338159592009-02-09T18:19:00.000-08:002009-02-18T16:00:47.969-08:00

Because he once had a dream in which he was the ShamWow guy.

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-42029975024362959792009-02-09T14:30:00.000-08:002009-02-18T16:02:16.281-08:00

I was convinced that the car had a black hole which had consumed not only my ATM card (lost immediately after renting movies) but my camera, as well. Turns out the ATM card was stuck between the driver's seat and the center console. Which would have been good to figure out before I called my bank and told them the card was lost and to please send me a new one.The camera was a little tougher,

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-84223213872453648352009-02-02T11:24:00.000-08:002009-07-31T14:33:19.888-07:00

I lost my camera, y'all! I have no idea where it is...I haven't seen it since before Christmas. We didn't even take pictures on Christmas morning! I think the cleaning ladies may have put it somewhere odd and we just haven't run across it yet. But this means that my food blogging is STILL on hiatus...I can't even put up the yummy lentil soup recipe I made because I don't have the picture that

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-19555534233497698582009-01-26T14:00:00.001-08:002009-01-26T14:07:40.272-08:00

Mr Wonderful's kilt is here! It just came in the mail today, and I cannot wait to see it. (He said I can't see it before him, so I have to wait until he comes home for "lunch" before we open the package.) This is no cheap mass-produced kilt, either. It's a custom kilt, with his clan tartan, all the way from Scotland!In other squee-worthy news, we've decided on our rental cabin for our Vermont

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-82619942852392164102009-01-20T16:45:00.000-08:002009-01-20T17:03:27.755-08:00

I had a little meltdown last week. Mr Wonderful and I had decided to go with Scott's Seafood Restaurant for our ceremony & reception, because they had a lovely partially covered patio with a large rock waterfall, and the food was quite good. I'd emailed the event coordinator and gotten the OK from her on the date & location, along with a preliminary estimate on the cost. So I emailed her back

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-88193770989562655402009-01-20T16:41:00.000-08:002009-01-20T16:45:30.837-08:00

I feel so happy and hopeful. This is the dawning of a new age for our country, and I feel so lucky to be a part of it. :)

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-85893759081352763232009-01-06T15:05:00.001-08:002009-01-06T15:16:46.256-08:00

My mom is up here visiting for a few days, so I took the day off of work yesterday and we did some wedding stuff: we visited the bridal salon and ordered my dress (see previous entry for a photo of the dress) and we met with a wedding planner. Now, generally speaking I'm pretty comfortable with planning the wedding details on my own, but when it comes to the actual wedding day, I want someone

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-70172763399772989902008-12-22T15:59:00.000-08:002008-12-22T16:08:50.668-08:00

This past weekend I took Tomboy and went shopping for my wedding dress. I tried on lots of different styles - strapless, a-line, princess, mermaid, trumpet, lace, plain, embroidered, beaded, silk, satin, taffeta, blah blah blah. My favorite one was this very simple taffeta dress with tip-of-the-shoulder straps, some very flattering ruching along the bodice, a lace-up back, and a moderate train

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-50579190819490321052008-12-17T17:50:00.001-08:002009-07-31T14:33:19.902-07:00

I've been taking a bit of a hiatus during these hectic months. Between getting engaged in October, visiting my sister in Portland after her new baby was born, and dealing with the holiday stuff, I haven't been good about getting my recipes up on the site, and for that, I'm very sorry.My new year's resolution will be to foodblog more regularly. In the meantime, here's a few photos of some dishes

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-83687452627028132252008-12-15T10:30:00.000-08:002008-12-22T23:31:26.841-08:00

I have a confession to make: I love super-tacky Christmas decor. I like colored lights instead of plain white (the blinkier the better), multicolored and multi-themed ornaments, gold instead of silver, Grinch dolls next to nutcrackers and fake poinsettias, Bass-Rankin and Peanuts Christmas specials, Bing Crosby on the radio, and I love, love, love that loose tinsel that they don't sell anymore (

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-33958152963309706892008-12-08T11:39:00.001-08:002008-12-08T11:46:09.404-08:00

Stupid PMS. I get hit pretty hard with it about every three months or so. This was apparently my month to come up against it hard, and of course it hit just as I was coming home from visiting my sister and her brand new baby (born last Tuesday!). I was there Wednesday - Sunday, helping out while she was supposedly resting and recovering from pre-eclampsia and giving birth. I say supposedly,

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-91200597358504057472008-11-24T14:37:00.000-08:002008-11-24T14:57:19.663-08:00

God, things have been so busy lately, I've barely had time to think. Quick recap here:Attended & helped organize a protest against Prop 8 in WC on the 15thWaged war on the pantry moths that had completely infested our dry goods cupboard; I think I've won but it may just be a lull in the battleSemi-regular dinner out with supervisorFought off a coldAttended big Adobe conference in SF, 17th-19th (

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-30961665340711111642008-11-07T20:55:00.000-08:002008-11-07T22:12:02.378-08:00

I got a comment on my food blog about my position on Prop 8 the other day, trying to point out my hypocrisy by invoking the argument of polygamy.Let me be perfectly clear. I have no moral issue with polygamy. I do take offense when old men try to marry off little girls to their friends. I do not approve of child endangerment and sexual abuse of minors (or anyone else for that matter). A

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-23370228210980006572008-11-05T09:03:00.001-08:002008-11-05T09:08:00.124-08:00

Will post my disappointment about Prop 8 later, but for now...thank you, America. Thank you for voting for hope, instead of fear. Thank you for proving that we can move past our old sins and work for a brighter tomorrow. Thank you for coming out in droves, to put the most principled, intelligent man I've ever seen in the White House. The people have spoken, and after eight long years, I feel

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-5736370016126944672008-11-03T15:53:00.000-08:002009-07-31T14:33:19.922-07:00

I have temporarily disabled Google Adsense on my blogs because I learned that they are running "Yes on Prop 8" ads in California. I do not know if this ad displayed on my blog in the past weeks, but if it did, please let me assure you: I am NOT in favor of Prop 8. I do not support discrimination in any form.Be sure to vote tomorrow!

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-75149875443983817222008-11-03T08:27:00.000-08:002008-11-03T12:16:06.761-08:00

One more day left for McCain to think he's got a chance at gaining the presidency. If you're an Obama supporter who's feeling just a bit antsy and scared about the possibility of losing again to the Repubs, check out FiveThirtyEight.com, which has the very latest polls and aggregate data, showing Obama with a 96.3% chance of winning tomorrow. Or check out this article on HuffPo, which shows all

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-12840186473050769822008-10-14T18:27:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:19.939-07:00

The free pasta dinner contest is now closed, and the winners (by random computer number-picking script) have been contacted. They are:#2: Lisa#8: Teri#29: CarrieCongratulations, winners! If you haven't received an email from me, please check your spam folder. (Except for Teri - I had to contact you via DeltaPOST because I couldn't find an email address for you.)Congratulations to the winners,

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-52495765190441439652008-10-13T22:07:00.001-07:002008-10-13T22:10:45.923-07:00

Last Wednesday, on my 35th birthday, Mr Wonderful proposed!I had a feeling it was going to happen on my birthday, to be totally honest. I was about 90% sure that he had the ring already. The kids were making oblique references to my birthday, when normally they wouldn't even notice it was coming up (although to give them props, they really didn't breathe a WORD about the proposal). And Mr

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-71600060788010670712008-10-13T08:16:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:19.952-07:00

I am proud to be able to host my first blog contest: a free dinner giveaway! I have three gift certificates for a Tuscani Pasta dinner from Pizza Hut. The kids & I had the Chicken Alfredo version on Friday, and let me tell you, this is quite a bit of food. It's three pounds of pasta, plenty for four adults (the kids and I only ate about half the pan), plus five warm, soft breadsticks.If you'd

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-21627118175288598632008-10-08T08:34:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:19.967-07:00

I've been promising to make stuffed peppers for Mr Wonderful ever since he got transferred to the local hospital, in celebration of his massively reduced commute. But the thing is, I hate stuffed peppers. It's basically meatloaf in a green bell pepper. Ick. But the other day I saw a 30 Minute Meals episode where RR makes a poblano pepper stuffed with corn & topped with cheese, and I thought

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-27299091297658981762008-10-03T18:36:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:19.985-07:00

Autumn is my favorite time of year. The leaves change colors, the weather turns brisk and sweater-worthy, and everything returns to a regular schedule. The kids are back in school. Television stations stop showing reruns and cheap summer filler. What's not to love about autumn? So to celebrate the advent of autumn, I fixed my favorite soup, the one that most clearly evokes autumn for me:

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-38722857002480110872008-10-03T16:59:00.000-07:002008-10-03T17:03:39.767-07:00

(Click to view full size)

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-69852070914218156272008-09-25T17:44:00.000-07:002008-09-25T18:10:21.877-07:00

WTF is going on with the country this week? Did somebody slip LSD into the coffee at the Capitol?I am referring, of course, to the Wall Street bail-out, also known as: "OMFG, we gotta give $700B to the Treasury Secretary RIGHT NOW! And never, ever ask him what he does with it." What the hell? Has our president finally gone completely insane?Look folks, first of all: why the hurry? What's

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-87720807086523194812008-09-19T21:40:00.000-07:002008-09-19T22:10:56.434-07:00

So I'm nearly three weeks into the South Beach diet and man, week two was a killer. I got progressively more pissed off as the second week went on (PMS doesn't help, y'all) and finally I just made an executive decision to end Phase 1 early. My weight loss had stalled and I was getting extremely frustrated with the lack of starchy foods. So I started small, with whole wheat english muffins, and

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-71992216833774051762008-09-19T21:30:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.004-07:00

Mr Wonderful likes fennel, but I haaaaaate black licorice, so I was a little leery of cooking with it. I figured if I mixed in some orange juice, and cooked the fennel down a bit, it wouldn't be so strong. It ended up being delicious, with just a little hint of heat from some cayenne pepper. Plus it gave me a chance to put my new All Clad pan through its paces!Pork Chops with Orange & Fennel2

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-31007045860298319492008-09-15T19:55:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.023-07:00

I was craving some spicy Thai soup but needed something low-cal (and low-carb!) so I picked up some lemongrass and threw together some Tom Yum. It turned out to be really quick and easy to make, not to mention absolutely delicious.South Beach Tom Yum Soup5-6 c chicken stock1 stalk lemongrass1 inch fresh ginger, grated2-3 small cloves garlic, minced1 1/2 c sliced mushrooms (I used cremini)1 red

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-73485582824964526352008-09-09T08:15:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.044-07:00

This soup is based on the recipe in the South Beach Diet: Super Charged book, but I made a few changes.Black Bean Soup2 Tbsp EVOO1 stalk celery, diced1/2 onion, diced (or one small diced onion)1 bell pepper, chopped2 wax peppers, chopped (I had these in my CSA box last week)1 serrano pepper, minced2 cloves garlic, minced2 green onions, thinly sliced2 cans black beans, rinsed & drained1 large

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-61626638515161422162008-09-08T08:30:00.000-07:002008-09-08T11:41:55.091-07:00

In my big recap last week I forgot to mention my trip to San Francisco for the Slow Food Nation expo! Read all about it and check out my sad iPhone camera skilz here.I gotta say, the South Beach thing isn't as bad as I thought it would be. We're on day eight now, and while I definitely have moments where I'm craving carbs in a big way, for the most part, it's not a big deal. You don't ever

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-6466531846697724202008-09-08T08:15:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.059-07:00

This is a great refrigerator-clean-out meal that you can throw all kinds of veggies into. It could easily be a vegetarian meal, if you omit the shrimp. And it is perfect for South Beach: for Phase 1, leave out the rice; for Phase 2, use brown rice instead of white.Spicy Seafood Stir-Fry1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar1 Tbsp Sriracha1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated1 clove garlic,

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-82243824367048030432008-09-07T15:06:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.078-07:00

I was having a craving for coconut rice a few weeks ago, before I started the South Beach diet, and came up with this easy, quick dinner.I roasted the chicken bone-in, skin-on, as usual at 400 for about 40 minutes, but with a Jamaican Jerk seasoning on the skin rather than the standard salt & pepper. The long grain white rice was cooked per package instruction, but instead of water, I used one

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-53683210565105354852008-09-05T08:13:00.000-07:002008-09-08T11:42:57.653-07:00

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of back-to-school prep, board meetings, PTA volunteer duties and all kinds of things. Rugrat started back to school last week, and he's already had a clash with his new teacher. Big surprise. The kid is nothing if not strong-willed, and when the teacher asked the class to lay out their math homework a certain way, he decided that HIS way was

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-64659599302170378302008-09-01T09:37:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.093-07:00

Saturday I went to the Slow Food Nation expo in San Francisco, courtesy of Foodbuzz, the food blogger portal that I am affiliated with. I had a fantastic time, eating lots of great food and meeting the swell folks from Foodbuzz (why did I never put it together that "RyanTheGirl" is actually Ryan, the Managing Editor?), as well as some other food bloggers. In fact, the highlight of my trip was,

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-53270888751609812322008-08-21T09:14:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.108-07:00

I do not like fish. I will go out of my way to eat anything other than fish, unless it is deep-fried or comes inside its own shell. But I am trying to eat healthier these days - I consider myself kind of "in training" before starting the South Beach diet in earnest - and I've been inspired by watching reruns of the BBCAmerica show You Are What You Eat. So with that in mind, I picked up two

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-14813902867365304832008-08-18T11:03:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.121-07:00

Paraphrased from Chocolate and Zucchini:The Omnivore's Hundred is a list of 100 foods that Andrew Wheeler, British food blogger, thinks every omnivore should try at least once in his life.He offered this list as the starting point for a game, along the following rules:Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.Bold all the items you’ve eaten.Cross out any items that

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-21942631425421510262008-08-15T17:42:00.000-07:002008-08-15T18:07:15.909-07:00

Am I the only person in the world who really doesn't give a rat's ripe ass about the Olympics? Seriously, I could care less, but it seems like every blogger I follow must make some mention of the swimming or the diving or the gymnastics, and how it goes on and on until 2 AM, and yet they can't tear themselves away.Why?Anyhoo, I made it through the first week back at work post-vacation, and I'm

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-4584803768361853872008-08-14T11:07:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.136-07:00

If you haven't heard about them before, CSAs are Community Supported Agriculture. Basically it's a system for buying produce directly from local farms. Often the farms grow organically, and the produce is always seasonal and super-fresh. I've been thinking about signing up with a CSA for a while now, and since Mr Wonderful and I are planning on starting the South Beach diet soon, this seemed

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-87000531864533367912008-07-29T16:30:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.150-07:00

Naked Mohawk-Baby Carrot JockeysAnd also:I'll Take My ChancesI can't stop laughing...

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-6628076700931273092008-07-29T09:35:00.000-07:002008-07-29T09:58:18.685-07:00

Last week Mr Wonderful came down with a nasty summer cold. I thought I'd escaped it, but apparently I wasn't so lucky...I started feeling it while I was driving home on Sunday, after dropping Rugrat off at summer camp. I just hope that he doesn't come down with it - what a disappointment it would be (not to mention a waste of money) if he had to come home early from camp!As much as I hate being

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-80136322192220020182008-07-16T08:00:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.164-07:00

This was a quick dinner I pulled together that had a light, lemony sauce and healthy brown rice. How did I manage a quick dinner with brown rice, you ask? Trader Joe's frozen organic brown rice -- it cooks in three minutes in the microwave!Lemony Chicken & Peas2 Tbsp butter1 Tbsp olive oil1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemaryzest and juice of one lemon1 clove garlic, minced2 Tbsp flour1 - 1 1/2 c

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-68690277554612886112008-07-15T08:00:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.186-07:00

Over the past few days I've made a couple of loaves of bread from scratch. The first loaf I tried was a white bread, no-knead recipe that I followed to the letter. The second time I decided to get a little creative. The bread turned out fairly dense, with a fine crumb and a fantastic crispy, crunchy crust. With the antioxidants in the flaxseed, this will be my submission to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-70559463047539960542008-07-14T18:52:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.202-07:00

So I'm sitting here browsing my Tivo "suggestions" and decide to watch an episode of 30 Minute Meals. And OMG, I love love love Rachael Ray's new haircut! I am so distracted by the retro gorgeousness of her hair that I don't even care what she's cooking. Must. Get. Haircut.

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-35927879318522900792008-07-14T12:17:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.214-07:00

I popped in to Kinder's (a local butcher) the other day for some chicken breasts and peppered bacon, and the sausages caught my eye. I asked for two mild links, thinking I'd make some spaghetti for an easy weeknight dinner. Turns out, the butcher gave me the wrong ones and our spaghetti turned out much spicier than I planned. It was way too much kick for Tomboy, but Mr Wonderful loved it and

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-15137889768215914962008-07-11T09:18:00.000-07:002008-07-11T09:28:20.200-07:00

I know I owe y'all a recap of the camping trip and I am slacking on it. In the meantime, you can enjoy the photos on Flickr.But! Mr Wonderful and I got the Best! News! Ever! yesterday. He was offered a position at the local hospital and accepted it, and will be transferring out here next month. While a job offer may not sound like the best news in the whole wide world, in this case it is. It

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-46266369370045582282008-07-09T16:19:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.227-07:00

I was watching Rachael Ray the other day and saw her make a meal with huge veal chops topped with a "raw sauce" (which was essentially just a salad). I wasn't impressed with the pompous name, but it sounded tasty (hot meat, cool salad) and I had all this organic produce from Trader Joe's, so dinner was born.Pork Chops & Salad2 thin cut boneless pork chops2 tsp salt-free seasoning blend2 c baby

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-46943417190120765112008-07-07T12:17:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.246-07:00

This is one of my favorite restaurants, and I’m lucky enough to live within walking distance. That’s a very good thing, because their margaritas are excellent. In fact, sometimes the boyfriend and I walk down there, get a pitcher of margaritas to share, and then stumble home afterwards, very satisfied and happily buzzed.I’ve had their taquitos, camarones (both with the spicy “diablo” sauce and

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-23734503733969182942008-07-07T12:17:00.000-07:002009-01-29T17:28:58.155-08:00

This is one of my favorite restaurants, and I’m lucky enough to live within walking distance. That’s a very good thing, because their margaritas are excellent. In fact, sometimes the boyfriend and I walk down there, get a pitcher of margaritas to share, and then stumble home afterwards, very satisfied and happily buzzed.I’ve had their taquitos, camarones (both with the spicy “diablo” sauce and

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-85520355867939772522008-06-24T11:22:00.001-07:002008-06-24T11:22:37.099-07:00

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-79755778716556499392008-06-24T11:11:00.001-07:002008-06-24T11:12:18.068-07:00

RIP George Carlin. You will be sorely missed by millions. :(

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-55198644184038116502008-06-24T10:26:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.262-07:00

I posted this on my other blog, but I thought it would be appropriate here as well:I got a book from the library the other day, called The Omnivore's Dilemma. It's all about what is really in our food, and how to make conscious choices about what you're eating. I'm not even a third into it yet and I am disgusted by the political-agricultural industry. Something like 75% of our food comes from

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-74687283904205406622008-06-23T08:21:00.000-07:002008-06-23T08:31:58.646-07:00

I got a book from the library the other day, called The Omnivore's Dilemma. It's all about what is really in our food, and how to make conscious choices about what you're eating. I'm not even a third into it yet and I am disgusted by the political-agricultural industry. Something like 75% of our food comes from corn - mainly from corn-fed animals and processed corn in processed foods (seems

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-61762290786932739722008-06-20T20:30:00.000-07:002008-06-23T10:09:49.051-07:00

Anyone else watching this show? It's on CBS, Thursday nights at 10 PM here. Mr Wonderful and I are loving it. It could so easily have been overdone, but it's quite engaging. The acting seems really good and the sets & soundtrack and costumes and everything are totally awesome and retro.And here I thought CBS was on its last legs. Who knew they had this up their sleeves?

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-27269546082132987042008-06-20T18:00:00.001-07:002008-06-20T18:07:20.783-07:00

I'm totally short-timing right now. You know, when something you've been looking forward to is coming up really soon, and you're just counting down the minutes until it happens, and you're totally not in that "work mode" at all? Yeah, that's me right now. I've been looking forward to this family camping trip for months, and next Wednesday morning we're outta here!My sister & I have been

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-85047387779349377032008-06-18T20:22:00.000-07:002008-06-18T20:51:12.572-07:00

Rugrat has been bugging me for a while now to teach him how to "build a website." I tried explaining that people study for years to learn how to build websites, and that it's not something he can just sit down and learn in an afternoon. But he just kept on bugging me.So, today I built him a very, very simple website, while I talked him through the whole process. I showed him where to put text,

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-92115068034661651732008-06-16T15:31:00.000-07:002008-06-17T09:02:59.415-07:00

Apparently my skin is a leeetle bit overenthusiastic when it comes to healing. I went to the dermatologist this morning for what I hoped would be my final checkup, and she wasn't happy with my scar, because it's all puffy (Dad's comment yesterday: "I just thought it was a zit!" Nice.). So I'm going back next month for dermabrasion, to grind that puppy down. Ouch.On the plus side, we had a

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-9448941693936967562008-06-16T12:00:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.279-07:00

The strawberries and blueberries were calling my name at the farmer's market this weekend, so I whipped up some tasty, healthy parfaits with fruit and yogurt for dessert on Father's Day. This will be my submission for Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day this week; be sure to check out her roundup on Tuesday night for more tasty recipes.Summer Fruit Parfaits2 c fresh strawberries, cut into small pieces1 1/2

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-64686785185300152902008-06-16T11:46:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.296-07:00

I've had such a craving lately for roast beef sandwiches. This is my idea of the perfect combination of flavors for a roast beef sandwich.Perfect Roast Beef Sandwich2 half-inch slices toasted sourdough pugliese bread2 Tbsp dijon-horseradish sauce (see below)3-4 slices thin, rare roast beef1 thin slice sharp cheddar cheese1 leaf butter lettuceSpread the both slices of toasted bread with the

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-52912031496074150402008-06-13T16:10:00.001-07:002008-06-13T16:15:10.229-07:00

Trying not to pee myself, I'm laughing so hard...Great Olan Mills PhotosAnd also:Typos of the Day

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-13762201593463262952008-06-13T10:45:00.000-07:002008-06-13T11:14:50.601-07:00

Rugrat's last day of school is today. The end of third grade!He's been really impressing me lately. First of all, he hasn't lost his housekey yet. He's been working hard on his goals - remembering to bring all his stuff home from school, taking care of his responsibilities at home (homework, cleaning his lizard's cage at Babydaddy's house, etc). He's walked to school several times by himself

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-40961544550425291512008-06-10T14:13:00.001-07:002008-06-10T14:18:18.349-07:00

Mr Wonderful has been commuting to work 120 miles roundtrip (that's FOUR HOURS of driving during gridlock hours) ever since he moved in last fall. And now, finally, we are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel: it looks like he may be transferring to the local hospital here in about six weeks. The local hospital is so close that he'll be able to bike to work and still get there within

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-60202150811381402962008-06-06T09:12:00.000-07:002008-06-06T09:17:12.436-07:00

The gas prices around here are soaring. One day, I left home at about 5 PM and the gas station on the corner near the freeway said 4.17/gal. I came home about four hours later and it said 4.27/gal. Ten cents! It jumped TEN CENTS in four hours. And the Shell station across the street was even worse! It was marked 4.15/gal when I left (although it was cordoned off at the time) and when I came

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-78931723489252710702008-06-04T09:28:00.000-07:002008-06-04T09:33:10.072-07:00

Last night I watched, with tears in my eyes, as Barack Obama made his victory speech in St. Louis. I am so damn proud of my country right now. Finally, nearly 50 years after the civil rights movement, we have an African-American running for president with the backing of one of our two major political parties. It was a beautiful moment, and I am so happy to have witnessed it.(I could easily

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-74121469113931500652008-06-03T17:35:00.000-07:002009-01-29T17:35:25.414-08:00

I don't know what to call the veggie topping, so I called it a salsa. It makes absolutely no sense to call something with cheese in it a "salsa," so if you can think of a better word, I'd be supremely grateful. Anyway, this is super healthy and a great alternative to slaving over a hot stove on those sticky summer nights. I'll be submitting this easy recipe to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-80023132604807691192008-06-03T16:30:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.344-07:00

I don't know what to call the veggie topping, so I called it a salsa. It makes absolutely no sense to call something with cheese in it a "salsa," so if you can think of a better word, I'd be supremely grateful. Anyway, this is super healthy and a great alternative to slaving over a hot stove on those sticky summer nights. I'll be submitting this easy recipe to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-89040501167981872412008-06-03T15:53:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.382-07:00

A light, tasty salad for hot summer evenings. Quick to put together, if you've got pre-cooked chicken on hand. I'll be submitting this easy weeknight dinner to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup this week.Asian Chicken Salad1 roasted chicken breast, meat shredded1 sweet bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks3 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)2 Tbsp sliced green onions2 Tbsp chopped

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-59722482433634820492008-05-27T09:33:00.000-07:002008-05-27T10:09:55.346-07:00

I'm feeling much better these days. In fact, it only took a day or two for me to get out of my funk last week. About half of the scab fell off my nose, and I started seeing scar tissue, which was a big improvement. The rest of the scab just fell off today (I know, ewww!) and I'm finally starting to see what it will look like eventually. There's some lumpy spots still, around the edges (where

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-51802081862860318592008-05-21T09:05:00.000-07:002008-05-21T09:29:31.457-07:00

I try to put the best spin on things, especially for this blog, but sometimes I just get down, yanno?Monday I went to the doctor to have my stitches removed. They pulled out the ones near my ear (and it was heavenly not to have that maddening itch there anymore!) and removed the "bolster" (stinky gross wad of gauze that had been stitched onto my nose to protect the graft) and stitches from my

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-63406698433197000732008-05-20T10:27:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.396-07:00

This simple side dish combines healthy fresh veggies with the most scrumptious ingredient ever invented: bacon. (Served here with a lovely grilled NY steak with garlic-herb butter.) This will be my submission to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup this week; head on over to her site to find more delicious recipes for healthy foods.Smoky Corn & Peas2 slices bacon (I used peppered bacon), cut into 1/

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-71046916019478912282008-05-16T10:28:00.001-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.330-07:00

Qin's Bistro & Bar opened yesterday in Antioch - mere blocks from our house - and we were among the first people to try it out.This place is GORGEOUS. We felt very underdressed (he was in a t-shirt and shorts and flipflops, I was in a tank and capris and flipflops). This place has a very nice lounge-y vibe and I could easily see it drawing crowds of twenty- and thirty-something singles if it were

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-6183770434565572672008-05-16T10:28:00.000-07:002009-01-29T17:29:41.405-08:00

Qin's Bistro & Bar opened yesterday in Antioch - mere blocks from our house - and we were among the first people to try it out.This place is GORGEOUS. We felt very underdressed (he was in a t-shirt and shorts and flipflops, I was in a tank and capris and flipflops). This place has a very nice lounge-y vibe and I could easily see it drawing crowds of twenty- and thirty-something singles if it were

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-27457059386531409382008-05-13T17:36:00.000-07:002009-01-29T17:37:16.676-08:00

Light, healthy, quick and delicious! The whole wheat pasta provides some protein to this easy vegetarian meal. This will be my submission to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup this week.Summertime Pasta2 Tbsp EVOO1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta (I used rotini)2 zucchini, ends cut off and halved lengthwise1 clove garlic, minced2 seeded, chopped fresh tomatoes2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil1/4 c crumbled

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-28311698951149904972008-05-13T10:20:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.432-07:00

Light, healthy, quick and delicious! The whole wheat pasta provides some protein to this easy vegetarian meal. This will be my submission to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup this week.Summertime Pasta2 Tbsp EVOO1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta (I used rotini)2 zucchini, ends cut off and halved lengthwise1 clove garlic, minced2 seeded, chopped fresh tomatoes2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil1/4 c crumbled

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-14616516657970206352008-05-13T10:19:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:33:20.414-07:00

A hearty meal that comes together quickly (if you've got your chicken already roasted, that is*).Mexican Chicken Chili2 Tbsp EVOO1 medium onion, diced1 clove garlic, minced1 serrano pepper, seeded & minced2 Tbsp chipotle paste (or one minced canned chipotle pepper with adobo sauce)1 small can petite diced tomatoes (NOT drained)1 can corn, drained2 cans beans, drained (I used one can black beans

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-80752185796608811842008-05-13T09:13:00.001-07:002008-05-13T09:23:08.179-07:00

I'm sitting here in a lovely Vicodin fog today, because yesterday was my Mohs surgery for the skin cancer.It went well; they got the cancer out in the first pass, but I was there all day. My appt was at 9:45, they called me back shortly after ten, hooked me up with a grounding pad (so I wouldn't get an electrical shock when they cauterized my wound with their electric cattle prod thing), gave me

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-82712109134186378522008-05-07T16:09:00.001-07:002008-05-07T16:09:56.522-07:00

The Empire Strikes Barack

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12006545.post-61987719423061534912008-05-06T15:58:00.000-07:002008-05-07T16:16:20.235-07:00

I am horribly disappointed in the Frito-Lay company. Of all the products they make, they had to discontinue the Wasabi Funyuns? WHYYYYYY??? The Wasabi Funyuns were the epitome of snackage. They were the perfect delivery system for wasabi powder -- no overwhelming flavor of anything else (I'm looking at you, crappy wasabi potato chips), just crunchy fried wasabi goodness.I first discovered the

Snarkmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16918549239684109762noreply@blogger.com12