Food Friday: Inside the Box
Posted on: March 1, 2013
I used to get a lot more creative in the kitchen. You know, when I ONLY worked 40 hours a week, wasn’t broke, and had a full kitchen. These days, it’s more of a school-day rut.
Breakfast:
smoothie
fruit + a granola bar
fruit + yogurt
Dinner:
fast food at work out now, I gave it up for Lent!
PBJ or ham sandwich + fruit +string cheese
microwave meal + fruit + string cheese
grilled chicken salad (very occasionally; usually when I only work a half day)
or, let’s be real, a bag of chips from the gas station :/
My lunch, however, is another story. It may be routine, but I have found the perfect recipe for lunch success. The uniform skirt of the meal-time world, if you will. It’s quick, easy, eliminates the need for decision making, and delicious. Ok, that doesn’t quite fit…
Either way, my lunches are perfection in a [lunch] bag!
Lunch Box + Wonder Bread Sandwich Holder
Recipe for the Perfect Lunch
1. Ham, Spinach and Tomato sandwich
2. Any 3-4 of the following:
fruit (apple, orange or pear)
granola bar
applesauce
fiber one brownie
string cheese
yogurt
carrots
chips or jell-o pudding
3. Water, juice box or capri sun
4. Enjoy!
Thursday selections (orange + brownie saved for snack)
I mix it up from day to day so lunch is always different. I don’t consistently buy chips or pudding, so those tend to be special treats, but everything else is in rotation. Like I said, I go through string cheese by the bagful; I also go through about a pound of spinach and a bag of oranges a week. The nice thing about this mix is most of them are in the 100-ish calorie range so its easy to keep track of what I’m eating. Usually I take 3-4 and then save 1 or 2 to eat for snack in the afternoon before I run.
Meatless Friday not-quite-perfect meal (orange + applesauce saved for snack)
For Lent, I’ve been subbing in some microwave meals for the sandwich. Not quite perfection, but I highly recommend these Barilla meals… the sauce was fantastic and it cooked in 90 seconds! They have coupons on their website so check it out if you need a quick lunch option!
The usual sandwich is actually the same one I’ve been eating for lunch since college– no alterations: always dijon on the spinach half, Miracle Whip (mayo back in the day!) with the ham. Always. And never cheese. If I don’t have one of the ingredients, I take something else. Why mess with success?
Now that the week is over, I can get a little crazier! On the menu this weekend…
Tonight: Catfish Nuggets
Saturday: Eggs, Toast, Fruit; Buffalo Pepperoni Pizza with this easy crust from an awesome food blog. If you like to try new recipes, you should definitely check that site out [I see TONS of her recipes pop up on my pinterest]!
Sunday: Starbucks breakfast [soy latte + blueberry scone]; leftovers; Mexican food with the family
What’s on your menu? Do you have a go-to lunch every day?
Happy Weekend!
ob.sessed.
Posted on: February 27, 2013
So this post might as well have been brought to you by CVS… since I got several of these items off their ad the last week or two. Turns out, the best part about that is that they were all super cheap or even free, which makes them even better!
Carmex Strawberry Lip Balm and Carmex Lime Twist
I gave these two click sticks a try because of the sale, since I’m a huge Carmex fan. I’ve never tried their sticks or flavors before, just the classic tub and tube. I’m in love with these, though. The lime makes me thirsty for margaritas and the strawberry is really sweet. Both of them are really smooth and leave my lips super soft!
Carmex Healing Lotion and Mary Kay TimeWise Moisturizer
I work nights at a job where I sit in a concrete loading dock and under an industrial heater while I handle paper. Needless to say, my skin is kind of a hot mess this winter. I’ve been using the TimeWise for a while, but only recently noticed how soft/awesome it made my skin feel. The moisturizer is super lightweight and makes my skin feel so good I never forget to use it. I also just got the Carmex Lotion at CVS, and I can’t stop using it. My hands feel AMAZING and not greasy. Plus, a little bit goes a long way on both products, so they will last quite a while. I use my TimeWise every day and I think I’ve had this tube since Sept or Oct, and I’m just starting to notice that it’s getting low. I linked to my Mary Kay rep’s page if you are interested in checking it out!
Colgate 360 Optic White Toothbrush
I got two of these at CVS the other day for about 75 cents, after all the discounts. Normally I would never pay FIVE DOLLARS for a toothbrush, especially since my mom gets me them from work, but I think this one would be worth it. It has a tongue/lip scraper thing on the back which is like a little massage on the inside of your mouth while you brush. It was really weird the first time, but I quickly got used to it. The bristles are also really solid and make my teeth feel super clean. I am so glad I ended up getting two– this brush is awesome and I will definitely go back for more when they are on sale again.
Brooks PureCadence 2
So, I’m training for a half marathon with Nicole‘s awesome training plan. She mentioned that she loved these shoes, so I started looking into them. I’m a dedicated Asics girl for 10+ years, but lately I’ve been running barefoot inside and getting into the idea of a more minimalist shoe. I’m definitely not going to be strapping on the Vibrams tomorrow, but my old running shoes were not measuring up. I hit up Peak Performance a few weeks ago and tried these babies on.. it was love! They are definitely different than my old shoes, though! They kind of force me to roll forward onto the ball of my foot when I try to heel strike, and they are a LOT lighter. I also love the color, which is a lot more vibrant than in the picture, and it makes me want to wear them all the time. Unfortunately, since they are lightweight they get a lot fewer miles, so I am trying to wear them only for running. If you want to buy me a second pair for every day, I’ll definitely accept 
My morning smoothies
These have been my morning essential since I started my education program. They are a super easy, super filling breakfast– and at 18-24 ounces, it takes me almost until lunch to drink them! The kids at school are always staring at the drink and asking what’s in it. I always offer a taste, but no students ever take me up on it. Weird.. They are delicious, though. My standard recipe is a small banana or half a large one (it’s easy for it to be too banana-y), 4-6 oz of plain or flavored yogurt, 3/4-1 cup of frozen Cherry Berry Blend plus whatever fresh fruit I have. Last week I added some mango, and I’ll frequently do blueberry or peach. I actually really hate the taste of strawberries in my smoothies, so I never add more than what’s in the cherry blend. Then, I top it off with a pinch or two of flax meal and a serving of protein powder, fill the rest of the blender with spinach, and add milk, water, or juice as necessary to blend it smooth.
Since I use frozen fruit, I don’t typically add ice, though if I want it colder I will drop a few cubes into the cup. They take ages to melt so it barely waters it down. I really like the Cherry Berry Blend, since you get several fruits and a decent amount of cherries. Trader Joe’s has the best cherry-to-berry ratio, but Hy-Vee’s is pretty good. I particularly like cherries (especially in the summer when I can get them fresh) since it turns the drink purple instead of green. When there aren’t enough cherries, the drink is brown instead. It’s still delish, even if it doesn’t look like it!
via Relentless Preacher’s Wife… thanks Google!
String Cheese
Stay tuned for a look at my lunchbox on Friday, but I had to mention my favorite part of lunch each day. I’ve been buying string cheese by the 24 pack since the summer, and I usually eat it with my lunch (and sometimes dinner) every day. It’s the perfect mix of cheese, novelty, childhood, delicious, and nutritious! Just do yourself a favor and get the store brand– I’ve tried some of the name brands, and they were weirdly plastic-y. The store brands from ~4 different stores all string off perfectly.
So these are my current obsessions… what are you loving right now?
Home Fish Fry
Posted on: February 22, 2013
Growing up in a Catholic family means you always have something to look forward to on Fridays in the first part of the year– Fish Fry!
My parish had, naturally, the best fish around. I always got a #2, fried and fries. Baked was ok but too hit-or-miss for me, and I outgrew the Mac and Cheese at age 8.
Fast-forward to today, where I still crave fish and can’t fathom eating meat on Friday during Lent! Normally if I can’t make a fish fry, I stop for my favorite alternative, a BK Big Fish sandwich. I know, you are rolling your eyes right now… but I just love them!
This year, I gave up fast food for Lent, so no BK for me. PLUS I work nights so I can’t hit up a fish fry for a delish fried and fries. Enter…
Hand-Breaded Pan-Fried Catfish Nuggets and Baked White Potatoes!
I start the potatoes first, since they take about 40 minutes at 400. They are super easy though– I quarter mine and then cut them into similar sized pieces. Then just toss them into a pan with some garlic, olive oil, s&p and spices (I prefer rosemary and lemon juice; but today I used basil, herbs de provence, and rosemary). They will be soft after about 25 minutes, but I like to get mine crispy. If you microwave them for a few minutes first, they will cook faster. However, with the longer time you get plenty of time to do the fish prep while they bake up nice and crispy!
While those are cooking….
I get the nuggets frozen from my grocery store and cut them into one- or two-bite pieces so they are easier to dip … and eat! For the breading, I don’t measure anything out, just kind of shake it out on the plate until it looks good.. and tastes good. If it doesn’t taste good now, it won’t at the end either!
Breading
for the dunk: egg, touch of milk, hot sauce to taste {one egg is enough for about 2 servings of nuggets}
for the breading: cornmeal, flour, s&p, chili powder, garlic powder, seasoning salt, cayenne, or any other spices/spice mixes you like {I used about 3/4 to 1 cup total and had just a little left over for 2 servings}
for the pan: {oil, salt for sprinkling when you flip the fish}
Pat the fish dry, heat the oil in the pan, dunk, breading, flip, toss in the pan. The nuggets cook for about 2 minutes in the oil, then flip, sprinkle with some salt and finish them off for another 2 mins. I keep a spoon handy so if they curl I can spoon oil into the basin to make sure it cooks. Since I;m cooking them in oil, I drain them on a paper towel.
I test mine as I pull them out to make sure they are flaky. If not, I toss them into the oven for the last ~10 minutes to finish up while the potatoes finish.
The cornmeal makes these nice and crispy with great texture. The hot sauce and spices give them a nice kick, but definitely not overwhelming. If you don’t like spicy food, don’t be afraid to use it OR skip it!
I normally make my own tartar sauce, but I had a bottle so I just stirred in some plain yogurt, Worcestershire, and chili powder to spice it up and give the bottled stuff a little flavor boost.
Add a little broccoli, and Fish Fryday is ON!
Best part, make extra potatoes and you can bake them again for even more delicious crispiness!
Seriously, making your own breaded fish (or chicken) could NOT be any easier. If you’re a fan of nuggets of any type, you’ve got to try making them yourself!
What are you cooking today?
Getting my Read On!
Posted on: February 21, 2013
One of my goals for 2013 was to read 100 books over the course of the year. I substitute teach, so I get about 60-90 minutes of what teachers use as plan time, but what I use to read, pinterest, etc. Occasionally I work out during the time, depending on where I’m at that day, but typically I read.
I thought I would share a few of the books I’ve read so far this year. There were a few ehs, but a lot of really great books so far!
via Random House
The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
This book first caught my eye at a Scholastic book fair sale but I ended up getting a few other things instead. Luckily, one of the schools I was at that week had the book and I took a chance. I read the hardbound version, which was absolutely gorgeous. There were decorative chapter pages in black and white that really kept me “in” the book, and Morgenstern‘s writing is fantastic. Her descriptions seemed to go on and on and really allowed me to imagine the fantastical setting that she created. I recommended it to about 10 different friends already and told the librarian that he should get the book to anyone who would read it. I definitely see myself buying this one to read over and over. It was her first book, so I am really excited to see what she comes out with next!
via Random House
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larrson
I heard about this at the same time as the Hunger Games trilogy, so I lumped it into the same category and forgot about it. It was recommended by a teacher at my usual school after he discovered that was, in his words, “a book nerd”! Totally true, and something that many people don’t know about me these days. I was warned about the graphic scenes in the book, which I appreciated, but I definitely felt they were warranted and not inappropriate in the context. I started this book at school and was on page 31 or so at 10:30 when I got home from work– but I got SO into it that I stayed up until almost 4 am to finish it. 100% worth it. I keep meaning to get the second one, but I haven’t started it yet. I also highly recommend this one– especially if you like CSI-style shows.
via Random House
Data: A Love Story, Amy Webb
I read this preview of the brand-new book on Slate a few weeks ago and was very intruiged. I had some… terrible experiences with online dating a while back and gave up on it. I thought this was interesting as a tool to re-evaluate where things had gone wrong for me, and lo and behold, I even found it in the self-help section. Parts of the book were a lot less readable (more math-y and online dating history) than the excerpt chapter, but overall it gave me a lot of interest in striking back out in the online dating world using some of these strategies. Rest assured, I’m not going to the lengths she does! Overall the message I took was more about knowing what you want and not compromising. It was a pretty good read for anyone who’s ever been frustrated with the hot mess that can be online dating!
via Random House
The Memory Thief, Emily Colin
I got this one as a Christmas gift from my dad. I was kind of intruiged by the summary but set it aside for a few weeks. It’s an interesting book, pretty good but I think I would like to read it again before deciding whether I am fully on board with this one or not. In a nutshell, the husband dies in a climbing accident and someone else wakes up with his memories. I thought it was going to be pretty predictable, but it didn’t go quite as I expected so that was nice. I’d say this is a pretty solid beachy-day type read. Not too difficult but it is a little tear-jerker in a couple parts!
False Pretenses, Catherine Coulter (1988 edition updated in 2000)
Persuader [A Reacher Novel] , Lee Childs
Both were good but pretty typical of those serial crime novels. I will definitely check out more by those authors!
Oddly enough, I noticed when I went to get pictures that all my great books were by Random House.. maybe I should be paying more attention to what they are putting out!
Next up on my list:
Brave New World, Aldous Huxley {currently}
The Paris Wife, Paula McLain
The Tiger’s Wife, Tea Obreht
plus …
YA books at the school libraries
Random old crime books in the teacher’s lounges!
I know I’ve read a few more this year but they are escaping me right now– Hopefully I will keep better track of the rest of them! 100 94 to go!
What are you reading these days?
Switching Gears
Posted on: February 19, 2013
Yeah, it’s been a while. Anyway…
I’ve recently gotten hit by the coupon bug, so I wanted to share today’s haul!
I hit up CVS and then K-Mart for a few specifics plus Double Coupons! There are no double coupons in Omaha normally, so when I found out, I had to get there ASAP. Unfortunately, you can only double 5 per day, so I had to make mine count– but I got lucky and all mine were $1.00 ones, aka an extra $5.00 off.
CVS #1
Total: 14.48, Saved 25.67
2 Gain Dish Soap Regular 1.67, Sale 1.00, Deal OTD 2/1.00
Nature Made Vitamin D Regular 9.99, Sale BOGO, Coupon -2.00/1
Nature Made Vitamin D Regular 9.79, Sale BOGO
Nature Made Vitamin B12 Regular 8.79, Sale BOGO, Coupon -1.75/2
Nature Made Vitamin C Regular 6.79, Sale BOGO
CVS Rewards $3 off a $15 Vitamin Purchase
CVS #2
Total: 9.85, Saved 11.57
Garnier Curl Gel Regular 4.49, Sale 3/10.00, Coupon 1.00/1
Garnier PureClean Shampoo Regular 3.99, Sale 3/10.00, Coupon 1.00/1
Garnier PureClean Conditioner Regular 3.99, Sale 3/10.00, Coupon 1.00/1
2 Fiber One Protein Brownie Regular 4.19, Clearance 25% off 3.14, Coupon -1.00/2
CVS Rewards $3 off any $15 purchase
CVS #3
Total: 8.20, Saved 19.48
4 CVS 6-Blade Razor Handle Regular 5.49, Clearance 75% off 1.37
CVS 6 Blade Refills Regular 4.99
CVS Rewards $3 off a $10 Blade, Razors, Shave Gel Purchase
Ordinarily I would not have bought the vitamins, but I needed the B12 and C, and my local news station is running a collection for vitamins to send to Africa. I figured the savings on the vitamin D, plus the CVS Rewards savings were worth it to make the donation as well. I also wasn’t planning to buy the razors, but I am running low. I couldn’t resist the 1.37 per razor price since I usually pay about 7 bucks for a 5 pack.
K-MartTotal: 28.22, Saved 31.16
Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Hand Cream Regular 4.99, Sale 3.49, Coupon -1.00/1
JVC Black Cool Headphones Regular 6.99, Sale 20% off 5.59
2 Halls Cough Drops Regular 1.99, Sale 1.50, Coupon -1.00/1 *doubled
2 Downy Free Regular 5.49, Coupon -1.50/2
Tide Free Boost 18 Ct Regular 6.99, Coupon -3.00/1
Mott’s Snack and Go Applesauce 4pk Regular 3.39, Coupon -0.55/1
2 Betty Crocker Dora Fruit Snacks 10pk Regular 2.99, Sale 2.50, Coupon -1.00/2
2 Hormel Compleats Regular 2.99, Sale 2.50, Coupon -1.00/1 x2 *doubled
2 Barilla Microwave Meals Regular 2.99, Sale 2.50, Coupon -1.00/1 x2 *doubled
Pop Chips Regular 2.79, Coupon FREE w/ $25 purchase
K-Mart Award Card 5.00
All in all, I spent 60.75, and saved 87.88– just under 41% savings. Plus, I bought the Downy for my dad so I can take an extra 6 bucks off my total I was pretty happy with this since everything on here except the vitamins were either regular or restocking purchases. Luckily, lotion is one of the few things I’m not super brand loyal on so I just took the sale ones– it really makes this easier. The costs really add up for those granola bars, applesauce, and fruit snacks when you go through them as fast as I do– but I have to have them! I was also excited to get the Pop Chips free.
I’ll have to give you a look next time I do a big grocery trip– I’ve been at 50% or more on those.
Who knows if I’ll keep up the blogging, but I expect it will be a lot more random than just a cooking blog– especially since my awesome camera broke and my new one somehow doesn’t focus.
So see you soon, maybe?!
Tell me: Do you coupon at all?
Living by Loving Guest Post
Posted on: August 17, 2011
Today, I have a special treat!
It’s the 20sb Blog Swap, so I have a traded blogs with a lovely lady named Allyce, and she’s posting here while I post over on her blog. I’ve blogged about 2 of my favorite summer treats, so make sure you check it out. Hope you enjoy getting to know Allyce…
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Hi lovely readers of Erin’s blog!
My name is Allyce and I’m the writer of Living By Loving.
Erin and I are blog swapping today, and I’m equally thrilled to have her guest posting at my corner of blogland! Make sure you visit my blog to read her post! Don’t forget to comment so she knows which of you dedicated readers of hers visited her guest post!
You overachievers, you!
Before we get to the meat and potatoes, let me tell you a bit about myself!
Like I said, my name is Allyce and I’m 25.
I’m married to my best friend and love of my life, Matt.
We live in Northern, Indiana. Life here is good
We DON’T have kids, but we DO have a Cockapoo named Mylie
I’m a 3rd grade teacher.
I’ve taught 3rd grade for 4 years and love each new year more and more than the last.
I’ve been blogging since forever.
I love football and sweatshirts and kettle corn.
Forget this. If you want to know more about me, visit the blog.
Being a teacher, I’m spoiled having my summers off! School starts TODAY…as you read this. Which means that summer is officially over.
Let this be a tribute to one amazing summer!
Can’t get this mind of mine off of summer. It was here for a while and it’ll be gone WAY too soon. It’s a sad reality. My dream is to move somewhere with summer all year around. Sorry Lake Michigan. Your boring water animals, unsaltiness and lack of waves just doesn’t cut it for me. I’m from Indiana, so we get the extremes of every season and of every type of weather.
As a tribute to that Topsail beach that I miss VERY MUCH, today I’m writing a “What You Didn’t Know” post dedicated to the beach.
Lucky you, beach.
#1.
I can’t swim.
Yes, you read right.
I’ve never been a swimmer and I’m still not. I took swim lessons with preschoolers when I was in MIDDLE SCHOOL folks. My embarrassment caused me to quit early..still not knowing the breaststroke, butterfly or beating those 4 year olds by holding my breath. I CAN go under without plugging my nose, but I can’t hold my breath so I blow out of my nose. Needless to say, I’m never under water longer than 10 seconds because I’ve blown out all the air I have.
I’m proudly not the most glamorous swimmer, but I do sport a mean backstroke.
So, I’m not the one you’d see boogy boarding away my troubles on the cresting waves in fear that I wouldn’t be able to get out of an undertow or rip current.
I make buddies with the kiddos swimming in 2 feet of water. The thought has crossed my mind to wear water wings but I think it might bring down my reputation a bit..you know?!
Actually that is me. The one lagging behind. Staying in the “safe” zone.
#2.
My new obsession is beach glass.
Beach Glass (for those of you who DON’T know…you’re about to!) is
Beach glass is glass found on beaches along oceans, bays, rivers or large lakes that has been tumbled and smoothed by the waves, water and sand, creating smooth, frosted shards of glass
It’s like finding a rare treasure along the shore.
We found 4 pieces.
#3.
I have several beach/sand annoyances…let me list a few…
a. when a stranger decides to camp out her family just feet from you. I believe there’s a WIDE OPEN beach for you. But I’ll take it as a compliment because you apparently want to hang out with me.
My book reading is really enticing apparently!
b. when someone shakes their towel downwind from you. Thanks to that recent sunscreen application, I’ve now become a piece of human sandpaper.
c. my BIGGEST beach annoyance is when I see someone walking the beach wearing SOCKS and shoes.
It makes me cringe thinking about it. Socks and sand really don’t mix.
#4.
I’m a people watcher.
Don’t get creeped out, I’m NOT one of the creepy people watchers.. but the greatest fun I have is watching people interact and “be”. My “fun meter” must be pretty lame huh?!
The way I see it, there are people from all over in one central place and I find it entertaining to observe them interacting with their kids and families.
Some people do some of the strangest things on the beach….for example one morning while sipping coffee on our balcony we see this lovely gentleman doing a little Thai-Chi action.
This was much more entertaining to watch than Regis and Kelly.
Cheap entertainment.
Little by little you’ll know everything and MORE beyond your wildest dreams about little ol’ me if you check out my blog over at Living By Loving
I know there’s a WHOLE LOTTA stuff the world doesn’t know about you!
Come check out my blog and join in on the fun during my link up!
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Thanks for the post, Allyce! And welcome to all of her readers. Feel free to stick around and see the sights right here!
i get around…
Posted on: August 12, 2011
Around town, that is!
First, around western Nebraska: a little more in Ogallala and North Platte. 
This is a sweet old cowboy cemetery up on (what else) a hil in Ogallala… its really small, but even walking up these stairs gave me flashbacks to my track and xc days :/
Sarah confirmed that they used to run repeats of these stairs at practice. Gotta love xc!
I thought this was a really cool thing to do. They’ve got all the usual suspects in the capsule, but what I loved is that they put in 2 bottles of scotch, one to drink at the inspection, and one when it is exhumed. I for one am already making plans to get back there in 2034… and perhaps in 2084 at age 97!
Next up on my tour was the museum in North Platte, about an hour down the road. I love getting to hear about cool things that happened in my state that I’d never heard of, and this was definitely one of them. During WWII, trains full of soldiers coming from all over the country would pass through North Platte on the way to the West Coast. Right after Pearl Harbor, a group of local ladies got together and cooked a meal for the Nebraska soldiers that were supposed to be coming through. The train that was supposed to be theirs turned out to be one full of Kansas men, but the women fed them anyway. They decided to keep it going, and over more than 4 years, soldiers from all over the country were fed homecooked meals (even birthday cakes!) as they passed through North Platte for 15-20 minutes at a time. It’s a really cool place and I definitely recommend checking it out if you’re ever in the area, or visiting their website to read about it.
The North Platte Canteen in its heyday
There was a big Nazi flag in the background of this display case with some other war info, and I just thought this was a really interesting position to take.
This was in a “Healthy Eating” pamphlet in the exhibit. My favorite is definitely group 7! I actually do kind of like that green vegetables get their own group, and are the most important. With the recent changes to the food pyramid, its interesting to see a similar image from another time.
These scared Sarah when she saw them! She came around the corner and was totally shocked… she may or may not have screamed.There was also a big buffalo that I wanted to get a picture of me riding but alas they wouldn’t let me.
The walls and ceiling of this barn were covered in brands. I think they are so interesting!
I look awfully happy over my imprisonment…
Thanks to countless hours of watching Gilmore GIrls, Sarah and I have an unhealthy obsession with the DAR… imagine our surprise at finding a sign in little old North Platte!
Sarah and her mom left me at this point, expecting I would happily return to Omaha that night with an hour + the time change already behind me on my trip. That, however, was not in the cards. My car stalled as I was getting food on the way out of town, which was lucky since I avoided having it stall on the interstate, and I was out an alternator.
Being stuck alone in an unfamiliar town is not awesome. Luckily the guys at the parts store were amazing and drove to my car to check it out and helped me get it to them to try to fix it; I found a motel that was not (that) sketchy for only $36, and Applebees was having some sort of special where I could get lots of drinks for not very much money.
Annnd I got back on the road first thing in the morning, with my wallet $300 lighter. Ouch. No pictures… I have no need to document me bawling on a random street corner cuz I am in rush hour traffic and my car isn’t moving. Yuck.
Anywho, on a much happier note: getting around in Omaha!
Downtown Farmer’s Market + La Buvette on Saturday
We like our champagne, what can I say?
Sadly, my first trip of the year. Can’t wait to go back this weekend! I am loving that these are finally getting big in Omaha. There are 3 big ones in different areas of town on Saturdays, 1 on Sunday, and apparently 1 on Wednesdays as well. Plus a local farm has fresh produce trucks out around town every day, and there is always a line when I go. Well done, Omaha!
Lunch: hummus plate for mom. For me, open-face baguette sandwich with tomatoes, black olive tapenade and Gruyere, plus field greens by request. sooo good! For Pam, meat and cheese tray. I may or may not have eaten all her blue cheese. I’m sorry, its just SO GOOD. (As was my sandwich, clearly!)
Every time I wear this shirt, the first question I get is why there is a gorilla on it.
Sunday: brunch at my new obsession: Dario’s. It’s this sweet restaurant with a HUGE Belgian beer list that I’d never been to since I heard it was crazy expensive. I randomly heard they had brunch, and took a friend who was in town a few weeks ago. Since then, it is all I think about.
This time I headed there with a work friend. Coincidentally, her boyfriend is the chef there… and he does an amazing job. Last time I had a crepe with eggs and asparagus, this time I went for the Croque Monsiuer. with pommes. and I ate every last drop of that delicious mayo-like fry sauce. What can I say, it was amazing… as was the sandwich, and my cocktails. Jamie’s eggs benedict with pork belly was insanely good as well. This place may be expensive for dinner, but I think brunch is a great deal. My meal + 2 big drinks came out to just under $30, and there was none of the typical eating out food coma. It was perfectly portioned and delish.
In fact, thinking about it now is making me hungry. I think this will be on the menu this Sunday since sissypoo (my baby sister) is in town!
Peace out girl scout!
What’s on your mind?
Do you have a favorite brunch spot? What’s your favorite part of visiting the farmer’s market… other than the amazing fruits and veggies? Any sweet, little known museums in your area?
Tell me about it!
