November Bookclub

I've got the Kindle version of The Paris Wife: A Novel

This week, we are meeting for our monthly bookclub.  I really enjoyed reading our pick, The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain.  It's maybe best categorized as historical fiction- drawing on real people to create a fictional recreation of what might have happened.  It tells the tale of Ernest Hemingway from the perspective of his first wife, the Paris wife, in the early days of his struggle to become a writer.  I'd recommend this book, and I'd love to hear from anyone who has read it! 

Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms

 

I have been curious about spaghetti squash for a while now.  It's been touted as a great substitute for actual spaghetti, and it sounded too good to be true.  So, I bit the bullet and bought a spaghetti squash to try myself.

It is so good!  Now, it is not a spaghetti substitute by any means.  If you're craving carbs it isn't going to cut it.  But it is seriously delicious, and at 40 calories a cup it is a whole lot healthier than a plate full of pasta.

For our recipe, here is what you will need:

• 1 medium sized spaghetti squash
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 pint of white mushrooms, sliced
• Italian seasoning (or seasoning of your choice)
• Parmesan cheese, freshly grated to top the dish

Saute the onion until it is tender.  Then, add the mushrooms to the pan and cover.  While the mushrooms and onion are cooking, cut your squash into quarters and scoop out the seeds.  Place the squash on a plate with a small amount of water in the bottom.  Cover and microwave for about 10 minutes, until the squash is very tender.  You should be able to easily remove the "spaghetti" from the rind with a fork.

Add the mushrooms, onions, and seasoning, and toss.  Top with parmesan and serve!

Enjoy!

Scallops in Parchment

 

I have been dying to try cooking in parchment paper ever since I saw Julie and Julia (the scene where she fails her exam the first time)!  And this was so delicious, I had to share it with you.

You will need (makes 2 servings):

• 2 pieces parchment paper
• 8-10 scallops, depending on size
• 1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
• 15 or so kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Olive oil
• Cooking sherry

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Rinse and pat dry the scallops.  Place both sheets of parchment paper on a large baking sheet.  Only one half (hamburger style) of the paper needs to fit, the rest can hang off the edge until you make it into a packet.  Arrange the scallops, tomatoes, olives, and onion on one half of each of the pieces of parchment (so 4 or 5 scallops on each parchment paper).  Drizzle each half with olive oil and cooking sherry.

Fold the parchment over and crimp up the edges to make a little packet.  Then, simply bake for 20-25 minutes until the parchment begins to brown and puff up with steam.

Cut the parchment open, and enjoy!

Italian Stuffed Peppers

I love stuffed peppers, and these are especially yummy thanks to some Italian seasoning and lots of provolone cheese.

For two servings, you will need:

• 3 bell peppers (two to stuff, and one diced to put in the stuffing)
• 1/2 pound of ground turkey
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• 2-3 ounces orzo
• Italian seasoning (pre-made or your own blend)

Brown your turkey over medium heat, adding Italian seasoning with a heavy hand.  While the turkey browns, cook your pasta according to the package directions and drain.  Once the turkey is thoroughly browned, drain it almost completely.  Add the pasta and the diced pepper and stir to combine.

Take the tops and seeds out of the remaining two peppers and place a slice of provolone inside.

Fill the peppers with the stuffing mixture, adding another dash of Italian seasoning to the top.

Lay another slice of provolone on top of each pepper, then bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.

Enjoy!

Kitchen Updates: New Microwave!

I've been working slowly but surely on the house, updating bit by bit.  The most recent update: we got a new microwave!  Now, this is an especially big deal because our old microwave sat on top of a utility cart, where our new one is perched above the stove.  The kitchen looks so much bigger now!

Before:

There used to be a large vent over the stove, but we removed it for the microwave

After:

And, as promised, a few snap shots of our quiet Halloween in:

I'm so spooky ;)

Bat-Inga and her bat buddy

Spooky Spiderweb Nails

 

Trick or treat!!  Along with a super simple Halloween costume, I decided to don a set of more complicated fingernails.  Despite how intricate they might appear, the look is surprisingly easy to create.

You will need:

• Base coat (I used OPI)
• Black nail polish (I used Revlon in Stiletto)
• Grey nail polish (mine is L'Oreal in Greycian Goddess)
• Nail art pens in black and white (mine is Kiss brand, found at Target)
• Top coat (You can't go wrong with Seche Vite)

Apply your base coat and follow up with a base layer of color.  I did almost all black nails, with grey on my ring finger nails.

Allow the polish to dry completely.  This is super important; if you jump the gun, the nail art pens won't do much except smudge your polish.  Then, simply draw on your designs and top with a clear top coat!

Fortunately for you, I'm only showing my right hand (I'm left handed). The trickiest part of this all is drawing with your non dominant hand :)

Happy Halloween!

DIY Skeleton Costume

It's almost Halloween!  I love love love this holiday and I ALWAYS dress up.  I'm usually quite proud of my costumes, but this year I didn't have any Halloween plans.  So, instead of going all out just so I could sit on the couch and wait for trick or treaters, I decided to go a little simpler.  And when you need a simple costume, there is no better resource than Martha Stewart.

I took her skeleton shirt idea and adapted it a little.  Here is what I did:

You will need:

• 1 black t-shirt (long sleeves are a must in Minnesota, but short sleeve would work just fine!)
• Martha Stewart front rib cage template
• Scissors
• White chalk
• White paint (craft paint or fabric paint work fine)
• Paintbrush

Print out the template and cut it according to the directions so that they line up to form one set of ribs.

Then, cut out the black portions of the template.

Line it up on the right side of the shirt (your left), and trace the ribs with the white chalk.

Flip the template to the other side and repeat.

 

Remove the template and place a newspaper or brown paper inside the shirt to prevent the white paint from bleeding through.  Fill in the ribs with white paint.  This works best if you do a little outline, then fill the rest in.

Allow to dry, then wear!

 I'll be sporting mine with a little hand painted mask... pictures to come!