This picture is a great representation of my weekend.

Wine, relaxing, and the Georgia mountains.  YES PLEASE!

This week I was tasked with a main course and my sister had the brilliant idea to do fish!  I was going to do lamb but loved the fish idea.  She found a recipe in one of her middle eastern books for a baked pomegranate fish dish with onions, tomatoes, and celery-I decided to use the spices from that dish to inspire my marinade. 

Ingredients:

-2 pounds wild Snapper (or any other white fish)
-1 cup POM Wonderful
-1 TBSP Olive Oil
-1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped, ~ 1/2 cup
-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-2 TBSP of lime juice
-1 TBSP ground All Spice
-2 tsp cumin
-1 tsp red pepper flakes
-2 tsp salt

Instructions:

-Combine all ingredients (except fish) in a zip top bag and mix well.

-Add the fish and marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning your bag halfway through.

-Over medium flame and with foil down, grill your fish, ~4 minutes each side.

-When the fish is no longer translucent, it’s done.

-Enjoy!

As you can see, I paired this with some rice, grilled asparagus, and avocado.  It was a wonderfully refreshing and light summer meal. 

I had Megan and Luke over and Luke couldn’t believe that there was pomegranate juice in the marinade.  I could tell, it gives it a special little zing that makes you go “YOM!”  It is sort of like cooking with balsamic vinegar but not as intense.  Balsamic has a tendency to overtake dishes, pomegranate does not but it still gives it that something special.

Shaun gave this high praise.  He rated it a 3.5 out of 5.  As you know, for Shaun that’s a HUGE compliment.  Megan gave it a 4 and Luke said that it was in that range as well.  I will definitely me making this again.  So easy and flavorful!

They suggested that we go to Tavern at Bown Crossing.  It’s a really nice steak house (not Japanese but an American Steak House) that also has sushi.  You would never expect this place to have sushi, but they do and it was GREAT!

We got some edamame for Lu (and the whole table):

Lucy loves her edamame!

I got some miso soup and salad:

Sushi!

And preggo Megan got a yummy Thai Chicken Salad:

It was delicious!!!  A little spendy but oh so YOM!

We’ve cut WAY back on spending since moving and haven’t been out since we got here.  I think that’s a record for us. Thankfully, Shaun’s awesome mountain bike buddies gave us a gift certificate to a local ale house that just so happens to specialize in local food-a match made in heaven for Shaun and I.

We drove the 2 miles to the restaurant since it was 100 degrees out.  I can see us easily biking or walking in more moderate weather

Here are my 2 favorite people walking up to the Bitter Creek Ale House:

They have a great sign:

With an awesome garden outside:

Once inside, it definitely looked like a comfy bar:

They are serious about selling local!

Shaun got an amber larger (I didn’t note which one):

Since beer has gluten and I’m not a big fan anyway, I got a frou-frou cocktail that was made with lemon, herbal tea, and local vodka:

Super YOM!

It had an awesome little metal spoon straw (that was quickly bogarted by Lu):

Shaun got some chips and salsa to start:

The salsa was made on the premises with local fruits and veggies.  It was SPICY!  We like spice and this was a little much for us.  I didn’t have any chips but had a few fork fulls of salsa.  HOT!

I got a hummus plate for Lu and I to share:

The hummus had goat cheese (which I can tolerate!), kalamata olives, and cucumber.  It needed salt but was really good.  I got it more to top my salad than anything else   Lu LOVED the pita bread.

For my entree, I got the spicy lamb burger (hold the bun) with an undressed side salad (hello hummus!).  It too was topped with goat cheese.  It also had fresh jalapeño and crispy onions (that I forgot to ask for them to leave off-the “crispy” is gluten FULL-I picked them off and gave them to Lu).

It was DELISH!  The pickles were awesome too.  I saved them for last.

Shaun got what he always gets if it’s on the menu, Fish and Chips with Pacific Cod:

He said it was delicious!  Lu liked the chips and the cabbage too.  (She wasn’t so in to my lamb).

Since they had such an extensive beer list, I asked if they had a gluten free beer and what do you know-they did!  I don’t know what got into me, but I ordered one:

I usually HATE the aftertaste of beer.  I love the way beer tastes right as it hits my lips but then once it’s down my throat I HATE IT.  Guess what?  I LOVED THIS.  None of that nasty aftertaste.  I wonder if my body was reacting to my allergy?  I can’t wait to have this beer again.

We loved our experience at Bitter Creek.  Shaun commented “That is real pub food!” and yet they had MULTIPLE items on the menu that I could eat too.  And? It’s mostly ALL LOCAL.  Which is awesome!  We got all of that for under $50-can you believe it?!?!

We will definitely be back.  They have a Tasting Tuesday series every Tuesday and I’m sure Shaun would LOVE to go.  The fact that we can take Lucy (until 10 PM) is a major plus too.

There was NOTHING like this in San Mateo.  Maybe in San Francisco (30 minutes away) but 10 minutes away? Nope.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE Boise lately?

~~~~~

In other news, I heard today that our stuff will be delivered Friday!!!!  FINALLY.  They owe us a BUNCH of money now but at least it’s going to be here.  Let’s hope it’s all in one piece.

This week, tragedy hit.  One of the Mom’s that we met on Baby Center and who many of us have kept in contact with through Facebook had a Mother’s worst nightmare happen.  Her baby who was born March 14, 2010 (her October baby’s little sister), died suddenly on Tuesday. 

Reagan’s memorial was today and we decided to release purple balloons or plant purple flowers in her honor.  Many also wore purple in Reagan’s honor today.  Janea, we’re here for you.

Baby Reagan.

We planted flowers this morning.  Since we don’t have any gardening tools, we had to use Lu’s sand shovels-I thought it was fitting.  As we planted these, I told Lu why and we said “goodbye” to Baby Reagan.

The Tucker Family:

The Reeder Family:

The Corbijn Family:

The Fifield Family:

The Neal and Herrera Family:

The Orr Family:

The Schaap Family:

The Myhre Family:

The Corsmo Family:

The Garcia Family:

The Bowers Family:

The Antonowitsch Family:

The Lawson Family:

With additional love from the Murphy Family, the Jenkins Family, the Kielson/Benedict Family, the D’Arrigo Family, and the Roop Family.  AND SO MUCH MORE!!!!

Janea-we’re here for you when you’re ready.

Goodbye Reagan.

This week’s POM Summer Menu Series is early!

I was tasked with a salad this week and I’ve been meaning to share my recipe for Rice Salad and POM Wonderful was a perfect addition that added a special kick! 

This salad is both sour and sweet and a pretty complex mix of flavors.  It may not be for everyone but I really love it.  It’s my staple side when I’m going to potlucks because I’m always guaranteed that there will be something for me to eat.

Ingredients:

-3 TBSP POM Wonderful
-2 TBSP Olive Oil
-1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
-1 TBSP finely chopped shallot
-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-3 cups cooked rice
-2 6.5oz jars of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
-~25 small manzanilla olives with piminto, cut into thirds
-3 green onions, finely chopped, including green
-S+P to taste

Instructions:

-Mix the first 5 ingredients (POM Wonderful – garlic) in a small bowl and set aside. (I think this would be a FABULOUS vinaigrette on a green salad too.)

-Mix all other ingredients together (excluding S+P).

-Add vinaigrette slowly-you may not need all of it-taste it as you go.  (I ended up using all of mine.

-Mix well, add S+P, and ENJOY!

This can be eaten either warm or cold-I like it served cold the next day after the flavors have melded together.

You can check out the other awesome blogs that are participating in the POM Summer Menu Series:

Danica’s Daily
Fitness and Spice
Kitchen Confidante
The Wicked Noodle

Next and final week?  You guessed it-a main dish!!!

I went for my first run on Tuesday.  Here’s the trail that is literally 100 feet from my backyard:

I do have to start climbing some of the foothills once I get past about a mile but that’s fantastic too!

This trail also takes us to the park:

That’s about 10 minutes away, 20 minutes if Lucy is “walking”-i.e. picking up rocks, chasing butterflies (and saying “pretty butterflies”), etc.

I took her yesterday for my “lunch hour” and she was so cute.  She LOVED this fire truck and thought it was REALLY cool when the boys jumped in the back and she got to “drive” them.  According to the boys, Lu was Princess Leia.

In other ridiculously cute Lu news, she was home with me yesterday while I worked.  I was on the phone with my manager for my weekly meeting when she comes strolling out in this hat from my closet:

She picked it out and put it on herself-it totally matches.  She wore it for a good 45 minutes.

Like my living room? HA!  My sister is letting us borrow those chairs for right now and while I’m working, Lu has free reign, hence the bears, cd (we gave that one to her as a toy-no worries it does NOT go to the Netflix that you see in the distance), Netflix paper, etc. on the floor.

She has definitely hit the “terrible twos”.  WOW.  She’s awesome and sweet as always BUT can she ever throw a fit when she doesn’t get her way.  We NEVER give in, so I’m wondering when our persistence is going to pay off?  Hopefully it will!

It’s nice being home with her more often.  She does have a sitter that comes either to my house or my sister’s house but I see her SO MUCH MORE.  She is loving having a backyard and going “ow-sigh!!!”  We did sidewalk chalk the other day and she thought it was “Cool” to color outside.

Every night, before bed, she runs through the hose and get’s a “hose shower”.

We’ve also been eating outside almost everyday.  Our grill has already paid for itself!!!

Life is grand   I hope it NEVER wears off.

I just spoke with the regional planner at Mayflower Transit and unfortunately they do not have any driver planned on your shipment yet. I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. I will continue monitoring your shipment and contact you about the driver assignment as soon as it happens. 

Isn’t that just awesome?!?!?

As a reminder, they picked everything up on June 25th and we were “guaranteed” that it would arrive by July 2nd.

I’m looking at it as a break from packing   My move is also getting much cheaper!  At this rate, they’ll be paying ME!

I thought I’d show you the space constraints and tell you my ideas and see if anyone has any clever ideas.

So remember my cute kitchen?

Well, it doesn’t have much space.

First there’s the open shelf…Lucy has claimed it as her own:

She put all of that there.  I don’t foresee being able to use the shelf for anything.

Next up we have my one, yes one, large drawer:

There are 2 other small drawers in the entire kitchen:

I have this cupboard:

That thankfully rolls out:

Then there’s the cupboards on the other side of the stove.

Cupboard and drawer by the sink (sorry for the blur):

A little ledge above the sink:

A lazy susan (that I’d like to keep my kitchen appliances in-food gets lost):

And my last 3 cupboards:

Dishes will go here:

Interesting shelf that doesn’t fit many non-perishable items (unless they are in cans):

While I was doing the dishes tonight, I decided to record a video (on my phone) so that you could get a feel for how limited I am. (it’s about 4 minutes long)

And you get to hear my voice (and my bird scream). 

Our thoughts are that we will put a pot rack/shelf, like this:

  (source)

on the wall, in between the fridge and sink (above the awesome new trash can). I’ll then use the roll out cupboard for things like mixing bowls, glass storage containers, breakable things as I can get a non-damaging child lock (like the one on the kitchen sink) for this cupboard.

If you watched the video, you know that I’m planning on using my upstairs closet as a pantry which will free up the lazy susan for larger appliances.

Where do I put my spices?  Where do I put my cooking utensils?  Where do I put my kitchen towels and pot holders?  ACK!

Thoughts? Ideas? HELP?