Good Eats: Stuffed Eggplant

I recently tried this new recipe since eggplants were on sale last week and I love eggplant! I usually make Eggplant Parmesan but I decided to try it stuffed instead. Here is the recipe I used, courtesy of Cooking Light (www.myrecipes.com):

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants, each cut in half lengthwise (about 2 pounds)
• Cooking spray
• 1 (1-ounce) slice white bread
• 1 teaspoon extravirgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 1 1/4 cups finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped seeded plum tomato
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Score cut side of each eggplant half by making 4 crosswise cuts. Place the eggplant halves, cut sides down, on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven; cool on pan 10 minutes. Carefully remove pulp, leaving a 1/3-inch-thick shell; reserve eggplant shells. Chop pulp.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°.
• Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Drizzle the breadcrumbs with olive oil, and pulse to combine.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped eggplant, bell pepper, tomato, oregano, and garlic; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Stuff each eggplant shell with about 1/2 cup onion mixture; sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated and lightly browned.

-I did alter this recipe to make it more man-friendly as stuffed vegetables are not necessarily the husband's thing. I did use seasoned bread crumbs in favor of making my own. I also substituted the fresh oregano for fresh basil and substituted the feta cheese with sharp cheddar cheese, which gave the dish a more American vibe over the Greek vibe. I did this mainly because I can get Jerame to eat anything if I put cheddar cheese on it. The end result was pretty tasty and there was plenty of flavor! My one note would be to not cook the eggplant as long initially. The recipe calls for 25 minutes at 400 degrees but next time I will check the eggplant after 15 minutes and probably go for a maximum of 20 minutes. Cooking it initially for 25 minutes left the eggplant a little too soft for my liking. Altogether, this was a solid recipe and a good use of summer produce.

Sweating the onions and the initial roasting of the eggplant

The final result! Served with salad greens tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a dash of parmesan cheese. Yum!

CVS Haul 8/1/11

I had a really good day at CVS on Monday. I saved 67%, paying $14.58 for $46 worth of product. I also earned $10 in Extra Care Bucks to use on my purchase next week. CVS has been by far the easiest store to coupon at. Here is what I got this week:

Suave Body Wash, Deodorant, and Shampoo, Swiffer wet clothes, Maybelline mascara, Skinny Cow Candy, and Q-Tips.

It's hard to tell from the picture but there are 2 men's body wash and 3 men's shampoo.  Jerame is set now! Once again, it's hard to believe this stuff would have added up to a $46 purchase. But, the register doesn't lie and it nice to pocket my savings for more important (or fun!) things.

Proud to be a Gleek!

My husband and I have incredible impatience when it comes to TV (or incredible patience, if you want to look at it that way). We can't stand to wait a week to see another episode of our favorite shows so most of the time we wait until a show's season is over and then we download the whole season so we can watch all the episodes. This has been going on for a long time so a pattern has been set so that we always have something in the cache to watch. For example, right now we are watching Season 4 of 30 Rock.  We just finished up Season 2 of Glee. I love Glee! Yes, it's cheesy and unrealistic. I can attest that there were no choreographed groups of kids breaking into song in the hallways at my high school. But I love the writing and the humor on the show. How can you not love the scene in which Sue has been told she cannot fire Brittany out of a cannon and she goes on a rampage? I laughed till I cried! Anyways, since it will be a a while before I can get my Glee fix on again I have produced the top 10 things I would like to see on Season 3 of Glee:

1. For Will to get a haircut! Come on, it's Hollywood! Isn't there something else they can do with him? I have been on Team Sue since Day 1 regarding Schuester needing a new hairstyle.

2. For Sue to run a successful campaign and be elected to the House of Representatives. I can only imagine the hijinks that would ensue! Jane Lynch plays this role to a T, I can't image anyone else playing her. And she is at her best when she is mean.

3. For Finn and Rachel to break-up. For good. The Ross and Rachel (coincidence?) of Glee, this story line is seriously stale.

4. More guest stars! My two top choices would be Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm. We already know that Jamie Foxx can sing, plus he is funny. If you have seen Jon Hamm on SNL, you know he is surprisingly funny! With a Broadway background and negotiations for the next season of Mad Men not completed, why not take some time to be on Glee?

5. More of Puck. Ok, chock this one up to hormones. Don't judge me! Mark Salling, the actor who plays Puck, is 28 which makes me feel significantly less creepy about my school-girl crush.

6. For Brittany's online web show "Fondue for Two" to become a YouTube hit leaving Brittany famous. Lord Tubbington would also rise to fame as co-host of the show. Speaking of Brittany, more Brittany in general! Next to Sue, her character is one of the funniest on the show.

7. For Sunshine Corazon to transfer back to McKinley High. As much as I love Rachel, I would love to see her have to take a back seat to someone that was better than her. Maybe on an episode regarding learning to be humble perhaps?

8.  For an influx of new talent to the New Directions. Once they have more bodies behind them, they should start throwing Slushies in the faces of the football players. How good would that feel?

9. I have read from interviews with the show's producers that there is going to be less music on Season 3. I'm vehemently opposed to this as this is not what the show is about. I am not sure Gleeks will be willing to accept the show in its new format either.

10. For Glee to go country! I'm not talking crossover pop-country like Taylor Swift and Lady A (love them both!) but something that is really country and transforming it into something modern. My top choice? An episode featuring the music of Alabama!

- I know, I am such a dork. Let the ribbing ensue.

Product Reviews- Philosophy Retinol Clarifying Lotion And Venus Spa Breeze

Philosophy Retinol Clarifying Lotion

I love, love, love Philosophy products! They are pricey but they work! This is a product that I ran out of about a month ago and due to the price ($40) I was trying to go without. I was doing pretty well for about 3 weeks and then out of nowhere, my acne on my chin was starting to rear it's ugly, disgusting head. So I broke down and went to my local Sephora and picked up some more. While I was dying a little bit inside when I had to purchase the product, my skin is now thanking me. I put the tiniest amount of this product on all my spots twice a day. I just starting using this product again 3 days ago and my acne is almost gone once again. I must say that while this lotion is expensive, the last time I bought some was last October. So one tube lasts a long time. If I buy two tubes a year at $80,  it is still cheaper than buying Pro-Activ at $40 every two months at a yearly cost of $240. I keep hoping I will outgrow my acne but I am 28 with no end in sight. Will I buy this again? YES!
Another product that I just discovered that I love is the Venus Spa Breeze Razors. These were actually a couponing discovery, since I picked these up for free! These are the kind of razors that have shaving cream built in. I have to admit I have tried razors of this type before and they are very disappointing. These actually work though! I think they are perfect to take on a camping trip or on a vacation where you are wanting to save space (hey, shaving cream takes up valuable room!). My only gripe about these is the shaving cream part of the razor does not last as long as the actual razor. All in all, a good product though! Would I buy this again? No, unless I can get them for free again.

Venus Spa Breeze Disposable Razors

For the love of Chihuahuas!

For anyone out there wondering, it is my opinion that Chihuahuas rule the dog world. It is no secret that I love my Chihuahuas. They have an amazing and loving temperament and one look at their little faces can make you feel better about anything. I like to say that they are big dogs stuck in a tiny body. My 5 year old, Haloti, reminds me so much of big dog. Haloti could walk for miles just so he could sniff one more blade of grass and is incessantly curious. He loves to go for car rides for any amount of time, preferably with his head out the wind so he can smell the wind. He is incredibly friendly and never met a stranger he didn't like (the exception was one of Jerame's friends that had a full beard). He is not scared of anything either. The loudest thunder storm won't disturb his sleep and he spent 4th of July with his head out our car window fascinated by the fireworks. What really gets me is that Haloti watches TV! He sees every animal on TV, even animated animals.

Haloti as a puppy. Chihuahua puppies are so adorable! They are little round furballs that don't really look like Chihuahuas yet.

Haloti as "teenager". Starting to look like a Chihuahua but his fur hasn't grown out yet. I love his little pencil tail which didn't last long. 

Haloti had just discovered the mirror and loved to bark and howl at "that dog in the mirror"

Pretending kisses are his favorite thing in the world

I love this photo. His fur is so short at this point but you can see where his ear hair is starting to grow.

There was a time when Haloti couldn't even sleep separate from his toys, which Gizmo now considers  his.

Our puppy who is about a year and half old, Gizmo, is definitely more of your standard chihuahua. A mute till he was 6 months old, my husband was worried that he would never bark. From the research I had done on the internet, this is a common worry among puppy owners but most people said enjoy the time before they can bark because once they start, they won't stop. This definitely applies to Gizmo! Gizmo doesn't like to go on long walks and I end up carrying him most of the way. He hates the car and won't settle in the car unless he has his bed with him. He hides under the bed during thunder storms, shaking like a leaf. And he has no idea what Haloti is barking at when there are animals on TV. TV is a foreign concept to him. But, he is the baby and he is just adorably cute. His face is hard to resist.

This was our first day with Gizmo. He was 1.5 lbs when we brought him home, he fit in the palm of my hand!  Typical of chihuahua pups, he is a tiny round ball of fur.

Mother/Puppy bonding

Gizmo's tongue is always sticking out, as if his tongue is too big for his mouth :)

One of the most playful puppies I've had

This picture was too adorable to pass up

Even as I sit here writing this, Gizmo is growling at the kids at football practice down the street. The kids have been there all week but Gizmo still feels the need to warn me of their presence. I can't imagine life without my dogs, indeed I missed them like crazy when I was in Oregon.

Our beautiful family

The boys today :)

Oregon Trip 2011

It has been awhile since my last post but with good reason! I took 9 days off to travel 2700 miles back to Oregon to visit my family and friends. I must say that while the weather was awful, my time spent there was not. I did the worst job taking pictures, I think my camera remained at the bottom of my purse for the entire trip. When I arrived home I discovered I took a whopping total of 16 pictures! Wow, that is a new record of awfulnes! Pictures aside, it was a jam packed trip!
The trip did not have a smooth start. My travel day to Oregon was stressful. My flight schedule was Huntington, WV to Charlotte, NC, have a 3 hour layover, and then a flight from Charlotte to Portland landing in Portland at around 10:30 pm. First off, the flight to Charlotte was diverted due to a tornado warning. We were diverted to an express airport that only flies to Charlotte. Stuck there for almost 2 hours, the airlines loaded people back on the planes with clearance to land in Charlotte and I made it to Charlotte with 10 minutes to make my connecting flight! And on the wrong side of the airport! I sprinted to the other side of the airport and made my flight with no time to spare! While I may have made the plane, my suitcase did not. When I arrived in Portland, I found my suitcase was in Phoenix and went home empty-handed. The suitcase finally showed up at about 8 pm the next day.
The next couple of days were action packed! My first day in Oregon my mom treated me to lunch out and a pedicure at a salon in downtown Albany. The following day, Friday, I spent in Portland. I visited my old workplace and was able to visit with old coworkers, and then went to lunch with my old boss. After spending an afternoon shopping, it was dinner and drinks with one of my little sis's from my sorority, Kristin. It was great catching up! Saturday was my 10 year high school reunion and I am seriously wishing I had taken some pictures! Sunday my parents had a barbeque at their house, which happens to be the only day I took some pictures, shared below.

My brother Jeff, my Dad, my Mom, and me

My brother's girlfriend Katie, Jeff, and me

Dad and me

Mom and me

Good friends Sean and Kim and me. Kim is an old sorority sister of mine and Sean is her fiance, a good friend of Jerame's. Sean and Kim actually are the ones who introduced Jerame and I.

Jeff, Sean, Kim, and me

Kim, Mom, and Me. All alum's of Alpha Chi Omega.

Dad, Mom, and me

On Monday, I headed south to Eugene to visit one of my oldest friends, Megan. I got a tour of the new place she is working at and then we headed to the Duck Store because as I explained to her, it is impossible to find Oregon Ducks stuff in Kentucky. Go figure, lol. After the Duck Store we had dinner at my favorite Mexican restaurant, El Torito. I devoured my whole plate along with 2 margaritas and a truckload of chips and salsa.

Me and Megan outside El Torito

The next couple of days were relaxing, without activities planned. There was one beautiful day when I was there, which was Wednesday, the day before I flew back home. Figures! My dad and I were able to make good use of this nice day, taking my parent's dog on a 3-4 mile walk.

My dad and my parent's dog, LB. It was such a gorgeous day, I wish the weather had been this nice the entire trip!

Later that night, my mom treated me to after-dinner drinks at a martini bar in downtown Albany, the Vault. A surprisingly nice bar for the Albany scene!

Me and Mom at the Vault

A picture of our delicious drinks, Pom-Tini's!

It was a great trip and went way to fast! 9 days were gone before I knew it. I love where I live now, but there is nothing like being with family :)

Honing My Skills

Yesterday was a CVS day. I had a pretty good day and I definitely feel like I made a killing!  I saved 65%, paying $19 on a $55 purchase. The best part is not only did I pay just $19 but I also earned $5 in Extra Care Bucks for next week's purchase. Here is my haul:

To put this in perspective, Febreze Fabric Refresher is normally about $6.40 a bottle. So you could look at it like I paid for the Febreze and got everything else for free. In reality, the Febreze was on sale and then I had a Buy 1, Get 1 Free coupon. Love those! And I really do go through a lot of Febreze at this time as the home we are renting is a bit... musty would be a nice way to put it. The candy bar in the picture? Free! The CVS magic machine spit out that free candy bar coupon when I scanned my card upon entering the store. Oh, how I love freebies! Happy savings friends!

4th of July- 2011

This year was my first 4th of July in Kentucky. It was a gorgeous day! We spent the day in Grayson at Jerame's sister's house with the family. Due to Jerame's sister having to work at 4, we started our festivities early in the day. We had great food, great fireworks, and great company for the day!

Jerame was put in charge of hamburgers and all that is hamburger related i.e. making the patties and grilling duty

Me and Jerame in our 4th of July best

Our 4th of July feast! After our elaborate Memorial Day Weekend, everyone decided that we didn't even need half as much food! We ended up going old-school cookout with juicy hamburgers and charred hot dogs. Martha made a delicious homemade potato salad that was thick and creamy and full of fresh hard boiled eggs. Throw in some potato chips and mini 4th of July cupcakes and we had a truly Americana meal

Jessica, Joyce, Martha, and me. Joyce bought all of our 4th of July shirts for us. All the T-Shirts were $2.99, except for Martha's which was $2.49. Gotta love Old Navy! Where else can you look so cute for so cheap?

Jerame and and his brother-in-law Wayne. Had no idea they would be matching until we arrived at the Sexton's.  I guess a red shirt and camo pants was the official men's uniform lol

Setting off fireworks in the front yard

I just had to include this pic because I think it is hilarious. And yes, that is Jerame's mom in the background!

Good Eats- Pulled Pork Hash

Earlier this week I made BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. Inevitably whenever I make pulled pork there are tons of leftovers. For some reason, a 2 lb pork butt always seems to turn into a mountain of food. I usually will eat pulled pork sandwiches throughout the week but I still usually don't make it through all the pork. Jerame hates leftovers so I usually don't make pulled pork sandwiches again for dinner. I decided this time however I was going to use that pulled pork for something. I did some research via Google and I was able to come up with an idea. Hash! Even though my pulled pork was BBQ pulled pork, I decided to try it anyway. I cut up 2 large baking potatoes into wedges, tossed them with some garlic olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasted them in the oven for 35 minutes at 450 degrees. They came out crisp and browned but still moist inside. I fried the pulled pork on the stove (just in a frying pan) until the pork was warm. I put Jerame in charge of frying the eggs. To serve, I plated the potatoes as the base, covered the potatoes in pulled pork, placed a fried egg on top of the pulled pork and dusted the plate with some italian parsley. I am happy to report that this was delicious! The potatoes and pork compliment each other perfectly and the richness of the egg and the pork together is quite appetizing. I highly recommend if you also have leftover pulled pork you aren't sure what to do with!

Yum!