Taking Back My Twenties

Posts Tagged "PB"

Ethnic Delights

Posted on Feb 16, 2011 | 5 comments

Dinners have been relatively simple this week. I made a slightly different version of peanut butter pad thai and I liked the sauce much better this time.

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When I made a pb sauce a few weeks ago, it was chicken-broth based and I just didn’t care for it. This recipe was much more simplistic and made a sweeter, pb-dominated sauce. I used thai rice noodles from TJ’s and a medley of vegetables. One of the best foods in the world was crumbled on top for extra crunch…

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Tonight’s dinner was my third sampling of TJ’s Indian Fare. This time: vegetables, paneer cubes, and cashews in a spicy sauce. The meal was tasty, and I liked the addition of raisins, but I don’t think it’s my favorite of the series.
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On a non-dinner note, the blog world is quiet this week. I apologize that I don’t have an abundance of interesting thoughts to share with you; I think my brain’s a bit tired. Isn’t it funny how just when you realize that you’re mentally exhausted, a vacation always seems to be on the horizon? I should probably share with you my plans for February break (for those who aren’t from the North, this is the first of two ‘spring breaks’ in the public school calendar… probably because it would be unbearable to have to go through 12 weeks of winter without a break).
I’m headed to San Francisco for the annual gathering of the National Association of School Psychologists. Matt made the last-minute decision to tag along because we found super reasonable flights. Though I’m looking forward to the conference, I’m also excited to relax, taste some wine in Sonoma, and hang out with friends. Plus, I’m not leaving until Tuesday, so I’ll have a nice long weekend with [nearly] nothing on my agenda before I leave. Excitement.

Are there any school psychology readers out there who might be attending the conference?
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Action-Packed

Posted on Feb 9, 2011 | 12 comments

Work was busy busy today, which was stressful and exciting at the same time. It certainly made the day pass by much more quickly, but it left me feeling a little drained. I babysat late this evening, so PB + jelly was enjoyed on the run. I won’t bore you with photos, although I do think it’s a beautiful sandwich.

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I managed to find the energy to have a lego battle, and once I put the kids to bed, I practiced for a scary IEP meeting I have in the morning. I’ve had about 9 minutes to relax and now I’m out to the door to catch the Duke game. It’s times like this I wonder if we are crazy for not having cable, but I guess grabbing a few beers over the course of basketball season will end up being cheaper than the whopping $60 that is cable.

Does anyone else out there choose not to pay for cable?

May the best team win:)

 

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Simple

Posted on Feb 8, 2011 | 5 comments

In continuing with my resolution to try a new recipe every week, I made a jambalaya-ish dish last night from a recipe I found in Real Simple.

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It was, in fact, really simple, and really good.

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This flavorful combo consisted of apple chicken sausage sautéed in olive oil with shrimp, a can of diced tomatoes, peas, and salt and pepper. T’was perfect for satisfying my weekly craving for a big ole rice bowl.

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I had a book club meeting tonight to discuss Water for Elephants (which I loved!), so I decided to make what I like to call peanut butter balls. Ya know, because elephants like peanuts and all….

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Just three simple ingredients: PB, sugar, egg. These would be phenomenal with Nutty’s….you might not even need to add sugar.
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The balls were well-received at book club, but it’s Matt who’s now addicted to them. He was quite pleased when six arrived home as leftovers.
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The wind is howling outside and I’m just so thankful to be warm and in my bed. It’s the simple things that make me happy these days.
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PB Morning, Noon, & Night

Posted on Jan 25, 2011 | 5 comments

Good evening,

I’ve responded to all of your comments! It looks like I have a bit of thinking to do. Some of that thinking has already taken place…aka, during my IEP presentation to 12 other professionals today! During the meeting, my thought of the moment on the matter was that I wanted to be on the social work side of the table because we were dealing with an emotionally heavy case:(

I felt drained after work so the gym didn’t go so well. My feet were freezing all day, so I told myself I could pop into the sauna for a quick thaw. But, the glorious heat overcame me and I couldn’t leave. And then, I was too sleepy to do anything at all. I attempted walking and reading my book and gave up after 10 minutes. Contrary to popular belief, the gym does not always cure sleepiness:)

Food, however, always seems to do the trick, especially when it involves the world’s favorite food: pb. As I was spooning out the oily butter in preparation for dinner, I realized I’d already had a helping with breakfast and lunch. Third time’s a charm?

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I found these thai style rice noodles at Trader Joe’s this week as well as a simple recipe for peanut buttery noodles. The mix obviously involved pb as well as soy sauce, chicken broth, and snap peas with a drizzle of lime juice and a sprinkling of pepper at the end.

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I loooved the noodles! Volume wise, they made for a very satisfying meal. The flavor of the sauce was a bit on the bland side though. I’d like to try this one again with cilantro, peanut pieces, and chicken or shrimp to add more depth.
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Sleep is whispering my name. I hope all is well. Night.
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