This is me Cooking, part 3

It was my first day home, and I was put to work.

With dinner plans in mind and options open for desert, I headed to the grocery store. The menu tonight:
Baked Penne Pasta w/ Italian (turkey) Sausage & Peanut butter cup Brownies

This pasta dish has become a family (and roommate) favorite. It’s easy, healthy, and oh-SO-delicious. On top of all that, it’s “training worthy”, meaning lots of protein and good carbs. Necessary at this point!

Here’s what you need:
6 cups Penne Pasta (I usually buy the “Plus” pasta. It has lots of protein and is made with whole-wheat)
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups Marinara sauce (Amount: add more as you like. Type: your choice. We went with the “Garden veggie” kind tonight for some extra flavor)
1/2 onion, yellow, diced
1 tbsp Garlic, minced (canned or fresh, do what you do)
1 lb Italian Turkey Sausage (sweet or spicy, either works!)
1/2 cup Mozerella (Low-fat, part-skim)
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated

Preheat the oven to 350º. Cook the pasta as directed. Sauté onions and garlic in a large non-stick skillet, throw in some salt & pepper to your taste.  Add the turkey-sausage and cook until brown.  Combine the pasta and sausage-mix into a large casserole dish.  Mix in the diced tomatoes and marinara sauce.
Top with the mozerella and parmesan cheeses. Bake for 25 minutes, or until you like the way the cheese looks on top!

Eat & enjoy!! Throw in a side salad for some vegetables and leafy greens. You’ve got yourself a healthy & satisfying meal! This recipe makes about 4 servings.

I wish I could take credit for the amazing peanut-butter cup brownies, but all I did was add eggs, water & oil. Sometimes you take the easy route (boxed brownie mix), and mmmm is it delicious!

Sombreros, Pinatas & Cervezas

Border Control: “Country of Citizenship?”

Me: “Uh, United States.”

BC: “What was your business in Mexico?”

Me: (Drinking cheap beer, and eating endless bowls of chips & salsa?) “Shopping in the mercado…”
Side note…I didn’t actually buy anything.

BC: “Well where are you bags?”

Me: “Oh I didn’t get anything, but the kid behind me has four piñatas!”

Are you wondering what would somebody do with four piñatas? Me too. But when you’re about 5 beers deep. with a group of good friends, and shopping in Mexico, this is what happens.

I am back in the desert for my Spring Break. Before coming home I spent the weekend with my siblings at their university.  The little sis (L) is a freshman, and my older brother (J) is about a year into getting his MBA. Since this time next year I’ll be working (who knows where), I figured I should take advantage of the opportunity to visit them while they are both still there. 

They only live about an hour away from a border town in Mexico, so we gathered up the troops and took a little day trip. Yes, it feels weird to say I went to Mexico “for the day”.

A group of 9 of us headed down, crossed the border, and spent the afternoon drinking beer (cerveza) at $1.50 each and bargaining down the “Mercado” vendors.  One of J’s friends decided that he collected piñatas (as of that day), so he bought Four of them.  Two of them were the size of a small child, in the shape of Shrek and Mr. Incredible. I’m not even kidding. Other purchases included shot glasses, t-shirts, candy, lamps, large Somebreros and more cerveza.  Some of them have been down there enough in the last four years that one of the waitors from the outdoor restaurant/bar at the Mercado recognizes them and bought us about three free rounds of drinks. Gracias amigos!

This “mexico” isn’t the hotel-lined beach and tropical get-away that some might imagine. Rather, it’s small (tiny) business after small business, with the owners standing outside in an attempt to lure you in. It’s jam packed, dirty streets with bums, noise, beggars, random college students and locals.  It’s knock-off sunglasses, purses and clothes at a mere $5 per item. It’s small bars and restaurants with only 10 tables that serve you mixed drinks for $2 and don’t check your ID. It’s striving to survive and making money off of people like us who don’t mind spending $20 on huge hats and little shotglasses.

It’s a day trip with friends to make for some interesting stories and good times.

Fierce and Fabulous

Christian Siriano. Fierce. Fabulous. Feroc.

Project Runway Season 4 Winner!!!

I’ve discussed my love for this designer before . Although I’m not sure that his set was the best last night, I am SO happy that he won. At the young age of 21, he is amazing.  According to the guest judge, none other than the “pop icon” Victoria Beckham (aka Posh), he is the best.

He has officially coined the terms “Fierce” and “Ferocious”. He is clearly both of those things. If you can get Tim Gun to use your adjective, you’ve got somethin’.

If you want to see some serious designing, check this out.  Happy Fashioning divas!

Gym ADD

8:30 a.m. Going for a morning run before a phone interview to relax. It’s pouring outside, so I head down to the gym. I’m thinking a nice little 30 minute jog, nothing too crazy, just to get the legs going.

What my brain failed to inform me this morning was that it was going to go ahead and have a little ADD today.

Once I get to the gym, I notice that the treadmill I usually use is “Out Of Order”. Great. Considering what we had to do to get our apartment office to change our carpets, after 3 weeks, am I surprised? Of course not. The only other two treadmills available are right in front of a mirror. I hate that. I can’t ever decide where to look, and when I watch myself I get dizzy because my brain tries to process that I’m running, but not going anywhere. Weird. Guess what this leads to…..Gym ADD (aka, not being able to think about one thing for more than 2 seconds. Thus making a 30 minute run feel like houurssss.)

Start off at a slow pace. Warm it up. Prepare the sore thighs.

Girl next to me is wearing a sweatshirt. On a treadmill, what’s that about?

We’ll call her “sweatshirt”.

Girl on the elliptical is texting. Seriously? I would fall off. I’ll call her “text”.

I can’t run to this song without wanting to speed up. Which is really annoying on a treadmill.

I wish I could see what’s on the TV. Can I run and turn my head at a 90 degree angle? Ah! Nope, let’s not try that again.

Why have I not taken this song off my exercise list? I always skip it.

Text seems to be looking at me. Annoying, please stop.

There are 3 bikes, and none of them are the same style. Whats up with that?

I’m so f-ing happy they finally replaced our carpets. I need to wash my sheets.

Why do people bring their phones to the gym?

Why do people wear sweatshirts while they’re running? Oh, the mystery.

Running outside on Sunday really spoiled me. This is not fun. Not fun.

On that note….Hey, Winter. We get it. That’s enough.

Spring, Hurry up!!!!

Going home in 3 days! Sweeeeet. 

Eh, I have to pack. I need to make a packing list. 

I should probably call J to make sure he’s still picking me up. 

Weather Forecast: Sunny and 70º. Gooood stuff. I can handle that.

Time check: 12 minutes left. ehhhhhh.

iPod: Find a song that lasts longer than 2 minutes. Settle. Deal. Keeeep goin’.

Final line-up: The Queen & I. Take Your Mama Out All Night. Amsterdam. Free & Easy.

Done.