Cheap and trashy bachelor parties

I do enjoy the simple things. Lisa came over to hangout in the backyard and brought treats. Popcorn and Hanger One Kaffir Lime Vodka with soda water from BevMo! We listened to Pandora (Rebelution station) and flipped through gossip magazines while catching up. Ryan was in the city doing Josh's bachelor party which included dinner at Bubba Gumps and a strip club. I couldn't hide my disgust from Lisa, thankfully she agreed it sounded both cheap and trashy. And added to my delight that guys who go to a strip club probably shouldn't get married.

Made me think about the other bachelor parties I have known of. Both my brother and Big Ryan hung out with their best friends and played video games at home. David had a friend who took a camper and did a camping road trip type of deal- with the beach and surfing with the guys. The girl bachelorette parties I have gone to its just dancing and drinking with the girls. Except for Ryan's coworker Christine who invited Ryan (the one guy) to her party - that too I would consider a slap in the face and unorthodox.

For myself I wonder what I would want. Calm and relaxing. Versatile. Rent a cabin or house in Tahoe with pool, hot tub and gas fireplace. With the option of club and dancing at night. Or maybe Napa with wine tasting and gormet food - some type of day spa near by for massages. I most likely be too broke for any of that. But I can dream and wonder - because let's face it I have no plans to get married.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

recipe from - Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis

* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
* 2 red bell peppers, sliced
* 2 yellow onions, sliced
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
* 4 garlic cloves, chopped
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 cup Marsala wine
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
* freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain. (I sliced the sausages before cooking them to reduce cooking time)
2. Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.
3. Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
4. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the thickened sauce; toss to combine. Spoon into individual bowl and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-6

CHANGES WE LIKE.
We (and by we I mean Catherine) adds a lot of unmeasured GARLIC. 4 spoonfuls instead of 4 cloves is more like it. We also for the guys add more MEAT. Usually 1 package of sweet italian turkey sausage and 1 package of hot italian sausage. In this picture we used whatever pasta we had available or that we could find. (Rotini). Sometimes we add grated white cheese (mozzarella or a italian blend) and bake it as a casserole. 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

A week without spending money!!

I hate feel trapped by debt, so I am going to track my spending and put myself on a cash budget and put the rest towards my debt. I am already a boring person - I like reading and picnics, long walks outdoors and farmers markets. While I want to be frugal, I want to be healthy. Gr why is our society is backwards, it's cheaper to eat processed bad foods, than locally grown organic foods. But at least I am stubborn enough to say I don't want to eat crappy food anymore; I am too old to do that to my body. Anyways, that doesn't leave me with any money really to go out or go on trips. The way Ryan puts it, we go out a lot, even though we always share and never drink anything other than water, keep our meals under $10 for the two of us. Makes me want to just not go out at all. Not like I could either, I don't have sugar daddy like Ryan to pay for all my trips and work I am missing. Believe it or not I don't think I could do that. I like to earn things, I would hate to feel in-debt to someone even if they offered. I believe you learn the value of money by doing it the hard way and you appreciate trips more when you earn them and wait. Enough ranting - this week I decided to not spend money for the whole week.

Tuesday - I didn't even go to the farmers market and share a coffee with Ryan. I killed time cleaning and helping John at the office.
Wednesday - laundry and went to the office with John again. Ryan didn't have Qzar so we made burgers and brussel sprouts at home. Watched Grimm off my computer.
Thursday - Window shopping at REI, Ryan picked up products at GNC, ate tuna sandwiches with pickles and mustard, watched End of Game of Thrones and started Dexter, Karaoke at the Greenery.
Friday - Sacramento with mom for the day, Ryan and I ate grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Continued with Grimm.
Saturday - visited Grandma Ann in Half Moon Bay, we watched One For the Money.
Sunday - ran errands with mom, she got a rug cleaner, watched baby Johnny, Walmart with Ryan he bought T-shirts, Ate Linguini with brown butter and mizithra cheese and tri tip. Watched Planet of the Apes.
Monday - Catherine and Adam cooked Giada's Everyday Italian - Pasta with sweet/hot italian sausage, red peppers, onions, marsala wine and tomato sauce. Continued watching Grimm.

I can't wait to eat more vegetables, thankfully its tuesday again. Off to the farmers market. This weeks goal might be to eat healthier and workout more than what I did last week.

Plants and soap!!

This morning while I cut my brothers hair Catherine was in the kitchen having us help her with the fast money round on her iphone. She read the questions out loud and we all tried to answer. It was so entertaining that my dad added the game to his facebook so he could play.

Anyways it sparked a memory. One of the questions asked what is not good for plants or a garden? My sister answer SOAP?? My first thought was - that is such a Catherine response (so silly) - but then my mom begins to tell the story behind it Catherine and her best friend Jamie decide to help clean and washed the plants leaves and all with soap and water. They were in elementary school I think. Anyways so got zero jepardy points.

A Poem At Last!!!

I think the last poem Ryan wrote was after we watched My Sister's Keeper sometime back in July 2009 (Quiet Moment).

He used to always write me poems; and poems in general. Probably enough to fill a couple of books. He used it as a way to express himself; at first a lot of angry at the world and then love and beautiful things. He was even published in a poetry book where he wrote a dedication to me. And I can almost remember my first Valentine's card.

Anyways this one was not inspired by a movie, it was in my birthday card. Usually Ryan doesn't give silly cards, they are always classy black and white romantic images. So it made me giggle and smile and cry.

And then hand written on the back;

"A silly card to declare my admiration. But it suits you so well. So a simple poem to give it better inspiration.

Your eyes glow deep like honey bees and autumn leaves,
they swirl with imagination
Like a river flowing constantly,
your love spills out from inner peace with endless destinations.

You fill the world with elephants and unicorns
and all the colors of your joy.
Like a cup of tea,
you warm the lives if those who drink from the heat of your beauty.
You age like wine and cheese
and taste just as great.
And like butterflies,
you fly so high to transform from former states.
With friends and family by your side,
you move on after today to more beautiful and better days.

Happy Birthday Teresa
Love Ryan"

Chicken Mushroom Alfredo with Asparagus

Whats even better than home cooking - is home cooking you don't have to cook yourself. Catherine and Adam cooked dinner tonight. It was kind of a build your own pasta. Fettuccine noodles (or for me gluten free macaroni), Mushrooms sauteed in garlic, Garlic Alfredo Sauce, Sauteed Asparagus in Garlic and Chicken pan fried in garlic of course. And if that wasn't enough sour dough bread spread with Kerry's Gold Irish Garlic Herb Butter.

It was another marathon television night watching Game of Thrones.

#118 Fartless 16 Bean Soup

Last night we made Fartless 16 Bean Soup - (btw its not fartless or at least not for Ryan) Sixteen different beans, Spices Mix, Ham, Celery, Carrots and Garlic!!! Between soaking and cooking, it took almost all day to make and it was well worth it.

Got the kit in TX at Bass Pro Shop, cute heavy cotton bag and on the back of the bag there is a message from The Old Fart that ends with; “…don’t look to this soup to grant you relief, may all yours be quiet and brief”.

While waiting for this to cook we watched Game of Thrones on HBOgo. This was not our first stay at home date night of the years. Just the first I remember to write down.

Reading List 2012

I can't believe I did it - for my 2011 resolution to myself was to attempt to read at least a book a month for the an entire year. My goal this year was to keep it up. By the time August came around I lost track and didn't up keep the list. But here is it to the best of my ability, I may have left some book off towards the end of the year. Oh well.

January
A Bite to Remember by Lynsay Sands
A Accidental Vampire by Lynsay Sands
One For The Money by Janet Evanovich
Bite Me If You Can by Lynsay Sands
Vampires Are Forever by Lynsay Sands
Vampire, Interrupted by Lynsay Sands
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
MockingJay by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
(audio) The End of Overeating. Taking control of the insatiable American appetite by David A. Kessler

February
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
The Rogue Hunter by Lynsay Sands
The Immortal Hunter by Lynsay Sands
The Renegade Hunter by Lynsay Sands
Bitten By Cupid by Lynsay Sands
Born to Bite by Lynsay Sands
Hungry For You by Lynsay Sands

March
Knit One, Kill Two by Maggie Sefton
Needled To Death by Maggie Sefton
A Deadly Yarn by Maggie Sefton
A Killer Stitch by Maggie Sefton
A Duty To The Dead by Charles Todd
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
To Die For by Linda Howard
Drop Dead Gorgeous by Linda Howard

April
The Reluctant Vampire by Lynsay Sands
Dyer Consequences by Maggie Sefton
Fleece Navidad by Maggie Sefton

May
Dropped Dead Stitch by Maggie Sefton
Where the Heart Is - From This Day and Her Mother's Keeper by Nora Roberts
Skein of the Crime by Maggie Sefton
The Bite Before Christmas by Lynsay Sands
Unraveled by Maggie Sefton

June
Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James
Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James
Under A Vampire Moon by Lynsay Sands
Born In Fire by Nora Roberts
Born In Ice by Nora Roberts
Born In Shame by Nora Roberts
My Life in France by Julia Child (audiobook)

July
Magic in the Wind by Christine Feehan
Twilight Before Christmas by Christine Feehan
Oceans of Fire by Christine Feehan
Dangerous Tides by Christine Feehan
Safe Harbor by Christine Feehan
Turbulent Sea by Christine Feehan
Hidden Currents by Christine Feehan
Water Bound by Christine Feehan
Spirit Bound by Christine
Cast On, Kill Off by Maggie Sefton
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan

August
One For The Money by Janet Evanovich
Two For The Dough by Janet Evanovich
Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich
Four to Score by Janet Evanovich

September
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
Specials by Scott Westerfeld
Extras by Scott Westerfeld
High Five by Janet Evanovich
Hot Six by Janet Evanovich
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich
Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich
Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich
To The Nines by Janet Evanovich

October
Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
Where We Belong by Emily Giffin
Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich
Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich
Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich
Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich
Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
The Last Peep by Janet Evanovich

November
Lady Is A Vamp by Lynsay Sands
The Essential Sherlock Holmes - a collection of seven great stories
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
•A Scandal in Bohemia
•The Red-Headed League
•The Man with the Twisted Lip
•The Adventure of the Copper Beeches
•The Adventure of the Crooked Man
•The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
•The Adventure of the Six Napoleons
4 Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss

December
Wild Card by Lora Leigh
Night Hawk by Lora Leigh