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Thinking Out Loud: From First to FUN!

Posted on January 8, 2015 by kissmybroccoli

HAPPeeeeeeey New YEEEEEEEEar!

Ok, I know…I’m like a week late, but what can I say? Hmm…

I could say that I’ve been recruited into the CIA and have been involved in super secret CIA activities wherein I get to wear a seriously sexy black turtleneck and strappy boots, but well, then I’d have to hunt you all down and “take care of you” for knowing my super secret information. So I guess I could just save us all the heartache involved in international snipering and just hypnotize you with my ~~mun~~FUNdane…

Like my family dinner on the first complete with ham, corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and lucky black-eyed peas that were practically licked clean from the pan.

Like making it all the way to season THREE of Portlandia in record time since the holidays are finally over and I can justify sitting inside all day long.

Like the fact that it is currently 8ºF (but “feels like” -8ºF <-NEG-A-TIVE EIGHT, people!) outside and that isn’t enough reason to justify sitting inside all day long.

Freezing Sunrise

Like the fact that this was taken Monday morning when I got home from work and was very much intended to be the LAST time I stepped outside the house for the following four days.

Like the fact that I uploaded that picture to Instagram just because I’d noticed that it’d been three days since my last post.

Like whipping up a pot of soup with ALL THE THINGS since I went to the grocery store on my way to work Sunday, with the intention of transforming into a seasonal hermit since I knew it was going to be bloody fucking cold all week. Bollucks!

Like flipping into an English accent halfway through this post because I watched Snatch for the first time last night and haven’t been able to stop talking like that (or daydreaming about Brad Pitt’s abs) since.

Like allowing a friend to talk me into going to Nashville to run a few post-holiday errands. I claimed DJ status for the ride down since discovered the Coachella playlist on Spotify.

Like indulging in a steak ~~dinner~~ lunch at the end of said trip to Nashville because ~~I earned it~~ dammit I wanted some grilled MEAT! Omg, T.G.I.Fridays has the BEST sweet potato fries!

Like surprising the hell out of myself and leaving the comforts of my 72°F degree home yesterday to go to the gym and…

Like DYING all over that treadmill. Longest (pant) thirty minutes (pant) EVER! Ugh, I’m so out of shape…but determined to do it all over again today (especially since I discovered the 3pm sweet spot…aka, before all the New Year’s resolutioners get off work!). 😉

And then I’m coming home, donning ANOTHER pair of pajamas, cuddling up with a blanket and some of that leftover soup, and diving into the last season of Portlandia.

And it’s definitely fun to be back with Spoons and all her crew for another round of ToL. Be sure to check out all the linkups this week!

What have YOU done for the first week of the year?

Anyone going to Coachella? Don’t tell me! I’m jealous!

Posted in Thinking Out Loud | Tagged gym, soup, Spotify, steak, sweet potato fries, winter | 16 Comments

December: The Month of ME!!

Posted on December 31, 2014 by kissmybroccoli

Happy New Year’s Eve!

But before we dive headfirst into 2015, it’s time to slow down and take note of some “Currentlies”. December may have gone by in a flash, had a few stresses, and been colder than hell, but it was a damn good month and deserves some appreciation. Besides, I did get some pretty rockin’ hair days out of it too! 😉

Current Book:

I finally hunted down, Nanny Returns, the sequel to last month’s book, at the library in hopes that it would give me some closure…don’t you hate it when books just end and you’re left with five thousand questions?! Well, as of today I’m on page 53 of 305. Whoops?

Current Music:

I’ve been a bit all over the place with music this month…Glass Animals, Alt-J, all my favorite Christmas tunes, and over the weekend, after sorting through all my old CDs, I broke out some Drowning Pool. But really, the number of times I’ve played Ed Sheeran’s “Don’t” is slightly embarrassing.

Uncensored of course…because ya know, I like to say “fuck” a lot and well, this way I get to sing it a whole NINE TIMES! 😉

Current Guilty Pleasure:

In addition to all the cookbooks gifted to me between my birthday and Christmas, I just had to go out and buy TWO MORE! But hey, the birthday bookcase/wine rack is looking pretty freaking awesome…

I’m throwing the idea back and forth right now to challenge myself in the new year to randomly make at least ONE recipe a week from one of these books…not a resolution but a recipe roulette if you will. We’ll see.

Current ~~Nail~~ NUB Color:

My nails are beyond pathetic, but earlier this month, I had hoped that my new Essie color, No More Film would help to protect my little nubbies. No such luck. BUT, I do have a recommendation from a friend that I’m going to check out called Nailtiques. Anyone ever heard of it?

Current Entertainment:

How do you pass away the gray and gloomy days of December? ALL THE NETFLIX! Since finishing off season two of The Carrie Diaries, I’ve been alternating between season three of Switched at Birth and season one of Portlandia <-HI-LARIOUS!

Current Wish/Needs:

Motivation to get back into the gym/yoga studio/anything that involves movement! I’ve become a Netflix-bingeing sloth!! 😯

Current Food:

In addition my apparent need for ALL THE CHEESE, I’ve also recently become addicted to and compelled to track down/buy/hoard…

ALL THE JIF WHIPS!!

What can I say? I’m a total sucker for anything “limited edition”. I really have no one but ~~myself~~ Instagram to blame. Oh and Sara, for introducing me to ecstasy that is s’mores flavored peanut butter. And even though I can’t track it down ANYWHERE within a 50 mile radius of my little po-dunk town, I’ve decided it’s better to have ~~loved~~ s’mored and lost than to have never ~~loved~~ s’mored at all.

Current Drink:

Hey, I didn’t go to wine snob class for nothing! I gotta earn my ~~stripes~~ grapes!

Current Triumphs:

I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT! I have to say I’m pretty proud of myself for finally crossing off just about everything on my to-do list before the end of the year…now to find a damn kitchen table!

Current Bane of Existence:

The tiny little gnomes hiding inside my computer who fuck up my online purchases! I had not one, not two, but THREE payment snafus while getting all my Christmas shopping done this month. Needless to say, breakdowns ensued and can now name a couple of my gray hairs after them.

Current Blogger Crush:

Can I just say I have a crush on all you guys? Seriously, I’m STILL glowing from all your sweet, sweet comments on KMB’s birthday post! xoxo

Current Indulgence:

Besides spoiling myself and spending just about as much on ME as I did for others this year (because, umm, I deserve it…duh!), my coworkers have been spoiling me even more…

Another year, another cookie conundrum. Of course I do give myself props for only stuffing myself silly ONCE this year!

Current Blessing:

Family, friends, health, happiness, to love, and to be loved.

Current Outfit:

Alert the presses! Mark your calendars! Heather’s wearing PANTS!! 😯
I know, I have failed you all, but it has just been TOO damn cold for leggings…so I broke out the jeans…and have basically been living in them all month!

Current Excitement:

Call it cliché, but I’m really excited about the new year! This year turned out to be one of the best years for me…in terms of growth, maturation (except for my thirteen-year-old sense of humor), and fulfillment. I can’t wait to see what 2015 holds!

Current Link:

http://jetpack.me/annual-report/27379510/2014/ 😀

Current Mood:

Curious. Eager. Excited.

Ahhh, that was FUN! Any of you out celebrating there tonight, have fun and be safe! I’ll see ya “next year”! 😉

What is your current guilty pleasure?

What are you looking forward to in the new year?

Posted in Currently | Tagged cookies, music, peanut butter, Quest bars, wine | 19 Comments

Going Out and Getting Cheesy

Posted on December 30, 2014 by kissmybroccoli

I go through a lot of phases with food…

From what I eat to WHERE I eat, I can’t help but get fixated on certain foods or flavors…even if it takes actually scrolling through my photo library for me to realize it. Which is what happened over the weekend. I don’t know about you guys, but I tend to go out for meals more often this time of year. There’s just something about having a warm meal brought TO you that helps melt away the holiday stresses…and it’s even better when it gives you more time to spend with your nearest and dearest. And as CHEESY as that sounds, it’s true in every way!

Like the dinner I had with a couple of friends earlier this month…

Bust out the beer flights, it’s time for some fun!

But seriously, it was a great night spent telling stories, sharing laughs, and pausing momentarily to praise the pizza gods for this one here…

Seriously the BEST veggie pizza I have ever had in.my.life! Sorry, Mellow Mushroom, but you ain’t got nothing on Rock Bottom Brewery! Epic love stories could be written about this thing…of course it would always end in tragedy since it’s absolutely impossible not to devour every last bit! Topped with mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, DRESSED spinach leaves and feta, I can assure you, Shakespeare would be pleased.

And you know what makes a night out with friends even better?

MORE pizzaaaaaaaah!

After a couple of hours/drinks at The Flying Saucer (my new FAVE-o-rite hangout…they have leather fucking couches, people!), we got a fever and the only cure for that fever was more ~~cowbell~~ cheese!* Our “smack yo’ mama good” combo included spiced beef, BEER bratwurst, and perfectly sliced prosciutto and it seriously earned a moment of silence after the first bite. Also? I feel the need to bring to your attention that this pie was incidentally the exact OPPOSITE of the last one we ordered. Yeah, I couldn’t help but laugh.

*Please dear god, somebody get that SNL reference!

After visiting some old coworkers a couple of days later, I ended up faced with a serious case of the hangries. Since the weather was all gloom and doom like it’s been most of this month, I wasn’t really surprised when I found myself automatically pulling into Olive Garden. But instead of the soup, salad, and breadsticks that I usually order, I decided to finally sample some of the small plates I’ve seen advertised lately (and drooled profusely over). Starting with these Crispy Risotto Bites…

They weren’t bad. I would’ve preferred a bit more of a cheesy flavor inside so I didn’t finish them, but I made sure to lap up every last bit of that delicious marinara! Luckily my other selection made up for what the other lacked in the gooey melty cheese department…

BAM! This tortellini, stuffed with prosciutto, topped with bacon and COVERED in parmesan cream sauce, with extra grated parmesan on top (who am I to say no to a waitress offering free cheese?), was…dare I say, too much cheese?! I’ll admit, I did entertain the idea of ordering their pumpkin cheesecake for the road, but this little sly ninja cheesemonger had to tap out after all that richness! 😯

THEN there was Tori’s graduation dinner a couple of weeks ago at one of my favorite local restaurants, Liberty Park Grill, where some (sadly unpictured, but nevertheless ahhhhhMAZING!) Southwest Egg Rolls were devoured among the lot of us. After taking a dip in some fried pickles and quietly reciting poetry to the softest bread ever made, it was time for our entrees…

And my Strawberry Chicken Salad did NOT disappoint! Super juicy grilled chicken breast over fresh farmers’ market greens with strawberries, CARAMELIZED pecans and bleu cheese crumbles with a delicious honey vinaigrette dressing.

And because we all know my little sister has more guts that me…