Penguins, Devils and catching up with an old friend

This past weekend, Jason and I packed up the truck, and made the 4.5 drive across the PA turnpike back home to Pittsburgh.  We are very fortunate that his aunt has season tickets to the Pittsburgh Penguins and sells us quite a few games throughout the season.

We had passes to the Lexus Club.  The passes allow you to enter the arena earlier than the general public to shop or to eat dinner in the club.  There is also a buffet during the period breaks and a really nice bar.  We didn't eat there because we go to a bar down the road before games for pitchers of beer and food.  It's our tradition.  We did have a drink at the bar between the second and third periods.  It was nice to drink out of real glass and not a plastic cup at the game! 

Also before the game, I met up with an old friend that I had lost touch with since I moved away from Pittsburgh.  We were very close when I lived there and I was very happy to see her.  She was the one who introduced me to Sushi! 

Alison was amazed that I was trying something new, so she had to document it!  I'm very picky so it was a huge deal that I even tried Sushi in the first place!

To Snack or not to Snack

I don't usually eat a proper lunch.  My office isn't very close to any lunch-y places and when I wake up in the morning, the last thing I am thinking about is packing a lunch.  Most days, I'm lucky I get out of the door on time!  So, I tend to just snack throughout the day.  I keep a good assortment of things at my desk.

Honey Nut Chex for breakfast-No Milk.  Milk does not do this body good.

I also have tons of other stuff laying around.  Clif bars, Luna Bars, Fruit Snacks, Annie's Cheddar Bunnie's (my fave!).  Really anything I can pick at.

Lunch today is some leftover pierogie's from last night's dinner.

I am most looking forward to my mid afternoon snack though: squeezy apple sauce and Barney almond butter!  I don't even put the almond butter on anything, I just squeeze it right out of the tube.

I've have had a Chinese craving for weeks now.  So, I may just get some takeaway for dinner and relax tonight.

So my question for everyone is PF Chang's takeaway or regular Chinese?  PF Chang's in delicious, but I would have to go pick it up and it's not at all on my way home.  Tough Decisions....

The Birthday Boy

Jason turns the big 3-4 today.  Since we knew that we couldn't be together on his birthday, we planned ahead and went out to dinner last weekend.  Red Lobster for Endless Shrimp, his birthday tradition and one of his favorites.  The shrimp, not necessarily the restaurant.  I had bought him a Troy Polamalu jersey a while back as his birthday gift.  We match now.  Mine's just much smaller.

Of course, I couldn't just let his birthday go without buying him anything else, so I picked up a few little things.  I bought him a pair of slippers to wear around the house.

There is also a candy store in a little shopping village near our house that sells retro candy.  So I picked up some Razzles.  Do you remember those?  First it's candy, then it's gum.  I think they look like legos.

 Of course, I also got his favorite candy of all time.  Peachy Penguins.

Cute little guys aren't they?  I normally have to special order them, but that little candy store just started carrying them so they were much, much less expensive! 

 Happy Birthday, Jason!  I owe you a cheesecake next week :)

Meal for One

With Jason in Dallas a good chunk of the week, that means I am solo for dinner.  By the time I get home from work, one of two things happens.  1. I'm either too tired to cook or 2. I just don't feel like it.  So what normally happens is I end up throwing something together from odds and ends in the refrigerator and I'm not really satisfied with my meal.  But last night, I was hungry.  I wanted something delicious.  So, I baked some Lemon Herb Tilapia that I had in the freezer and cooked up some Roasted Garlic couscous.  Threw together a quick salad and I had a delicious meal in about 25 minutes.  Most of which was just for the fish to cook up in the oven.  Fabulous!

Lemon Herb Tilapia-Gorton's (in the freezer serction) Near East Roasted Garlic Couscous

Does anyone have meal ides for one?  I hate cooking for just myself!  I feel like it's such a waste!

a (sweet) surprise.

I came home to see this pretty little logo sitting on my counter.

I'm not huge on sweets. However, I do happen to LOVE cupcakes. Not big cakes, just cupcakes. So, when I came home from a very long, but very fun trip to the Philadelphia Zoo friday night and Jason surprised me with a bag from Crumbs Bake Shop in NYC, I was very excited! Their cupcakes are HUGE and not too sweet, which I love. However, I could only eat half of it so I saved the rest for a snack for later. After being married for so long, it is nice that he still thinks to bring me home little treats now and again!  It's also especially welcome since he likes to tell me how he walks past Crumbs at Newark airport twice a week and the cupcakees look sooooo good!  It's torture!

What are your favorite little treats that your significant other brings home for you as a surprise?

Feeling Nostalgic

I remember my first concert at Mellon Arena.  Well, it was the Civic Arena back then.  I was a sophomore in High School.  Garth Brooks.  Really great seats.  5th row in the 100 level of the igloo, just off the front right corner of the stage.  It was perfect.  Until those two women behind me dumped their beers all over my mom.  Nice. 

I've gone to many events at Mellon over the years.  Endless concerts.  Even more Penguin games.  I've been there for the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  I also remember my last time at Mellon arena.  It was, of course for a Penguin game.  Stanley Cup Playoffs.  2010.  We didn't make it past the second round that year.  I had only gotten to go to a Round 1 game, against the Ottawa Senators.  I don't remember which game we had gone to specifically but I do remember walking up the hill from Cafe 5th Ave and feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness that this might be the last game I ever get to see at my beloved Igloo.  Turns out, it was my last game. 

Demolition has begun on the Igloo and Consol Energy Center is ushering in it's second year.  I love Consol and all of it's great new amenities.  Our seats are better than they were at Mellon. But, I will certainly miss this scenery coming up from my favorite pre-game spot:

Is anyone else feeling nostalgic about Mellon Arena being torn down?  I felt the same way about Three Rivers Stadium!

Vegan Pizza

I used to be addicted to cheese.  I could eat an entire plate of Mozz and Tomatoes and not even feel guilty about it.  The fresh mozzarella, so silky and smooth.  garden fresh tomotaoes so ripe and fragrant.  I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.  The problem became the my body kind of began to reject Dairy products.  I'd get so sick after consuming even the smallest amount that it just wan't worth it anymore to me.  So, I've been slowly trying to cut these foods from my diet.  Tonight I am going all out and making a vegan pizza.  Zero cheese.  No dairy whatsoever.  Even a homemade pizza dough.  How very Martha Stewart of me!

FOR THE CRUST (Makes 2 Crusts):

This recipe is courtey of The Pioneer Woman.  She has amazing recipes.  Although, they are not necessarily calorie concious.  And she loves cheese.  Which is why I love her.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Active Dry Or Instant Yeast
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Preparation Instructions

  TO MAKE THE CRUST:
  Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
  In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.
  Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it. ***It's best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better

*I've also made this in just a big 'ol bowl without an electric mixer just mixing it with my hands and it turns out equally as well.  I also usually freeze the second crust for later use and it still thaws out nicely for later use.

THE ANTICIPATED TOPPINGS

I have some veggies in my garden that will need picking before the first frost hits, so I think I am just going to use those as toppings.

•  Garlic Olive Oil "Sauce"
• Fresh Tomato Slices
• Green Peppers
• Red Peppers
• Artichoke Hearts (canned-I don't have those growing!)
• Black Olives (also canned)
• Fresh Basil sprinkled on top

This all sounds delicious on paper but I will let ya'll know how it actually turns out.  I'm still nervous about pizza without my beloved cheese!


What challenges has everyone out there faced with a diet?  Whether it be a diet for medical reason or just to drop a few pounds, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

30!

This should be my cake since we are celebrating in grand New Orleans Style...Hint Hint!

My 30th birthday is just over a month away and I suddenly feel old.  I didn't feel old two days ago.  But as soon as the calendar turned to October and the realization hit me that my birthday was just around the corner, I was getting ready to buy wrinkle cream and a walker.  I know, age is just a number.  You're only as old as you feel.  I hear ya.  But trust me.  Saying, "I'm thirty" as opposed to "i'm twenty-nine" is going to be a huge issue for me.

For all of my friends out there who have or will be turning 30 in the near future, how did you handle it or how do you think you'll handle it?  I could use some advice!