That's how we Roll

Josh has asked me a number of times to get the recipe for my family's eggrolls. So after several years of dating and nearly one year of marriage I made good on this request and brought home the recipe for Filipino style eggrolls. We spent our Saturday afternoon gathering ingredients, combining said ingredients and ended up with this delicious product:


Josh also decided to try to make cream cheese and shrimp filled wontons inspired by a favorite dish from A Dong but the cream cheese kept leaking out when he put them in the oil to fry. A few of them turned out but it might be easier to just head to the restaurant for the real deal.

Feeling Blue

We painted our bedroom this color blue when we first moved into our house a couple of years ago...

But now, we're having lukewarm feelings about it and are considering repainting it one of these blues instead...


I think I'm leaning towards the one in the middle on the top row. Josh is into the one on the left on the top row. Either way, looks like we're in for a darker room than we have now which could equal more hard-to-wake-up-feels-like-the-dead-of-night-not-8 a.m.-mornings, (not that I'm complaining!).

DeliciosO!

This week in Des Moines we are celebrating restaurant week. In honor of the week's festivities Lora and I along with Dean and Dawn decided we should go out and eat at one of the restaurants participating that we haven't been to. We went to Sbrocco and it was a great decision. Lora had a delicious marinated steak with mashed potatoes and green beans with Parmesan frites as an appetizer and a Colorado ginger peach biscuit with whipped cream. It was as good as it sounds. I had the half chicken with mashed potatoes surrounded by corn chowder, spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette with Maytag blue cheese crumbles and a chocolate torte that was amazing. All in all the food was cooked exceptionally well and the atmosphere inside Sbrocco leads you to believe you're in a hip neighborhood restaurant in Chicago. The menu is a bit pricey and the portions are just average but the food is definitely worth it.

I think I discovered my new favorite type of wine during our dining experience as well. I am not a wine connoisseur by any means but I do enjoy the stuff. The wine is an old vine Zinfandel. I just bought a bottle at World Market today hopefully I enjoy it as much as I did at Sbrocco.

A view of the huge wine selection downstairs at Sbrocco

What Have Yahs Wednesday

1. I can't believe how much Suds sheds! You really wouldn't think a Great Dane would leave a trail of hair behind but our little puppy love definitely breaks the mold. His hair is everywhere in our house! Josh's parents tipped us off to this handy tool they use on their dog Dublin. Zoom Groom to the rescue!

Ours is in red, but you get the gist. Get yours here.

2. Thanks to the blogging world, I nabbed myself a free photobook from Shutterfly. This post from my pal, Jennifer's sister, Becky (did that make sense?) alerted me to this sweet deal. Thank my lucky stars that this family loves a bargain and is willing to share the info :)

I've been meaning to Shutterfly photobook our honeymoon photos for a long time. Cease the freebie!

3. I'm super in love with this Monster Trail Mix from Archer Farms. I've never been much of a trail mix person but ever since I decided that I liked peanuts (okay, the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips and M&Ms aren't that bad either), I've had my hand in the jar nonstop...and it shows.

Waah! Trail mix gone. What a bummer.

All I Do is Party, ha ha ha ha

Since Josh shared the song that he has in his head, I thought I'd take the time to share the one that I've been humming all day long.

do dah doo dah do dah doo dah dodah do!

All it took was a few beers, a fire and some reminiscing to get the theme song to Doug stuck in my head for the past few days. Damn you, Doug Funny!!! Also, I really need to figure out what we are going to dress up for Halloween this year. It's only a couple months away! Will we ever Be able to beat the swarm of B's?

So not Good

Note to self: next time we get married clean out tub of wedding stuff in the garage ASAP lest we discover 11-month old wedding cupcakes in a Steve Madden shoebox.

Look who's Back

He's just a little guy.

After our upstairs TV bit the dust, we hauled this little fella out of storage. He was the primary TV in my college apartment/dilapidated housing. You can almost feel the history seeping out of him. Oh, the things he's seen and heard, the stories he could tell.

Aaah! Attack of the giant Suds! Doesn't he look incredibly large compared to the TV?

Suck It

Dear Mediacom,

You are incredibly frustrating. The internet connection that you provide only works 50% of the time, despite having sent a tech out a few months ago to fix this exact problem. What's more annoying is that it appears you have the uncanny ability to detect our plans to use the internet and at the exact moment that we click on our web browser, you quit working. If I quit working at my job, I get in trouble. What happens to you when you quit working? Nothing! You probably just sit around and quit working all day, giving the invisible finger to unsuspecting people like me. And yes, I have tried unplugging, waiting and then plugging in the modem; that also only works 50% of the time.

I have but two parting words for you, my friend: suck it*.

Pic from here.

*thanks to our Oregon family and friends for bringing this gem back.

What Have Yahs Wednesday

1.) The Cubs Mantra the past few years has been next year is this year, playing on the traditional Cubs anthem of "maybe next year". Well my friends next year is next year in this case. The Chicago National League ball club is dreadful and their chances of making the playoffs are about as good as me successfully growing a money tree in my backyard. I am not happy about it but rather pathetically numb to it by now. Football season can't get here fast enough. 17 more days until Hawkeye football!!!

2.) I have many friends who are teachers whom I love very much. Sorry but summer is over and you have to go back to work like the rest of us working stiffs. I know your summer break wasn't long enough and it's hard to get back into the swing of things after 3 months off but just think about the 2 weeks you'll get off for Christmas. Sorry guys.

3.)Trofie Pasta... ever heard of it? It is a pretty unique pasta that I haven't been able to find at but a few places. The last time I had Trofie I made a homemade mac n' cheese. This pasta is especially great for those who enjoy an al dente style pasta. I foresee a dish including Trofie in my near future. Enjoy!

Saturday Night with Sarah Marshall

Josh and I sat down with a heaping bowl of...
and watched "Forgetting Sarah Marshall". We've seen it before but it's hard to resist a film with Jonah Hill (Superbad), Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) and Jack McBrayer (30 Rock). Added bonus-a Dracula musical. Need I say more?

Ode to the State Fair

Grater Taters!

Oh, Iowa State Fair, how I love you. I anxiously wait all summer for you to greet us with delicious fried foods and sweets and the company you keep never ceases to amaze me. The flowing mullets, the toothless young men, the girls who parade around The Depot in their micro mini skirts and sky high heels, the older women who throw caution to the wind and go bra-less at the Bud Tent, the guys who casually sling their white Hanes tees over their shoulder and walk around half naked, gold chain necklace, chest and arm tattoos blazing; it's poetry in motion.

Reasons to Love Okoboji

Okoboji 2009 was a success! Here's why we love it so much:

• It's a great place for a game of catch.

• It's fun for kids of all ages.

• It's one of the few places where the phrase, "put it in the hole, girl" is socially acceptable.

• Dance parties in the hotel room are encouraged...as long as you're not facing these angry people.

• It's like a time machine. You find yourself right back in the middle of seedy college dance bars with Makeout McGees.

• Who knows where the night will take you? The itinerary could include the family-friendly game Catchphrase and then a drink-off.

What Have Yahs Wednesday

1. My first selling experience on Craigs list began last week and let me tell you there are a lot of idiots out there. I have purchased a few things on Craigs list before but have never attempted selling anything. I am selling my old car for $2500, previously $2750. I was warned I would have to deal with some real gems but this is nuts and the offers keep getting more ridiculous. First, I was offered $1,500 via email then I was offered to trade my car for an 03 Saturn with 155K miles and pay the owner of the Saturn an additional $1500. And just minutes ago, I was asked if I could draw up a quick contract and finance the purchase of my car for someone. Are you F'n serious?

2. I think one of my new favorite shows on TV is Man vs. Food. The show is about a guy who travels all over the U.S. and enjoys all of the local fare. The show ends with him trying to eat a local favorite food that is known to be a challenging feat. IE: An 11lb pizza or nuclear hot wings.

3. We just got back from Okoboji. I have only been 2 years in a row now but both times have been an absolute blast. Going to the beach, heading out on a boat and drinking at the bars and restaurants are all a blast. But with all that said I know the real reason we always have so much fun is because of how great our friends are that go with us! I am already looking forward to going back next year.

The End Is Near

As I write this on the 11th of August, it is all too apparent the end of summer is upon us. While that means great things such as football, fall color and wearing fall clothes, the end of summer also means not too long until Winter and Winter sucks! So with this slightly depressing news I thought maybe we could all use a laugh. I know this website has been around for awhile but it is still funny.

Your Family Photo?

Not so Puppy, Puppy Love

This post from Kelly made me think of all the names we call our little 2-year-old Suds. That's right, folks, Sudsy turned two last Thursday! Here's the birthday boy, also known as...

• Suds
• Sudsy
• Suds Suds Circle Pizza
• Sudsers
• Sudser Bean (a Nick and Amy original)
• Shuds, Shuds
• Puppy Love
• Love Suds
• Suds-a-Love
• Sudsy Pie
• Pie, Pie
• Pie Suds
• Lits (as in little)
• Wits (as in "wittle", thanks a lot, Kelly)

Birthday toy, yea!

His nicknames have also spawned a few songs that go like this...

• Suds-a-pie, Suds-a-pie, kissed the girls, made them cry (it's a hybrid of the chorus from the theme song for the cartoon "SpiderMan" and the nursery rhyme "Georgie Porgie").
• I want some Sudsy and some pie, pie, pie. (I think the original tune of this song might be the brainchild of Josh and his friend, Schlicting).
• I am taller than the fat Great Dane. (not derived from a nickname but very humorous to me and Josh. It's sung to an original tune from Suds' point of view in his "human" voice, which we imagine to sound very carefree with a hint of dopey).

What have yahs Wednesday

1. The last few times we've been to the movies, Josh and I have seen previews for the film "Where the Wild Things Are" which is based on the popular book from our childhood. Josh is super excited about this but I can't recall what the book was about. Wasn't it mostly illustrations? I know that I definitely have it packed away at my dad's house along with my Berenstain Bears and Mercer Mayer books so perhaps I'll have to go digging through storage.

Pic from here.

2. I think this is the best purchase I've made in a long time. An alternative to my usual summer uniform of solid colored, short-sleeved cotton tees and denim capris. Plus, it has pockets! Who doesn't love dresses with pockets? My sister-in-law, Dawn would be so proud!

I bought it here.

3. I was listening to my old Fiona Apple CD when I was playing Josh's sous chef and helping with the potato salad this past weekend. Man, I totally forgot how much I loved Fiona Apple in high school! I used to listen to that CD everyday. I wonder what Fiona is up to these days?

Pic from here, taken from her infamous video and song from the 90s "Criminal" (rumored to be about an orgy-yikes!). Josh said my parents probably were kind of worried about me since her music was a little dark. I told him they probably weren't that worried considering I alternated between her CD and Hanson's-ha.

A taste of the good life!

Remember when you were a kid? Sometimes it is hard to remember that time so long ago when your biggest concern was Math homework and making it in for dinner, finishing and getting outside to play before it was dark. Sometimes all it takes is a little help to trigger those memories of the glory days. I experienced such a thing just this Sunday. I had a Nesbits orange soda. I instantly was brought back to a childhood spent camping and playing baseball. I miss my Nesbits. Do you remember pop in glass bottles? We are the generation where pop evolved from just cola and "uncola" to Surge, Jolt and who could forget Shasta. I had no idea pop would play such a role in my childhood. I didn't even drink much pop as a youth. Now all I can find is Nesbits in orange but they used to have a full array of flavors from strawberry, root beer and even the famed blue cream soda! Well now that my orange time machine in a bottle is all gone I guess I will go on to chugging my coffee at my 9 to 5 job trapped in my cube. Until next time Nesbits!

Yum, Summer

Vodka Lemonade has to be THE quintessential summer drink. It's light, it's refreshing and it makes me think of those carefree college days.

Now that Josh and I are all grown up, we like to keep this drink classy...

Out of the cupboard and into my glass you go, Five O'Clock Vodka.

Buy Local, Eat Local, Be Local

Saturday Lora and I planned to have some guests over to our house for a lovely summer meal. In my quest to buy as many local ingredients for my cooking as I can, we took a trip to the famed Des Moines Farmer's Market. We purchased most of the produce that we would eat later that night at the market. We bought everything from potatoes to flowers including a delicious cheese danish from La Mie. If you have never eaten anything from La Mie I strongly suggest you do so. One of the dishes we made was potato salad from Paula Deen...it was very tasty!

Give the potato salad a shot!!!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/red-potato-salad-with-bacon-recipe/index.html