Fairy Princess

Last post for the day, I promise. Just so many thoughts racing through my enormous brain! Plus, I'm just making up for it because its a three-day weekend and I'm not blogging Monday. Too much fun to be had.
Anyway, my birthday is coming up in 3 months and if someone (ahem, hubs) would buy this dress for me, my life-long dream of becoming a fairy princess would be achieved. I'd also appreciate a tiara, wings and a magic wand.

Kitchen Art

So, I've been feeling crafty lately, and I've decided that I am going to re-create the art above on 4 canvases for our kitchen. The kitchen is "Key lime Green" and I think the art could look pretty coo. I'm going to paint the canvas, cut out the shapes from some fun colored scrapbook paper and decoupage the scrapbook paper onto the dry, painted canvas. This is a task for this weekend. If I get it done, I'll post pics :)

Food for Thought :: Flank Steak & Edamame

I would like to take a minute to brag on myself. For someone who did not know how to make jello, I have become a pretty good cook. While traveling to Italy, Spain, Ireland and Hawaii, the hubs and I found ourselves spending a large portion of our money on tasting all the different foods from each area. We began taking photos of what we ate, jotting down the ingredients, and critiquing the food, which lead us to our self proclamation as "Foodies."

As a foodie, health nut and newlywed of a fellow foodie and health nut, I began planning meals that were not only gourmet enough for a foodie, but healthy and filling enough for our waistlines. Last night, the hub's return home, I made a new recipe that combined two of our faves: steak and Japanese! The recipe was for Flank Steak and Edamame with Wasabi Dressing, and it was delish! The wasabi definitely delivered and cleared out my sinuses, as well!

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
• 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons wasabi paste

Preparation

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Rub steak with 2 teaspoons soy sauce; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak to pan. Cook for 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and edamame to pan; cook 2 minutes.

Combine vinegar and wasabi paste in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Place 1/2 cup edamame mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 3 ounces steak; drizzle each with 1 tablespoon vinegar mixture.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 253 (42% from fat)

Fat: 11.9g (sat 3g,mono 3.7g,poly 3.9g)

Protein: 27.7g

Carbohydrate: 5.9g

Fiber: 0.1g

Cholesterol: 28mg

Iron: 2.8mg

Sodium: 653mg

Calcium: 64mg

Rainy Days

"Well it's raining, and it's pouring, and my old man, well he is snoring. Rainy days, please stay..." ~ "Rain" by Priscilla Ahn

Another rainy day here at the university. I love rain. It makes me sleepy and my flowers happy. I just want to cuddle up in sweats and a nice cozy blanket. I'm ready for the holiday weekend! The last weekend of summer, possibly! Ready to grill, watch some football, go for a bike ride, possibly visit the winery and go to the pool for the last time this year.

Sad to see summer go, though. It went so fast this year! I am definitely, obviously excited for fall, but dreading what follows fall. I'm refusing to think past the present. Just going to enjoy the final days of 80 degree weather and prepare for embracing fall festivals, pumpkins, football, chili and leaves. I'm predicting that the leaves will begin to change in the second to last week of September and peak at early November. So excited to play in the leaves :)

Poppy Project

You may notice a vine growing on the side of my blog... it's the Coach poppy project!

Follow the poppy trail on the left side of my blog to discover a community of more blogs.

And play with the vine! Look for Poppy surprises in the pattern. If you spot a Coach Poppy bag, it’s your lucky day! Just click on the bag for a special gift.

Also... HELP MY VINE GROW!
Tweet: #calamityj Grow, Poppy! Grow! #CoachPoppy

If I get my vine to grow the most I'll win a $2,500 Coach gift card!

Contest end September 2. Help a sister out!!!

Can't contain myself!

It's raining here on this first day of September. The temperature is a cool 68 degrees, and the goosebumps on my arms are telling me that fall is here! I'm so excited to bust out the fall scented candles and decor, and embrace all that is fall! I've already checked out all the fall festivals occurring in my hometown and my current home and surrounding areas. Autumn, how I do love thee.

Something about fall is so inspiring! I love all the colors, smells and activities. MU is kicking off the football season this weekend in STL against Illinois. So excited to see everyone decked out on campus in black and gold. I'm also excited to bust out my slow-cooker, make pumpkin bread, rake leaves (yes, I do enjoy raking leaves!), buy pumpkins, make apple-ciders, soups and chili, go on hayrides, visit pumpkin patches, attend homecoming house decs and parade {sigh}...Can't you just feel my excitement exploding from your screen!

The Tale of Miguel

Once upon a time in a far away land, known to the hubs as "the shire," there lived a little Mexican named Miguel. Full of energy and spirit from an overdose on Mexican jumping beans (aka M&Ms), Miguel aspired to be the first Mexican ninja. He could kick as high as a cactus is tall and karate chop an enchilada in two. There was nothing that this Mexican ninja could not do! He lived off of banana popsicles, chocolate cake and white rice. He gave big hugs and kisses, not sloppy, but nice. He went to class every week to learn the ways of a ninja, obeyed his teachers and got mad skillz that are so major. He earned red tape on his belt for doing good, now he's cleanin' up the streets and revampin' the hood. He's a celebrity in the shire these days, everyone knows his name and be singin' him praise. So if you're ever in the shire and need a Mexican ninja for hire, just ring Miguel, the first Mexican ninja from the shire.