I Likes It

I’ve always been a Michael Buble fan, but I love, love, love this cutesy new hit! It’s strange (strange in a good way) to see him not wearing a suit. 

“On Top of Spaghetti…”

Before I decided what my next cooking project was going to be, I flipped through a couple of my cookbooks and Googled simple dishes for a good portion of my Saturday. It was obvious that my definition of “simple” was way off from what real cooks and chefs consider simple. I must’ve skimmed through at least 100 recipes before I committed to one.  Who knew that “easy” and “simple” dishes can take anywhere from 1-3 hours to make (if you combine prep and cooking time). I’m sure it’s not that bad, but for a newb like me, that seems like forever. Think about all the websites and blogs you could read in 60 minutes! Luckily, I stumbled across a basic dish that most everyone can appreciate – meatballs!

It was a pretty low maintenance dish. Just mush together all the ingredients, roll them into spheres and toss them into a heated pan. Voila!

The close-up was my attempt to fancy up the dish. =p

Can’t forget “On Top of Spaghetti!”

What Is It With Sticks?

I have this on-going curiosity for vases with sticks in them. This interior accent concept has been around for what seems like forever and yet it doesn’t get outdated. I mean, what is it about this magical combination that people love so much? It’s a vase with sticks! You see, growing up my mom created her own vase with sticks masterpieces to place strategically throughout the house. I went on her craft trips to find the “perfect” complementary pieces for her projects and watched her carefully arrange them – she has an incredible eye for things like that. So, don’t get me wrong, I love them. But aren’t you a little impressed the vase and sticks idea is so simple?

I realize that the vase with sticks pictured below is a little more ornate than a jar with twigs in it, but it’s essentially the same idea. This one is from Overstock and comes prepackaged with all the materials you need to arrange it, including how-to instructions. Not too shabby. If I were to try to tackle a vase and sticks project, I think I’d carve out a weekend to see what I can whip up myself. Sounds like a potential future post. =)

*Update*

I would like to present an award to Shawn for creating the Most Geeky Vase and Sticks Arrangement. He truly captures the essence of true originality with his work titled “Cables & Coffee.” =D

Can’t Get Enough

Ever since my trip to Panama City (the one in Panama), all I could ever think about was ceviche. I had ceviche pretty much every single day I was there. I had tourist-friendly ceviche, ceviche from a small restaurant on the beach, traditional ceviche and tropical ceviche. It was delicious! Prior to the trip, it has always been one of those dishes that I stayed away from, which now that I think about it is odd because I’m not a picky eater and quite experimental with food. I think it largely had to do with the fact that I understood the science of it before giving it a try. *sigh* All those years I’ve missed out!

Once I got back to the states, I sought out for ceviche and I was surprised at how difficult it was to find. I mean yes, I was able to find a few places that served it (thank goodness for my Googling skills), but it took some searching. A little disappointed and tired of researching, I decided to make it myself. It can’t be hard right? I mean, it’s just fish and lime juice. After some experimenting and squeezing over 50 75 limes by hand, I got it right!

Check it:

I served it with crackers. I was pleased.

To A Better Place

Hi All,

As I’m sure you have noticed, I have moved my blog to a new and better place. I will be making my updates there from now on, so don’t forget to update your bookmarks and feeds. Thanks!

See you there,

-Monica