My crockpot has a first name, it’s Y-u-m-m-y!

I’ve been crock-potting it up lately, mostly because it is fall and yet still so hot! The crockpot gets less hot than my stove or oven.

This weekend we had a dinner party and the first course was a delicious butternut squash soup… it tastes like fall in a bowl.

How to make it (simplified for 4-5 people)!

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 24 oz container low fat no added sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp sage
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• pinch nutmeg
• garnish (not optional–really changes the soup!): lowfat sour cream

Cut the squash into 1″ cubes, and put it and the liquids into the crock pot for 8 hours on low. Using a stick blender, puree the squash in the pot. Add the spices and let simmer on low for about 30 minutes. Dish up and add a dollop of whipped cream on top.

dinners with friends.

so yeah. carmen’s cooking tonight, her momma’s delicious beef-a-roni. I know, that sounds so weird to be excited for it, but I am! I can’t stay long because of stupid Supplemental Instruction, but yeah.

I am so so SO thankful tomorrow is Friday, I need the weekend to catch up… it sucks being behind! I’ll get all caught up on saturday and sunday and feel better, but for now, I feel craptastic.

Chad and I discussed briefly over the weekend taking a road trip to Cape Cod and Boston to meet his G-ma and other relatives that I have yet to meet. I think that would be fun, but I’m nervous!

Also, I started the whole “healthy eating” thing yesterday. I’m not really balancing it so much as I am keeping track of what I’m eating. Something delicious I made yesterday is a Chicken and Avocado pita:

1 pita
1/4 cup mixed greens (I used a whole foods mix that had absolutely no lettuce, just other greens)
2 slices avocado
3-4 slices cucumber
1/4 cup chicken, sliced
1 tbsp light sour cream

It tasted rather like a taco, but it was more filling; i’m using avocado as opposed to cheese on some things now, like sandwiches and such, because it does offer a nice mild flavor but it packs so many more health benefits.

I’ve been doing a lot of deep thinking and the thing is, I want to eat healthy things that taste good. Most people just make themselves choose the low-fat option, but why? Why can’t we have it both ways?

I’d rather have an effing delicious sandwich/pita and cucumber slices for lunch than a bunch of little shitty tasting frozen meals. maybe it’s just me, but it’s the way I’m approaching this.

Also… when you can’t get around it, that’s where smaller portions (and a good lot of salad) come in. No probs!

does yours make the rank?

This story from CNN highlights the healthiest top ten grocery stores in the US. And it makes me really, really excited, because Food Lion (and my favorite little store that could, Bloom!) made the top ten! The only thing the article doesn’t address is how the brand new Food Lions are just like Blooms minus the cool graphics and handheld scanner thingies. But same diff. [If you don't know what a Bloom is... think of a cooler, more technologically advanced and more attractive Publix.]

Of course, WF was number one. Haha. I am a little sad that the TJ’s wasn’t higher–I know, limited selection, but the point is to have an affordable WF that’s just as healthy. I wish we had TJ’s here. The closest one is in ATL! (And I need some more cuban flavored black beans.) Also, Publix made the list (after Food Lion/Bloom) and Harris Teeter is 3rd, but we don’t have those in the upstate… just in Charleston… and I don’t grocery shop there often.

Anyways. it is only 55 and it is already 11am! (I don’t know how to change my blog time. I know, I could look it up, but I don’t care, so you’re stuck on Prime Meridian time [GMT 0:00] i think. sorry. ) So cold today. And I think it’s supposed to rain later. It looks like it on the radar. I hope it doesn’t because it’s breezy…all those wet leaves stuck to my car. Gross.

Well, I guess that’s it for today. And I’m excited–greek food tonight hopefully! Yum yum! And a meeting for a new group on campus, i’m a little apprehensive about that.

i may be one of the last…

…girls in the universe, but finally i saw the Sex and the City movie. It’s cute, but it makes you really really want to get married and live happily ever after… and want to shop.

It also made me appreciate my friends… we are SO different, but all together, we are awesome. and it made me miss erica a lot… i mean, i know we have other close friends now but… she was our samantha, our wacky one.

anyways… so cloudy outside, but at least i got to sleep in this morning! it does look like it’s clearing up a little. Fall for Greenville tonight, I’m supposed to go with Chad. Mandy is going to some HS football game for her friend… somewhere in Greenville. Maybe she’ll want to come downtown first and get some food with us.

I wish these fall like temperatures would stay! And I think I found my cookie recipe for the cookie swap we’re supposed to have sometime in December before we leave… well, I’d hedge bets that Carmen’s leaving first, haha.

Ahh! Just nailed down a few details with Kit! So EXCITED! And I want to make this for the swap party:

Chilled Christmas punch: allrecipes.com – http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chilled-Christmas-Punch/Detail.aspx
2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice, chilled
4 cups cranberry-apple juice, chilled
1 liter ginger ale, chilled

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, bring the water, sugar and cinnamon to a boil; stir until sugar is dissolved. Chill. Just before serving, combine the syrup mixture, juices and ginger ale in a punch bowl or large pitcher. Serve over ice.

Okay. I am uberexcited. Ready for the season!