Soft Sea Breeze, Gentle Waves, Jagged Cliffs, and...Vomit

That's right. Mr. Pete and I ventured into the world of sea kayaking before. We've been out before but it was in Key West in a little bay or channel...a little estuary. This, my friends, was the open ocean. It started with a quick paddling lesson from our guide Mike. Then we ventured into the water and made sure to angle our kayaks toward to horizon as we plowed over waves and out into the open sea. I started to feel a little warm and vomitose early on. I get motion sickness but I've never, you know, wretched. Just felt really sick and kind of blah and then recovered. I vomited around 10 times while we were out at sea. The worst part was that I wasn't really able to take in all the cool stuff around me. We paddled into caves, spotted sea lions sunning themselves on some rocks, and even did a little hunting tour for leopard sharks. In the end, Mr. Pete and I convinced our guide to let us go back early. We left him a nice tip (maybe he will share it with our tour group since they had to listen to the vomiting sounds as Mike pointed out the various forms of sea life). He had some great suggestions for sea sickness. Keep paddling, keep your eye on the horizon, or maybe jump in a swim around a bit. After asking about the sharks in the area several times, I hopped in to the FREEEZING Pacific for a little nausea control. It did help. I was so shocked by the drop in my body temperature I momentarily forgot to empty my stomach's contents into the ocean.

So we arrived back on shore soaking wet (we tipped on the way in to the beach), with broken sunglasses (I leaned over on them after I was done puking in the ocean), and bonded. Mr. Pete took good care of me and didn't even flinch when I whined, "just don't talk to me, it makes me feel nauseous.

More on this awesome trip later. I'm still recovering on the couch with a salty snack.

Burning Questions

I know what you're thinking. "Stinkey Pete," you are wondering, "you have milliontryhundred weddings this summer. What are you going to wear?" I've been thinking the same thing internets. I have! When I was in Charleston Mama Stinkey bought me a really pretty dress from an upscale store I would never buy anything (except maybe a headband or something) from in my life. It's this gorgeous silky, cotton, ruffley, dress with pockets. Super comfortable. Super chic. Super lovely. And. It's. Ivory. Oh, ye old wedding goers we all know that one should not wear white, ivory, cream, beige or anything that resembles bride-like apparrel to a wedding. After consulting other internets, some fashionistas, and my mom, I've decided that this dress is sanctioned for the weddings o'the summer. Pictures? Sorry, can't find any online. I'll try to post some that don't reveal my identity after the string of weddings this summer.

I don't want to disappoint you. You were also inquiring about my idea of a super refreshing THIS IS SUMMER beverage. Right here folks, right here. Smitten Kitchen does not disappoint. WATERMELON LEMONADE PEOPLE!!!

Been Busy

So, while I've been slacking on my blog I've been pretty busy. A family trip to Charleston, a whirlwind trip to Nashville, the Haus and Garden Show in Columbus, and a two day work week. I HAVE been doing some cooking too. Here you'll see strawberry mojitos, pesto pasta with grilled chicken, and sauteed veggies with peanut sauce and Japanese noodles.

Strawberry Mojitos

7 limes

a handful of fresh mint

club soda

sugar

white rum

handful of strawberries (blended into a liquid mixture)

Place 4-5 tall glasses in the freezer. Squeeze limes into a tall pitcher. Reserve lime half for garnish. Using a cup of sugar, muddle the sugar with the coarsely chopped mint. By muddle, I mean squish the mint leaves into the sugar. Add all sugar to the pitcher. Pour 1/4 cup of sugar on a shallow plate. Add two cups club soda, two cups crushed ice, one cup white rum, and strawberry mixture. Stir vigorously. Rub lime around the rim of chilled glasses, dip rims in sugar mixture. Pour pitcher mixture into the chilled glasses. Serve with lime quarter and fresh mint for garnish.

Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta

Very Easy Peanut Sauce

1 cup peanut butter

3 tablespoons (or to taste) soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tbs hot water

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Actually...most of the ingredients here are optional except, of course, the peanut butter.

Add all ingredients to food processor. Mix until liquid or saucy. Add more ingredients to taste. Pour over sauteed veggies to warm. This would also be a great sauce garnished with cilantro for fresh veggies.

Home Improvement Extravaganza

I just have to post these pictures of our bathroom in process. Mr. Pete has done such a nice job with the bathroom. He's rennovating while working and going to school full time. I cannot describe how excited I will be to get the washer and dryer out of my dining room!

Some Mo Meals

So I've been a bit of a slacker blogger AND a slacker in the kitchen. School was busy as it wound down to the last few days. There were graduations, parties, cookouts, oh and projects to grade, exams to grade, a classroom to pack up. The list goes on and on. One of the hardest things of working at a school is that we end and say goodbye each year. I won't dwell on that...that gets me a little sad.

I have made at least two good meals with our Farm Fresh Produce lately. I made this stuffed cabbage. I told you I was addicted to Smitten Kitchen. I also made a great salad. I used spinach from the CSA, green apples, micro greens, gorganzola cheese, pine nuts, vinegar and oil. It was simple but so fresh and nice for a summer salad. I'm also including a picture of one of the stir frys I've made...I'm trying not to do that every week.

I'm growing my own tomatoes now but they won't be ready until later this summer. My neighbor came over and took one look at my cilantro and offered me her seeds from Equador.

That's all I got. I know that stuffed cabbage looks a little gross..it was good, I swear.

Omelet Oh Omelet

Omelet is a funny word. It makes it sounds like you are making the miniature version of something else (like piglet and pig). I made the most delicious omelet today and it was chalked full of protein and low in fat.

3 egg whites
2 asparagus spears
1 handful fresh spinach
3/4 shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Better Than PF Changs

One of the most difficult parts of enjoying really good food is the damage it does to your wallet and/or savings. One of our most difficult bills to control is our food bill. We love to eat. So, when I stumble upon really good recipes that don't have 5 billion ingredients AND use some of the lovely vegetables from our CSA, I try them. This one is a real winner. I found it on this blog, Sidewalk Shoes. I think this blogger and I would be kindred spirits. She teaches middle school, hunts for good recipes, and it appears that she enjoys reading. Check and check. This recipe was fantastic. It's from Rachel Ray and the author made a few changes. I made a few of my own. I put my changes in bold print

Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy Noodle Bowl

Serves 4

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 inches ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks or grated

1/2 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced, a couple of cups these are expensive, so I just

bought a little carton and chopped them up finely (2.50 for a carton)

1 medium bok choy, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces, then cut sticks lengthwise I had a lot of this stuff so I used two bok choy

Salt and pepper

1 quart chicken broth since I skipped the seafood stock, I used three cups of chicken broth and three table spoons of fish sauce

1 cup seafood stock, available on soup aisle or, 1 cup clam juice I skipped this

1 1/2 pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp on sale!

1/2 pound vermicelli (thin spaghetti) I used Udon noodles (you can find them in the ethnic food aisle) They are salty and very tender

4 scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces, then shredded lengthwise into thin sticks also in my CSA from last week!

Heat a medium soup pot I used my skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, and bok choy, then season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and seafood stock or clam juice. Put a lid on the pot and bring soup to a boil.Add shrimp and noodles and cook 3 minutes. Add in scallions and cook 2 minutes, then turn off soup and let it sit 2 to 3 minutes more. Adjust salt and serve.