My best friend Stephanie and I love beer.  After a long hectic day at work there’s nothing better than sitting with a friend to wind down with an ice cold beer.  When I used to go out to bars or parties my drink of choice was usually light beer of some sort.  I really don’t drink that much anymore but a game of beer pong looks like a lot fun since I’ve never played.  They even have beer pong tables that you can buy to play the game in style.  This has frat party and spring break written all over but I’m willing to give it a try.    

I can’t believe the cold weather is finally here.  My toes are cold, the furnace keeps running, and I’ve been putting lotion on my hands non-stop.  And its just my luck that the temperature would drop on my first day off in 8 days.   What a bummer.   On the bright side, one of the great things I do like about the season changing is the food.  There’s nothing like homeade ham & beans in the crock pot with corn bread, homeade chili soup topped with cheese, and my favorite recipe for tomato soup.  Before we all moved further apart my friends and I would have “chic night” every friday night.  Chic night was a celebration of food and conversation.  My friend Jenny Poo would make the best tomato soup I’d ever tasted, along with a grilled cheese sandwich of course.  So here you go…you’ve got to try this:

Fresh Tomato Soup:

1 14oz. can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1 medium chopped onion

1 chopped celery stalk

3 oz. or 1/3 cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro

1 vegetable bouillon cube

2 teaspoons lime juice

1 teaspoon sugar

A few dashes of hot pepper sauce

In a large saucepan combine undrained can of tomatoes, water, celery, onion, tomato paste, cilantro or parsley, bouillon cube, limejuice, sugar, and hot pepper sauce.  Bring to boil; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until celery and onion are very tender.  Place half of the soup in a blender or food processor.  Cover and blend until smooth.  Repeat with remaining mixture.  Return all parts to original saucepan and heat through.  Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy with grilled cheese sandwiches. 

I think one of my favorite food/recipe sites has to be www.foodnetwork.com.  I just printed a recipe for Sweet Potato Bundt Cake with Spiced Buttered Rum Glaze by Dave Lieberman.  I can’t wait to try it so I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out. 

At our family gathering this weekend my aunt made this recipe by Paula Deen that was absolutely delicious!  I am not a huge fan of cole slaw and really don’t eat vegetables like I should because I’m just picky.  However, this broccoli slaw was so good I went for 2 heaping helpings of it.  Honestly, for me to go for 2 large helpings of a vegetable dish says a lot!  Here’s the recipe below or you can get it at foodnetwork.com.  Enjoy!

2 bags (3-ounce) Ramen Noodle Soup in Oriental (other flavors will work, too)
3/4 stick butter
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 bags (12-ounce) bags broccoli cole slaw (in the bagged salad section of the grocery store)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Chopped green onions, for garnish Dressing Mix:
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup brown or white sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Put the ramen noodles in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin while melting butter in a large skillet over low/medium heat.  Add the crushed noodles and slivered almonds to the skillet and saute, stirring occasionally (keep temperature at low/medium heat). Meanwhile, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.  Place the shredded broccoli into bowl and toss with the noodles, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.  Garnish with chopped green onions.

Hello, my name is Jennifer, and I am addicted to coffee.

Today is my day off from work and I tried so hard not to drink any coffee today. How many times have we heard Dr. Oz say on Oprah how bad caffeine is for our bodies? Sorry Dr. Oz but I just can’t stop drinking the wonderful morning brew that makes me feel so good. It makes me feel normal, like I felt when I was in my 20’s. It gives me energy and I feel like I can concentrate better. Coffee withdrawal is horrible, the pounding headache, the lack of focus, the fatigue.

Drink all the coffee you want so I say!

News flash: We are all going to die one day. Why not die happy?