Recipes

Monday, January 9, 2012

A Monday Mélange

Happy Monday Friends! 

What better way to start off the week than a nice post chock full of randomness!  But really, these are my favorite types of posts :)

So the weekend:

I had two Birthday’s to celebrate this past weekend…and exactly 29 years apart!

My friend’s daughter turned 1!!

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There’s nothing better than watching a 1 year old go at it with her very own birthday cake!

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She was particularly fond of the frosting…my kind of girl!

Later that night it was back into Boston to celebrate a friend’s 30th! 

I swear 30th birthday’s are the new “wedding” of 2012 for me…I have 30th birthday parties the next 2 weekends as well!

Saturday the party started with dinner at Marliave in downtown Boston.  I’ve never been before but it had some great reviews and it turned out to be a great spot!

It’s in a very old building downtown and they like to play up the old 1920’s speakeasy vibe.

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I ordered the Tres Curieux and it was one of the best drinks I think I’ve EVER had!!  Perfect “Bridget” cocktail…tart, citrusy, not too sweet, refreshing, and best of all can’t taste the alcohol ;)

I had 2.

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I’d go back just for this drink!  After dinner we headed over to Ned Devine’s for some drinks, music, and dancing!  I haven’t been there in a while…and still not my favorite place.  I felt slightly old too haha…but man the people watching was top notch!  And why are so many girls wearing like super tight super short black skirts!?  Like SOOO short, I was wondering if they were shorts or skirts?!  Ok, now I just sound old.

Side note:

I hung my super cute new kitchen-theme calendar my bff got me for Christmas

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It’s from Anthropologie, and each month has an adorable water color image!  

Speaking of Anthro…I was LOVING my outfit today, unfortunately I had no luck with a photo.  I was too busy this morning, and Brian wasn’t home when I got home, then I had to run off to Crossfit.

So it was this Anthro dress I got 50% off after Christmas

Gold belt, red cardigan (Banana Republic)

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(my sad attempt at the photo)

Fun off-white knit tights and navy wedges (Nine West)

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New hair do!  Got my 12-week cut and color this weekend too!

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Love that “new hair” smell and feel!

Some Food?

How about super fast, super convenient stir fry!!

I know I’ve mentioned it before but keeping a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer is a great staple to have in the house.

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Then to make your life even easier, once in a while it’s ok to cheat it and have the lovely folks at Whole Foods chop your veggies.  I admit this is the first time I’ve ever bought their pre-cut “stir fry” veggies, but it was nice for a change. 

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Add in 60 second Brown Rice…and dinner is served in NO time!

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We did a quick stir fry with the following:

  • chop 2-3 cloves garlic and sauté over med/high heat
  • Add your veggies 
  • start to season:  I used soy sauce, ground ginger, juice from 1/2 of a large orange, plus some zest, siracha sauce.
  • Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add in shrimp.
  • Add any more seasonings and sauces that you want.
  • Cook until shrimp are done, if I don’t have a lot of liquid in my pan I’ll throw on the cover for a few minutes too.
  • serve over brown rice

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Boom!  Dinner.

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As I said in my last post, usually on Sundays I cook a longer, more thought out meal, but that just doesn’t always happen.  Then nights like tonight where I go to Crossfit from 7-8pm, these fast dinners are REALLY helpful. 

Well I think that about does it for 1 post.  Have a great night!!

What’s your favorite seasonings/sauces to use in stir-fry's??  I always go right to the soy sauce, but it would be nice to switch it up!

9 comments:

  1. So much good stuff! Glad you had a nice weekend! Not sure whats up with the short black skirts up there, its super short jean shorts here. Cute dress! Favorite stir fry sauce? There is literally a sauce at the store called stir fry sauce- love it! Also like peanut sauce

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  2. That drink sounds like my kind of drink too. Your hair looks great too!

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  3. FunandFearlessinBeantownJanuary 10, 2012 at 8:51 AM

    It is a great year to turn 30! Mine is this weekend!

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  4. I definitely like using ginger in stir-fries.

    Your hair looks great!

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  5. I love the Marliave. their cocktails are amazing!

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  6. Emily @ A Cambridge StoryJanuary 10, 2012 at 3:44 PM

    Cute dress! I use ginger and garlic to spice up stir fries. And coconut oil works wonders too!

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  7. Your hair looks lovely!
    And I really like your outfit, especially the tights! I love knit tights :-)
    That calendar is so pretty, I love the cute watercolour!

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  8. such a great quick meal!  and love the sounds of that drink.  i almost got one last night with grapefruit vodka, cucumber vodka and st. germain...  

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  9. What a little cutie turning 1 yrs old! I just got a pair of knit tights, what is the secret for keeping them up?! I had flashbacks to elementary school the crotch of my tights would be sagging by my kneed at the end of the day.

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