Lazy Weekend and Sleeping Beauty

I had another low-key weekend, but it was nice.  I've been rubbish with this blog lately, and I thought about posting Thursday night after my class and then Friday when I wasn't doing anything.  But I just didn't.  Friday night, Zach had a guys night, and other than brushing the kitties, my butt stayed on the couch allllll night!  I wasted time on Pinterest and watching Extreme Couponing.  Oh, I lied...I did get off the couch when I made popcorn for dinner.  ;)

*I tell Zach about my night when he gets home*

ZACH:  How domestic of you!

ME:  What's so domestic about sitting on the couch all night?

Cue laughter.

Saturday was a bit more happening.  I was supposed to meet Katie for breakfast/brunch then lunch then lunch/snack time.  She had to bring Tommy up for a conference and was bringing Ella Kate along with her.  That meant I finally got to meet Miss EK, who is now two months old!

If you know Katie, you know she is the latest person in the world.  (Hey!  She admits it.)  So I can only imagine how late it must be now that she has a baby.  ;)  But I was just glad to see them for a little bit.  Zach and I ended up eating McNuggets for lunch and had what we fondly call a DipFest.

(I hate myself.)

So I just planned to have a snack when I got to meet up with the (Ella) Katies.  We met at Briar Rose, Katie had lunch, I had dessert, and Miss Ella Kate napped and got photographed by moi.  :)

She is absolutely beautiful with the loveliest eyelashes and lips.  Ella Kate also has such a funny little personality (at least, the little bit I saw when she woke as they were leaving).  I told her all babies have this reaction to me (see tri-photo collage above).  :)

After visiting with them, I stopped by Target and got some Cheez Its on clearance!  Then I picked up a shirt on clearance with a $10 off coupon at Kohl's and popped into Sam's and got gas.

For dinner, I made Eggs Florentine, and it was sooo good!  I made my Hollandaise sauce too soon, and my butter had cooled, so it wasn't quite right.  Still yummy though.

Today, we lazed about for just about all of the day.  I did pop down to Harp's to pick up some blueberry muffins and a paper this morning.  For lunch, I thawed some bolognese and planned our meals for the week.  I was so proud of the haul I got at the grocery store tonight!  I spent just over $21 for 2 family-sized boxes of Cap'n Crunch, 2 boxes of Honey Grahams, 1 jar of pickles, 1 box of Texas Toast, 2 boxes of scalloped potatoes, 1 Cool Whip, 1 4-pack of Greek yogurt, and 1 box of cheesecake pudding.  (I volunteered for office snack time this week.)

Looks like that Extreme Couponing is rubbing off...

How did your weekend stack up?

G is for GREEN BEANS

I love green beans.  It was one of the first vegetables for which I developed a taste after I was diagnosed with Crohn's; that means, I have been a fan for almost nine years now!  I would have them every now and then before my diagnosis--I remember Thanksgivings specifically--but once again, I didn't eat many veggies in the days before Crohn's changed my life.  Now, I strive very much to incorporate healthy foods into my diet, especially fruits and vegetables, and if I ever have kids, I will do everything in my power to ensure that they eat and enjoy produce.  :)

I like fresh green beans, canned green beans, frozen green beans.  My MIL actually introduced me to the BEST frozen green beans ever:  these babies below.  :)

When we were in grad school, we shopped at Kroger, but that isn't an option here.  (However, a new Harp's is supposed to be opening right down the street from us in an old motel--HALLEJUAH!)  I tend to buy the generic/store brand for things like frozen veggies, but Walmart's green beans are sooo tough.  These beauties, which are found at Sam's, turn out perfectly.  (Sorry for not knowing the price; my MIL bought these for us when she was taking care of me after my surgery.)  Since I usually steam the green beans with some kind of spice (thyme, garlic, Italian mix, etc.), tonight, I wanted to do something different.  I love roasted vegetables, so I decided to give roasted green beans a try.  :)

Roasted Green Beans

1/2 pound frozen green beans

3/4 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 Tbsp. (i.e. 1 1/2 tsp.) balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 450.  Place green beans in bowl.  (I snapped mine in half so they would cook faster.)  Mix oil and vinegar together and pour over beans; toss to coat.  Arrange on a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 20-ish minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, and parmesan to taste.

These were quite delicious!  I recommend them to go alongside spaghetti, which is what we did.  :)