Elephant Sighting: Paul Ryan's Grand Entrance or is the Circus in Town?

It's not every day that you look out your office window and see elephants...elephants walking down E 9th Street in downtown Cleveland, OH.  But today, on Tuesday, October 16...that is exactly what we saw.  Vice presidential candidate, Paul Ryan is in town...and coincidentally, so is the Ringling Bros Circus. 

It can be debated on whether the elephants were a grand entrance for Paul Ryan or simply a lavish spectacle for the circus. After all, the Republican party symbol is the elephant -- said to be strong and dignified. Conversely, the Democratic party symbol is the donkey -- said to be smart and brave.  

Republican Elephant Symbol & Democratic Donkey Symbol

                                                             

E 9th Street, downtown Cleveland, OH   Photo Credit: Ashley Allison

E 9th Street, downtown Cleveland, OH   Photo Credit: Ashley Allison

I must admit...I was hoping to see Paul Ryan riding atop one of the elephants that was parading down the busy downtown Cleveland street.  However, I think the animals were instead a scheme of the Ringling Bros Circus. 

However, Paul Ryan will be in the Cleveland area tomorrow (Wednesday, October 17) at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea.  He will have former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at his side for the event.  Barack Obama will also be in Ohio tomorrow -- at Ohio University in Athens, OH (my alma mater).  

I think we can expect to see a lot more of the President/VP and Presidential Candidates in Ohio in the coming weeks, as we are, as always, a key battleground state.  I for one am definitely looking forward to the Presidential debate tonight.  Will Barack Obama be on his A-game tonight? Or will Mitt Romney prevail once again? We shall soon see... Tune into the debate tonight and educate yourself on the issues!

Quick & Easy Pasta Dish -- approved by RomneyRyan

Happy Friday!

Sorry it's been a couple weeks since I have last posted -- life has been a little crazy.  A couple weekends ago, a bunch of my friends and I took a school bus down to Blossom to see the Zac Brown Band.  It was a great concert and taking the bus down was a lot of fun.  My friend, Ses, was in town for the weekend from Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, she had to work the majority of the pre-game party at Kelly & Brittany's apartment due to a few unplanned conference calls...On a bright note, my friend Lauren came across some 'free' chairs and an umbrella while heading into the concert.

On the school bus, before heading into the concert

So happy in her new chair

Leggo!

I was also back home in Cincinnati last weekend to see the family -- minus my older brother Matt, who was in New York for a friend's wedding.  We got to see my mom run her first 5k race -- the 19th annual Reggae Run -- great job, Mom! My sister, Missy, my roommate, Lauren & I decided to head down to Hyde Park to watch her cross the finish line. Unbeknownst to us, we ended up walking half the race in order to get to the finish line -- in our uggs and carrying our purses.  We crossed the finish line at 59 minutes -- unfortunately missing our mom. :(  Also -- we parked so far away, that we ended up catching a ride back to our car....in an ambulance. Never a dull moment with our family...

Reggae 5k Race in Cincinnati, OH

Missy -- during our ride in the ambulance

I also got to meet my brother and his girlfriend's puppy, Cooper! He is a totally adorable little Golden Retriever. 

Cooper or Cooper Hawk, as  my dad calls him

And... I want to give a big congratulations to my sister, Missy and her fiance, Michael on their engagement!  Their engagement party is coming up and we have started planning their September 2013 wedding, so it will be a busy year! Little fun fact: My mom is being more of a bridezilla than my sister. Holy MOMzilla! ;)

Missy & Michael at dinner -- the night they got engaged

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Now onto the pasta.  This is so quick, easy, and fairly healthy -- so it's great to make on a weeknight or in a pinch!  I typically have all of the ingredients on hand except one -- so it's definitely a good recipe to have on deck. Also, this pasta is a favorite of Paul Ryan!  He likes to eat it for protein and carbs after a hard P90X workout or even before a debate.

Paul Ryan, during his workout

My roommate thinks this pasta is better than anything a typical Italian restaurant serves...so at this time, I would like to challenge Carrabba's to a pasta cook-off. Carrabba's -- please contact me to discuss the time & place. 

Bell Pepper Pasta
Ingredients: 

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
• Crushed Red Pepper – 1 tsp (1/2 tsp if you can’t handle heat)
• Garlic – 3 cloves (chopped)
• Onion – 1 medium (sliced)
• Red Pepper – 1 medium (sliced)
• Green Pepper – 1 medium (sliced)
• Yellow Pepper (optional) 
• Your favorite Marinara Sauce – 1 – 24 ounce bottle  ( My favorite brand is Classico -- I usually go with the Tomato & Basil)
• Italian Seasoning – 2  tsp (initially) + 1 tsp (later)
• Black Pepper – 1/2 to 1 tsp
• Whole Grain Penne – 1 pound box
• Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese – 1 cup
• Shredded Parmesan Cheese ( optional)
• Starchy Pasta Water – 1/4 cup
• Cooked Chicken breasts/Shrimp (optional)
• salt to taste

 Directions: 
**if you are using chicken or shrimp, cook and then add to pasta at the end. I have made without or with chicken. When I made with chicken, I just seasoned the chicken breasts and cooked in the oven on 350 for about 35 minutes.
1. Chop the garlic and slice the onion and bell peppers.
2. On medium heat, heat a wok/pan, add extra virgin olive oil, once hot add the crushed red pepper and garlic.
3. 4. After about 15 seconds, add the onion and bell peppers.  Season with salt.  Stir and allow the vegetables to saute for about 10 minutes.
4. Boil a pot of water for the pasta 
5. Add the marinara sauce to the vegetables.  Add the salt, black pepper, and 2 tsp of Italian seasoning to the sauce.  Stir.
6. Cover and allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes on low-medium heat.   
7. Once the water for pasta is boiling, add salt and a touch of EVOO if desired -- stir and add the pasta. Cook according to pasta directions. 
8. After the sauce is done cooking, add the ricotta cheese.  Stir.  Add an additional tsp of Italian seasoning and salt/pepper to taste
9. Once the pasta is done cooking, reserve a little starchy pasta water and drain.  Immediately add the pasta to the sauce.  Stir.
10. Add the 1/4 cup of starchy water.  This will help the pasta absorb the sauce.  Stir.
11. Garnish with red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese if desired.

Enjoy! :)  

Lauren & Matty

Bon Appetite!

World's Best Chili

This may or may not be the world's best Chili.  Try the recipe and see for yourself! 

It was a perfect Fall weekend in Cleveland (well, except for the onslaught of rain all day Friday), so I decided that I needed to drag out my crock pot and get some chili cooking.  There are so many different kinds of chili and I feel like you can never go wrong.  From the famous Skyline Chili in my hometown of Cincinnati, to my mom's amazingly good classic chili with oyster crackers and cheddar cheese, to my own version of chili with a Southwestern twist. Yum!

Here is the recipe for my Southwestern Chili: 

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
¾ cup onion (diced)
¾ cup celery (diced)
¾ cup green bell pepper (diced)
1-2 Jalapenos (seeded & diced)  -- add this according to how spicy you would like chili
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 (10.7 ounce) cans tomato puree or 1 Big
2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans (one drained, one with liquid)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans (drained & rinsed)
½ tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon dried basil
¾ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce (or more, to taste) --> Frank's is the best :)

Directions: 

Step 1: In a large skillet over medium high heat, add ground beef and cook until evenly browned. Chop up with a metal spatula while browning. Drain any excess grease.

 Step 2: Place beef into the slow cooker. Add onion, celery, green pepper, jalapenos, garlic, tomato puree, kidney beans, and black beans. Season with chili powder, salt, basil, oregano, black pepper, and hot sauce. Mix well.

A note of caution: Make sure you wear gloves while dealing with and chopping the jalapenos -- I didn't and my left hand burned for the next 5 hours --- seriously not fun. 

Step 3: Place cover onto the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
(Makes 6-8 Servings)

Serve chili in bowls with cheddar cheese and oyster crackers or tortilla strips if you'd like. 

And a perfect accompaniment to the Chili is...

Jalapeno & Cheesy Cornbread  

Ingredients:
Tastefully Simple Beer Bread Mix
Substitute the 12 oz beer for 1 can of creamed corn
1 Jalapeno, seeded & chopped
1 cup Colby Jack/Monterrey Cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the beer bread mix and creamed corn, add in jalapeno and cheese.  Place in a greased 9x5 bread pan.  Cook for 50-55 minutes.  Cool & Slice. So delicious!

The Result:

A delicious Sunday dinner that you can eat while relaxing and watching Football :)

How to: Plan a Kick-Ass Tailgate

  
Football season is back again...which also means it's tailgate season!  Who doesn't love a kick-ass tailgate? Here is a list of essentials that will ensure your tailgate leaves people talking...and coming back the next time.






Must Haves:

Corn Hole: who doesn't love a game where you can toss tiny bags of corn into small holes cut into wooden boards?



Music: you gotta mix up the tunes....throw in some newbies, 90's, rap, country, and old school.  And make sure you've got the loudest party around.

                  

Grill: Wear your favorite grill & bring extras for your friends...mine is the USA themed grill like the one Ryan Lochte wears. 
....Just kidding, bring a grill for grilling food, of course!

Chairs: Make sure you have plenty of portable chairs for those tailgaters who are sort-of a liability and who may or may not have to pass out in one. 

Table: To put all the great food on top of ...and speaking of food ...

Good Food & Drinks: One of the most important parts of a good tailgate is the food & drinks.  If you want to be classy you can bring some champagne and orange juice for mimosas.  If you want to keep it simple, bring lots and lots of beer.  Also, make sure you have solo cups just in case. If it's cold out, a great drink to make is Hot Spiked Cider -- Just mix rum & Cider & cinnamon in your crock pot and leave it on the grill to keep it warm :)

Jello Shots and/or drunk gummy bears: How to make Vodka spiked gummies can be found here. 





Here are some top food ideas: 

Hot dogs & Hamburgers: Duh. How can  you have a tailgate without these essentials?  Make sure you remember the hot dog and hamburger buns, any toppings you wants, and the condiments! -- Mustard, ketchup, and stadium mustard are all musts, in my opinion.

Mini Corn Dogs: These easy, bite-size corn dogs are perfect for a tailgate. Recipe here. 



Pizza + Pretzels = Pizza Pretzel bites?! These are so good. Try them!  The recipe can be found here.

BLT Roll Ups: 
Ingredients 4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened. 1/4 cup mayo. 8 slices Bacon, cooked & crumbled. 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes. 2 tortillas (8 inch). 1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce. 
Directions Mix cream cheese and mayo in medium bowl. Add bacon and tomatoes; mix well. Spread onto tortillas; top with lettuce. Roll up tightly. Cut each into 7 diagonal slices. Makes 14 Servings



Jalapeno Popper Dip: Who doesn't love jalapeno poppers and dip, so put them together and you get perfection...recipe can be found here. 

Guacamole: My favorite variation of this is combining garlic, chopped avocados, chopped red onion, chopped tomatoes, and chopped cilantro & salt/pepper to taste...combine together & chill.  So good.

Mushroom Puffs: My friend's mom used to make these at our Bengals tailgates.  They are to die for! I don't have her recipe, but this one looks pretty similar: recipe




Peanut Butter or Sugar cookies in the shape of footballs & decorated according to your favorite team: recipe

Veggies & Dip: You can make your own dip, but I say keep it simple and buy one. I like the Marzetti Light Dill dip from the grocery store.  Cut up some broccoli, celery, cauliflower, carrots, red/green pepper and you are good to go. :)

Assorted Chips, tortilla chips, crackers, : No recipe needed ;)


Other things to remember: Plates, Solo Cups, Utensils, Garage bags, Paper Towels, Water, Ice, Coolers, Grilling appliances, Charcoal or Propane, Sun screen, Warm weather gear (if needed)


Most importantly, Cheer on your favorite team after the tailgate party is over!! 

Happy football season :)

Bachelor Pad Review: Money is Ugly

Bachelor Pad Finale...Wow, what a night of drama and quite the unexpected turn of events. If you watched this season of the Bachelor Pad, then you know that there was a fair amount of chaos and drama within the mansion and between couples, frenemies, and so-called "alliances." 

I really don't want to summarize everything that went on, so I will just give my thoughts and opinions on some of the main surprises / confrontations at the finale.   


1.   Rachel vs. Jaclyn:  I know these two are best friends and were in the same alliance.  They had each other's back for pretty much the whole show.  However, I don't think Rachel did anything wrong when she and Nick chose to keep Chris & Sarah around for the finals and send Jaclyn & Ed home.  It was obvious that it was a very tough decision for Rachel, and she felt very badly for sending her best friend home.  She and Nick knew that their best chance of winning would be against Chris & Sarah because the rest of the cast would be voting...and the majority of the house disliked Chris & Sarah and the drama they created.  The majority of the house loved Jaclyn & Ed....no-brainer, right?  You would want to be up against the couple that you have the BEST chance of beating.  So in regards to the alliance, you can stand true to the alliance until it comes to the point where you have to choose between yourself and someone else.  And obviously Rachel would rather herself win, right?  I do think Jaclyn acted loyal throughout the show and the things she said in the limo after getting kicked off last week came out at a time when she was upset, hurt, and very angry.  I applaud her for still voting for Rachel & Nick at the finale and that definitely showed her character and integrity. 




2. Rachel vs. Michael: Michael did come on this show saying he came for love not the money.  He won the money last season.  I'm sure he did lead Rachel on -- there is pressure on this show to "couple up" and choose a partner who you trust and can make it to the end with.  Add in the alcohol, lack of outside world, and really anything to do besides hang out with each other and I'm sure things sort-of heated up, got sped a long, etc. in the process.  I think Michael is a good guy, and I don't think he tried to intentionally hurt Rachel. However, his actions did hurt her -- but I also think Rachel got caught up in the whirlwind of things.  Realistically, they were not in the house that long, so did she really fall in love with him? Probably not, but she probably was falling for him or the idea of Michael Stagliano.  I do think that it would be turning the knife in her back when she found out he was in a long-distance relationship with a girl from Chicago after the show ended...after he told her he did not want any sort of long-distance relationship.  Hopefully, they both have now moved on.



3. Chris vs. Women:  Chris acted like a fool throughout the show.  I think he knows it and so does America.  And apparently his family, as well -- as he stated that they were not happy in the way he acted and that it was not the way they raised him.  He did seem to be a tad embarrassed and almost regretful -- but this quote was a little dumb -- ""you can't regret the things you can't change." HUH?!
I don't really care to say anything more.  Chris made his bed and now he gets to lay in it -- because he must have forgotten that the cast comes back to vote for the final two couples.  And no way was he ever going to get a majority of votes -- even after telling the cast to vote for Sarah, not for him. Sorry Chris.



4. Jamie: I do kind-of feel bad for her because I really do think she is socially awkward like Jaclyn said, "I think that you’re very socially awkward and I think that you don’t know how to communicate with girls.”  Also, what was with her entire outfit?  She obviously felt like she had something to prove and I think it must be that she could pull off the most hideous ensemble in Bachelor franchise history.  Also, she treated Ryan exactly how Chris treated her. Her line about Ryan, "I mean I didn't want to be partners with Ryan, OBVIOUSLY," -- So there is her karma. She should apologize to poor Ryan for how she treated him throughout the show & then at the finale. Jamay - you cray.




5. Tony & Blakely: Congrats to this couple on their engagement!  They might seem to be an unlikely pair, but I think the two of them together actually does make sense.  They didn't talk much about Tony's son, but hopefully the son and Blakely have been getting along well.  I wonder if Tony paid for that Neil Lane ring or if ABC paid for it?  I have my money on ABC... but I do hope that they are happy together.




And last, but not least...
6.  Rachel vs. Nick: First of all, I have never been so angry at a reality TV show/finale.  I think Nick showed his true colors and that he is a greedy, selfish, arrogant b******.  Not only did he do the ultimate selfish thing in keeping the money all to himself while Rachel got NADA, but he acted like a complete a******while doing it.  His little speech before announcing that he was keeping the money showed that he really is an immature, bitter, jealous little crybaby.  "Wah wah wah no one paid attention to me, no one wanted to be my partner, I did this on my own, blah, blah blah"  Nick - you did not mean for this to happen -- you got LUCKY.  

Who could have planned that they changed the rules mid-season and decided to kick out a girl, allowing her to bring a guy with her.  It just so happens that your partner, Erica got kicked out and brought down Michael, Rachel's partner, thus leaving the two of you to be partners together.  No Nick -- don't say you played the game smart, that happened and you got lucky because of it.  Also, when you say you played the game smart -- who was it that kept the two of you around? OH right, Jaclyn & Ed because of RACHEL and the alliance/friendship they had with her. Not because of you.  Also, the singing competition that the two of you won and led you to the finals?  Did you win that by yourself...or was it a TEAM effort?  Another thing -- the votes that you received by the rest of the cast at the finale -- how many of them would you have received WITHOUT RACHEL?  I am guessing maybe one...two at the most.  

So if it weren't for Rachel, you would not have been anywhere close to the money.  And the fact that you say you played the game, you were there for the money and not love or friendship -- fine... but you definitely showed your TRUE COLORS, lack of integrity or character and ultimately your selfish and greedy personality.  Also, the way you acted afterwards was disgusting, deplorable, and down-right embarrassing. I believe in karma and what comes around goes around.  So good luck with that ugly, dirty money.

 

Rachel - I think you are a good person and you deserved this money.  I hope good things come your way after this whole debacle.


Sorry, I realize this might come off as a bit of a rant...but I really did feel strongly about Nick's actions during the finale and wanted to express my thoughts.  I know some people think that Nick was totally right in doing what he did and agreed with his reasoning -- everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but obviously I would disagree with those people, haha.

Adios, friends! 

Back to Blogging

Hello everyone,

Not only are the Backstreet Boys back -- this blog is back, as well!  Sorry for the long hiatus.  I honestly have no good excuse for my lack of posting, so I won't even try to make one up.

So long sweet Summer.  

Labor Day has come and gone, so now we get to look forward to my favorite season: Fall.  

Some posts that you can count on seeing soon will be related to: Fall, football, beer, bars, and patios (yes, I do realize how cliche this sounds), but please feel free to get excited.  

--

As a goodbye to the Summer season, I will leave you all with this great salad recipe.  I don't have a name for it, so we can just call it Summer Orzo Salad.  I sort-of adapted a recipe from a friend and threw my own spin on it.

Summer Orzo Salad

2-3 cups Orzo, cooked, according to directions on package
1 Green Pepper, chopped
2 Small Roma Tomatoes or 1 Large tomato, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 can yellow corn or 1 bag frozen yellow corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch Cilantro, rinsed & chopped
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt, Pepper & Cayenne to taste

Cook the orzo, chop the vegetables, and mix together with oil & vinegar (I add liquid a little at a time, depending on how big salad is so it is not too dry or too liquid-y) -- add salt, pepper, and cayenne to your liking. Refrigerate the salad for a few hours and then enjoy! Great as a side dish or as a light lunch or dinner.

Summer Orzo Salad