Eggplant Medallions

Even though I completely adore the eggplant lasagna I’ve featured on this blog several times, I’ll be the first to admit that it takes a little longer to make than I’d like most days. I guess I’m a 20 minutes or less kinda girl!

That particular recipe was calling to me after work today but I was feeling a little too lazy to follow through and make it. Instead, I sliced up the eggplant, salted it and let it lay out over the sink to remove the bitter flavor while I headed out to JoAnn’s to pick up some craft supplies to make our save the dates this weekend.

Salted Eggplant

When I returned, I popped the eggplant into the oven and let them roast at 415 degrees for approximately 10 – 15 minutes.

While the eggplant slices were roasting, I added oregano and basil to ricotta cheese to place on top of the eggplant.

Ricotta + Spices

Once the eggplant was slightly browned, I topped the slices (Let’s call them medallions to sound fancy, shall we?) with the ricotta mixture. I then added grilled chicken, pasta sauce and cheese on top of the ricotta and baked the medallions in the oven until the cheese was ooey gooey.

Eggplant + Chicken + Sauce + Cheese

Eggplant Slice

On the side I enjoyed a big helping of Monterey Pasta Company Rainbow Five Cheese Tortellini that the company kindly sent me to sample since I have an ongoing love affair with their ravioli.

Rainbow!

I don’t think I was the only one excited to try this in our household…

"Gimme, Gimme!"

I scooped a big serving of the pasta onto my plate with the cheesy eggplant slices.

Dinner is Served

My thoughts on the tortellini? It was nice and cheesy!  

I don’t know why, but I was way more excited to eat the red and green tortellini pieces than the standard white pasta pieces. But then again this really shouldn’t surprise me since I always like to pick my favorite colors and flavors out of candy bags… and the chunks of cookie dough out of cookie dough ice cream… and the clams out of clam chowder…

What color candy was typically your favorite?

I always liked the reds and the oranges out of most candy assortments. Ryan is a yellow and green guy, so we’re an ideal candy match!

More 25 Things

I loooove surveys. I recently featured a 25-things survey on my blog on my 25th birthday and loved how many of you decided to do it to!

Aren’t they so much fun!?

I saw this survey on Ayla’s blog and just had to do it. Feel free to post it up on your blog too! I love learning more about you guys.

1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?

Closed… I think. Ryan’s closet is in our bedroom so I leave the door situation up to him.

2. Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels?

No. I hate them and always bring my own. I’m so picky! I feel like they always make my hair feel super thin and fluffy.

3. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?

Tucked in.

4. Would you rather be attacked by a bear or a swarm of bees?

Bees. I feel like I’d be more likely to survive an insect attack. I’d try to find a lake to jump in!

5. Do you have freckles?

Nope.

6. What is your biggest pet peeve?

I don’t like it when people take “my spot” in BodyPump. 🙂

7. Have you ever peed in the woods?

Of course. Hence my business idea: The Weenis.

8. Do you ever dance if there’s no music playing?

Sure! Sadie is a great dance partner.

Drunk Dancing with Sadie as a Puppy

9. Do you chew your pens and pencils?

The caps of pens are my prey of choice.

10. Is it okay for guys to wear pink?

Yep! My dad does it all the time and I think it’s adorable. Ryan, however, has yet to show some pink pride.

11. What do you dip a chicken nugget in?

I was more of a cheeseburger girl growing up, but I’d have to say ketchup or honey mustard.

12. What is your favorite food?

Ice cream!!!

Nom, Nom, Nom

13. What movies could you watch over and over and still love?

Father of the Bride, Elf, Shrek, My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act 2, Christmas Vacation

14. Were you ever a boy/girl scout?

Girl scout… All the way up to a Junior.

15. Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?

No. It took me a couple of weeks to feel like I could let my own dog see me naked.

16. Can you change the oil on a car?

I did it once with my dad, but I definitely couldn’t do it again on my own.

17. Ever gotten a speeding ticket?

Yes.

18. Ever ran out of gas?

No.

19. Are you lazy?

No. I start to feel anxious if I don’t do enough in a day.

20. When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?

My best costume was probably the Energizer Bunny. I was also Dorothy one year and my sister was Toto (sorry, Leslie).

It Keeps Going, and Going, and Going

21. How many languages can you speak?

Uno. (English – Did I trick you?)

22. Who is better…Leno or Letterman?

Leno.

23. Do you sing in the car?

Yes! And sometimes I’ll think I sound good and turn down the volume only to realize that it’s Carrie Underwood who sounds good, not me.

24. Ever eat a pierogi?

Yes.

25. First concert?

I don’t remember! I think it was likely one of those radio concerts where a bunch of bands perform… I know I saw Blink 182 and Green Day pretty early in life… and OAR.

Your Turn

Now it’s your turn…

1. What is your biggest pet peeve?
2. Do you sing in the car?
3. Would you pose nakie for a magazine?
   

Lobster for Lunch

I’m so fancy!

Lobster for lunch… well, kinda. Lobster was definitely in my lunch, but not a full-on lobster tail or anything. 😉

Sure the lobster was stuffed in some pasta (in the form of leftover Monterey Pasta Company lobster ravioli), but the flavor was there in full force.

Lobster Ravioli Sandwich

I spread a wedge of Laughing Cow light original Swiss cheese on one half of a honey wheat Arnold sandwich thin to round out my ravioliwich.

On the side I had a sliced carrot and a cup o’ Chobani Greek yogurt.

Carrots

Thursday Lunch

You’d think ravioli on its own would be enough carbs for me, but no. I like to shove the pasta poofs between two slices of doughy bread for some carb-on-carb love. 😀

Mother’s Day

As most of  you (hopefully) know, Mother’s Day is this Sunday.

I have plans to head to Jacksonville after work on Friday to spend the weekend with my mom who is currently recovering from surgery at the MayoClinic (the doctors there have been wonderful, by the way).

I can’t wait to see her!!! It’s been so hard to be away from my family the past couple of days because they’re all in Jacksonville together, but I’ll be there soon…

Annnyway, people at work today were brainstorming Mother’s Day gift ideas. I have an idea up my sleeve, but can’t share it since I don’t want my mama getting ahold of my computer and seeing it on the ol’ blog.

Still, I know a lot of people want to do something special for their mom but don’t quite know what to do. Soooo, I ask you…

What are you doing for your mom for Mother’s Day? If you are a mom (Happy Mother’s Day!), what would be your ideal gift or way to celebrate your special day?

Brace Face

I never had braces growing up.

I was given the option to have braces, but being 14 years old, I figured it didn’t matter and I decided against being a metal mouth.

Fast forward 10 years and I was self-conscious about my “fangs.” I had two teeth on either side of my two front teeth that stuck out a bit. It bothered me for years, and once I saved up enough money, I paid a visit to the orthodontist to see if I was a candidate for Invisalign (clear braces). Thankfully I was, and now, a little more than a year later, I’m almost done! Phew!

This morning I have my last appointment before we enter the “refinement” period where my orthodontist said she’ll work with me until I am 100 percent satisfied. She’s the best!

Workout

Today’s workout was all over the place! Clearly my mind was racing this morning and I couldn’t stand to do one cardio machine for more than 15 minutes at a time.

Here’s my cardio breakdown:

• 15 min. stairmaster
• 15 min. elliptical
• 1 round of the At Home Cardio Blast circuit
• 5 minutes arc trainer
• 5 minutes elliptical

I was hoppin’ around like a crazy lady!

Breakfast

Post-workout I came home craving a hot breakfast which was odd considering I was sweating like mad.

I guess the body wants what it wants!

A bowl of strawberry shortcake hot cereal sounded perfect.

Frozen Strawberries

Dry Ingredients

Into the mix went:

• 1 serving Flax-Z-Snax butter pecan hot cereal (Just FYI, according to Netrition.com, Flax-Z-Snax’s nurtitional information is a little sketchy…)
• 1 scoop All the Whey cup cake batter protein powder
• Three large frozen strawberries

After adding water and microwaving the mix for a minute (stirring regularly to prevent overflow), my breakfast was ready for eatin’.

Strawberry Shortcake Hot Cereal

Yummy Berries

Thursday Breakfast

I wolfed this down in quite the un-ladylike manner. 😉

Aaaand I’m off to my Invisalign appointment. Catch ya lata!

Question of the Day

Did you ever have braces?