a story of headshots and ketchup.

which, i think, could win as one of my weirdest titles yet.

first ketchup.

Friday, my friend Melissa, had just about decided to get a camera like mine. we were ready to go to Costco @ lunch, because they've got a good deal with the body, two lenses, a camera bad, 2gb memory card...all for about $1000.

but...they didn't offer an extended warranty, and Melissa wanted that. so we looked online (i know, we should be working, but it's just SO BORING.) and found one @ Best Buy, who does offer an extended warranty.

so i called Brendan and said, come meet us there - then we'll EAT.

because fat girls love to eat.

so after looking at their deal, which was just the camera, one lens, an extra battery and a camera bad, Melissa decided she wanted to wait and find a deal more like mine.
(who could blame her - i found out my telephoto lens that i got with my camera costs about $600. oy.)

now comes dinner.
we headed over to Sizzler for cheap steak & lobster...yum. and as we sat, giggling and having a great time, i suddenly felt something hit me in the side of the head.

since it was raining Friday, the first thing i did, of course, was look up to see if there was a leak.
nope.
felt the side of my head, now thinking perhaps some smart-ass kid shot a spit-wad my way.
nope.
so i turn to my friend & husband and say - IS THERE SOMETHING IN MY HAIR?????
yep.

there was a blob of ketchup in my hair. KETCHUP.IN.MY.HAIR.
now, of course, being the mature grown-ups we are, we all start giggling hysterically, while Melissa wipes it out of my hair.

the only thing i can figure, is, when the busboys were cleaning the table next to us, somehow they flung it up and over.

needless to say, i washed my hair the minute i got home.

now i know what a french fry feels like.

on to Brendan O'Mahony - Supermodel.

could i talk him into doing something different? nope. oh well. i still think he's pretty cute.

we also had a lady in a kimono...i decided i'd rather take pictures of him, rather than the hoochie mammas that just wanted headshots for their portfolios.

just having way too much fun.

never mess with a fat girl's dessert meme.

thanks Linda!

A sweet meme


1) Copy this list into your site, including the instructions!
2) Bold all of the sweets you've eaten--or make them a different type color.
3) Cross out any of them that you'd never ever eat.
4) Consider anything that is not bold or crossed out your "To Do" List.
5) Optional: Post a comment here linking to your results--or just post a comment letting us know how many you've tried, or what you're going to try next!

1. Red Velvet Cake yes. weird. cake should not be red.
2. Princess Torte
3. Whoopie Pie i've made these for a friend's birthday
4. Apple Pie either topped or baked with sharp cheddar (there's a pie shop here that has as a motto - An Apple Pie Without Some Cheese is Like a Kiss Without a Squeeze. whatever. i'm not eating those together)
5. Beignet ohgoodygoodygoodygoody!!!
6. Baklava
7. Black and white cookie
8. Seven Layer Bar
9. Fried Fruit pie
10. Just-fried (still hot) doughnut oh Krispy Kreme, i miss ye.
11. Scone with clotted cream sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!
12. Betty, Grunt, Slump, Buckle or Pandowdy - yep. good stuff there.
13. Halvah or Turkish Delight - Crazy Aunty Kay LIVED for Halvah.
14. Macaroons - Disneyland makes the bestst ones, drizzled with a little chocolate...
15. Banana pudding with nilla wafers
16. Bubble tea (with tapioca "pearls") (my friend Mellie LOVES that stuff)
17. Rice Krispie treats - da bomb!
18. Alfajores
19. Blondies
20. Croquembouche
21. Girl Scout cookies love the Samoas & the peanut butter creme ones.
22. Moon cake
23. Candy Apple -nope. don't like 'em at all. caramel apples rule, however.
24. Baked Alaska on our cruise. about 15 waiters paraded in with them, all a-fire.
25. Brooklyn Egg Cream - not sure if it's Brooklyn, but i have had egg custard. is it the same thing?
26. Nanaimo bar
27. Baba au rhum
28. King Cake
29. Sachertorte
30. Pavlova
31. Tres Leches Cake - and have made it and it is the freaking BEST.
32. Shoofly Pie
33. Key Lime Pie (made with real key lime) - love that sweet tart taste!
34. Panna Cotta
35. New York Cheesecake - yum!
36. Napoleon / mille-fueille
37. Russian Tea Cake / Mexican Wedding Cake
38. Anzac biscuits
39. Pizzelle
40. Kolache
41. Buckeyes
42. Malasadas
43. Moon Pie
44. Dutch Baby - really easy to make. and the bomb to eat!
45. Boston Cream Pie
46. Homemade chocolate chip cookies - heck, i don't wanna eat 'em once they cool down.
47. Pralines
48. Gooey butter cake
49. Rusks
50. Daifuku
51. Green tea cake or cookies'
52. Cupcakes from a cupcake shop
53. Crème brûlée - OMG. that's all i can say. i can't even type, i've drooled all over the keyboard
54. Some sort of deep fried fair dessert food - i always love the funnel cake@ Knott's - but this year was the first time i had a fried twinkie...not bad!
55. Yellow cake with chocolate frosting - the Husband's favorite!
56. Jelly Roll - i've made a Yule Log cake, same idea.
57. Pop Tarts - chocolate fudge rules!
58. Charlotte Russe
59. An "upside down" dessert (Pineapple upside down cake or Tarte Tatin) my step-pop's favorite...i still make it for him.
60. Hummingbird Cake
61. Jell-O from a mold (and even jello cake!)
62. Black Forest Cake
63. Mock Apple Pie (Ritz Cracker Pie).
64. Kulfi
65. Linzer torte
66. Churro
67. Stollen
68. Angel Food Cake
69. Mincemeat pie...bleeeeccccchhhhhh
70. Concha
71. Opera Cake
72. Lobster tail
73. Pain au chocolat/Chocolate Crossaint
74. A piece of Gingerbread House
75. Cassata
76. Cannoli
77. Rainbow cookies
78. Religieuse/eclair
79. Petits fours
80. Chocolate Souffle - there's a restaurant up in L.A. i went to once that makes the best.ever.
81. Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake)
82. Rugelach
83. Hamenstashen
84. Homemade marshmallows
85. Pie or cake made with candy bar flavors (Snickers pie, Reeses pie, etc)
86. Divinity
87. Coke or Cola cake
88. Gateau Basque
89. Figgy Pudding
90. Bananas foster
91. Joe Froggers
92. Sables
93. Shortbread
94. Animal crackers
95. Basbousa

a girl's gotta eat...

from my sweet Susie....and of course i'm playing because no one knows foodies like a fat girl!

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.

The Very Great Taste Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea (what IS this?)
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare (just in case you didn't know i was a freak...i totally love raw hamburger, and beef...with a little salt...oh happy, happy tummy)
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue (heck - we have a chain of restaurants out here i'm dying to try called The Melting Pot....face it: cheese is good food.)
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho (i didn't like it at first. B loves it. but as we've tried different restaurants, and with Little Saigon only a few miles from our casa, there are PLENTY of choices!)
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses ( OMG - i'm starting to think i is from da backwoods)
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream (how about green tea?!)
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans (in a place where Mexican restaurants & taco shops are more common than gas stations, oh yeah. i've had 'em a few times)
25. Brawn, souse or head cheese (Crazy Aunty Kay LOVED head cheese. i could take it or leave it and generally leave it)
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche (OMG. one of life's bestest pleasures!!)
28. Oysters
29. Baklava (yum-o. even though it has nuts and i'm SO not a nut fan)
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas (bleah. but i tried 'em)
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut (Crazy Auntie Kay's husband, Uncle Jimmy, was of German heritage; grew up in a heavy German town in Indiana...we ate it quite a bit when i was a kiddo)
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (does a Michelob with a Benson & Hedges when i was 19 count?)
37. Clotted cream tea (a damn fine excuse for high tea, if you ask me)
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut (yum. i cried bitter tears when the closest Krispy Kreme store closed)
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer (probably, but i didn't know what it was called - we used to have friends from India...before they got divorced, then divorced us)
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (shocking, but no. momma doesn't like Big Macs.)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini (eeeeh)
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips (eyep.)
61. S’mores (heck - i'm 46 years old...and i STILL make 'em)
62. Sweetbreads (i can think of two things wrong with that name)
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (OMG - i first met the joy of beignets when we went to Disney World a few years ago...at our hotel, there were different food stations, and one of ;'em made beignets fresh. every.dang.morning. i gained at least ten pounds eating there. THEN they had to open a little beignet store in Downtown Disney....oh joy. and i do love any baked good...but i gotta say, the BEST funnel cake comes from Knott's...a little stand across from the Log Ride...made fresh...';scuse me, i need to wipe my mouth.)
68. Haggis (not a chance.)
69. Fried plantain (in Florida. yum. finally, we found a Cuban restaurant around here that serves 'em...)
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho (Delicious!)
72. Caviar and blini (can NOT get over the whole fish egg thing)
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie (cherry's my fave)
78. Snail
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict (it's OK. B loves it)
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef (tasty - but not any tastier in my mind than an Angus steak!)
86. Hare
87. Goulash (Kay made the BEST)
88. Flowers
89. Horse (what?! eat Trigger?!)
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (i have the best recipe for spam sammiches...ground with onions, olives, tomato sauce, cheese...then broiled...)
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish (i know - food from the Land of my People, but not that crazy about it!)
95. Mole poblano (molemolemole)
96. Bagel and lox (yum)
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta (again, i have a killer recipe for fried polenta with sausage & onions & peppers!)
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake (i've seen several i'd like to kill and some i've dated, but never eaten one)

your turn. have a good time!

pump up the stomach, pump it upppppp.

tomorrow.

it all starts tomorrow.

a new era in husband/wife relations.

he.is.cooking.

we have been together for 10+ years - and i can count on one hand (just a few fingers) how many times he's cooked for me.

actually, i think only once. and it was for Valentine's.

but tomorrow. it all begins.

i'm going to a scrapbooking class that i booked before the layoff. it starts at 6, and i suggested he cook dinner.

ohicantcookibarelycookedwheniwassinglebesidesyouremuchbetteratitthaniam.

dude. all you have to to is follow the receipe.

and with that, i handed him the cookbook, told him what page it was on and where he could find the ingredients i purchased.

it could be a red-letter day in the O'Mahony household. not only am i making this:

but i'm having dinner cooked for me.

now if only i could get a massage.

updates tomorrow.

yum-o!

we celebrate many things in this life: births, weddings, anniversaries, even deaths.

don't believe me about the death one? what about when we go to someone's house after a service to eat?

Americans celebrate with food.

so last night, we food celebrated our anniversary. Ruth's Chris' Steakhouse. holy crap. it's goooooood.

we've been to them before, but have never gone to the newest one, a hop, skip and jump away from Disneyland. it.was.beautiful.
blown glass morning glories on the ceiling, framing huge windows. a lighted wine display that changed colors.

oh, and steak. really, really good steak.

and really good chopped salad.
really good shoestring potatoes
really good sauteed mushrooms.
and beyond good creme brulee.

oh yeah, good service, good company, good ambiance, blah, blah, blah.

dinner was great.

and for a few hours, we can pretend there's nothing else in the world but us. no pressures. no bills. no problems.

life is good.

happy anniversary, baby.

again - why my butt and Tex-ass have something in common.

no flaming, April. cuz you know i love you, just that i had a bad experience getting to AND in Texas.

we went out for Chinese food tonight. not Panda Express, and not that we have anything against it, we're just looking for some different, flavored right Chinese food.

and we found one. not that far.

see - we used to have a place we would drive down to Oceanside to get to.
Oceanside is in San Diego county. it's about an hour or so from us.
this place was a hole in the wall, as the best places are. and they made the best pan fried chow mein ever.

ever.

then guess what? they closed up. seems the owners were tired of driving from Irvine to San Diego Co every.dang.day.

we mourned. we raged. we ripped our garments.

then we found Lily Garden here in Cypress. praise be, they make pan fried chow mein.

and it was goooooood.

i won't embarrass either of us with the happy sounds we both made as we tore into it, fighting as usual over the shrimp and the crispy bits of goodness cleverly disguised as fried chowmein noodles. suffice to say we both have bellies full of happiness.

and a hole in our hearts filled.

if only the rest of our holes could be filled so easily. and cheaply.

around the world. in only 10 minutes.

wow.
judging by your comments here, i say i have a strong following for my Run to the White House.

heck, and i didn't even have to soak you for $1500 a plate for blahsville chicken.

man am i stupid.

sorry to disappoint, but i'm fairly confident i won't be running for office any time soon. i can't even handle office politics without getting maddern a wet hen. and to deal with professional politicians?

hold me.
back, that is.

speaking of office fun...can someone tell me what the %^&*!@#! is wrong with me?
i have volunteered myself again. for another party planning.
while i am also planning a potluck for my workgroup.

i must have dame bramage.

the Big Boss' birthday is next week. her secretary...er, administrative assistant, and yes, this is the same one who wanted to peel my arm, came to me in a panic (panicking is something she's really, really good at) because earlier this week she sent an email to the Boss' management team about the birthday and only a few of us have responded.

so apparently, i'm the mean one who can get money out of people. or break their arms.

oh, and i'm organizing the munchie day.

and creating a 'poodle album.'

damn. she's gooooooood.

oh, but there won't be a poodle album. (the boss has a full size black poodle she absolutely loves. but Roxana, her assistant, like another friend of mine, beats things to death. seriously to the point where you would learn to hate it, because she's taken all the fun out of it.

'sides, there ain't no such thing as a poodle album.

so - i'm going with a 12'' clipboard, some totally cool teal paper from Lil' Davis and some blue/green ribbon.
niiiiice.
one of my old bosses there (hmmm. i just realized i have worked for every.dang.supervisor. there except for one...) who ROCKS in Photoshop and i will take pictures of everyone in the team holding a letter that will spell birthday. we'll take a picture of the boss' dog and digitally put a sign on her neck reading happy. then put it all together so it looks seamless.

ain't technology bitchin?

so, i'm collecting cash for a Nordstrom gift card and a cake, then we're all going out to a little local restaurant for lunch on her birthday.
this restaurant is right off a main thoroughfare in Los Alamitos (where i work). but they have tables in their back yard with a little waterfall and pond that you would think you were, well - someplace else.

oh, and did i mention the hot apple fritters they serve? constantly? they have a server who i swear their only job is to walk with a basket full of 'em.

sorry. i've drooled so much thinking about them that i've soaked the keyboard.

so you see - there's no way i can run for office. i'm too busy planning parties.

but i guarantee you this: if i do run and win, not only will i keep my campaign promises.
i'll plan one hell of a party for myself.

more this and less of that.

• my mom's surgery turned out well...she's feeling pretty perky...mostly because of the Demerol. that'll make anyone feel perky.
• the clambake was...different. but that's another post. suffice to say, again, that i am a big baby and really do prefer my food to not be in it's original form.and the lobster was.
• my bestest friend leaves tomorrow for New York City with her kids...do keep her in your prayers that they have a wonderful, safe trip. especially for Kristie...she's as good a flier as i am.
• looking for Hints from Heloise: anyone got any ideas why my feet & ankles are swollen? i'm certainly not preggers...so is there any other reason?

more on the clambake tomorrow. just a preview: it had eyes. it looked at me. ewwwwwww.

baby.

whoda thunk it?

i'm excited about dinner tomorrow night. not tonight, but tomorrow.

and with the size my butt is, you'd think i'd be more excited about food every.damn.day.

but i'm not. tomorrow, however, is an exception.

we're going back here. yes, we just went for Husband's birthday. but when there, we saw a table card for an event they're having tomorrow night...a clambake.

holy freaking crustaceans, Batman!

being West Coasters, neither of us have been to a clambake. i'm not sure if it's actually in the restaurant, or in their courtyard outside, but in either case, this is gonna be fun.

unfortunately, it's been a week of really good eating. i made a pork tenderloin that was way super good...and if you're interested, here you go:
preheat oven to 375-400
get 1 pork tenderloin 1-2lbs
large ziplok bag - inside bag add 1tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp seasoned salt, 1 -2 tsps each dried basil and oregano. shake to combine.

put your tenderloin in and shake to coat.

next, take three strips of bacon and wrap around the tenderloin, secure with toothpicks if needed.
coat in olive oil, put in a foil lined 9x13 baking dish. bake at 375 for 45 or 400 for 60 minutes, or until internal temp reaches 155 and bacon is crispy.

remove from oven, wrap in foil and let rest for 10 minutes. eat 'em up. yum.

good food part two

one of our favorite, inexpensive and good places to eat is the Old Spaghetti Factory. regular readers may remember it as the site of Brendan's birthday party. one of our favorite dishes is their Browned Butter with Mizithra cheese. way, WAY yummy.

try this. cut up two sticks of butter and put in a saucepan. melt over low heat really slowly. once it begins to boil, stir constantly to prevent residue from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

As the butter cooks, it will start to foam and rise. Continue stirring, otherwise the butter foam could overflow (about 5 minutes) and catch fire. Once the butter stops foaming and rising, cook until amber in color (about 1 to 2 minutes). It will have a pleasant caramel aroma.

Turn off the heat and remove pan from burner. Let the sediment settle to the bottom of the pan for a few minutes. Pour the brown butter through a strainer into a small bowl. Do not disturb the residue at the bottom of the pan.
The brown butter can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in a microwave as needed.

Boil the pasta of choice until Al Dente. Drain pasta and divide into four servings. Spread 1/4 cup of Mizithra over each pasta serving. Top with 1/4 cup of hot brown butter. (actually i do it the other way, butter first, then cheese. if you can't find Mizithra, which is a hard Greek cheese, you can use a Romano blend...it'll almost be the same)

tonight: Husband's birthday finishes at our favorite Japanese restaurant. i must now cut coupons for dinner...local papers run a buy one, get one free up to $20 offer and with ten people coming, they do come in handy.

bon appetite!

this is SO not on Weight Watchers...

but it's sooooooooo good. and been so long since i found 'em.

go here.

and enjoy the goodness.

no wonder my arse is the size of Tex-ass.

get it?

so here's the dealio. i'm allegedly on Weight Watchers, remember? well...apparently i've forgotten all about it.

at work, i coordinate lunches for another group. don't even get me started on why i do this, i ask myself this every time i do it. today, we ordered from a local restaurant.

i wasn't going to originally. didn't feel like spending $8.00 or so for a lunch, and 'sides nothing was grabbing my tummy's attention.

except for one thing. (and if you don't like seafood, you might want to turn away)
Shrimp & Crab Melt
an open face, grilled Parmesan sourdough served with a generous portion of crab meat blended with shrimp with crispy bacon, tomato, avocado and melted jack & cheddar cheese.

oh.my.

except they forgot the avocado. no big. really.

it wasn't something i would order to go again, but if i EVER go there for a sit down lunch/dinner, duuuuuuuude. i am SO there.

cheese and bacon. man.

it's no wonder i need Weight Watchers.

testify! part too....

welcome to Downtown Disney...and yes, those are Red Hatters in the lower corner.

the house band...

nothing like romantic candlelight...

while the house rocks.

and while i'm not sure what a Stormtrooper, Chewbacca and, er...Catman (becaue it is a man, or a chick with a bad hormonal problem that causes mustaches) were doing there, i'm sure it was because of the cheese grits, biscuits, gravy, catfish, and bread pudding.

did i mention the bread pudding?

total fun. thanks Kristie!

there's mischief afoot!

there probably is somewhere.
but not here. i just like how it sounds and say it frequently at work.

today - barring any further unforseen circumstances, i shall finally go to the gospel brunch at the House of Blues in Downtown Disney, over by Disneyland.

i've been trying to go for the last five years or so. you'd think it wouldn't be so bloody hard: make reservations, go, eat, pay.

ha!

my friend Kristie and i originally planned on going for my 40th. in Vegas.

sweet.

we had a death in our family, and so we postponed. but, like so many things, it got pushed off to the side, rescheduled over and over. it just wasn't meant to be, apparently.

but not today.

today, Brendan, myself, Kristie, her kids and six of Kristie's friends will converge on the House and have some good Southern cooking (holy frejoles. GRITS!!!!!), perhaps a Bloody Mary (even if i'm not flying - i sometimes have one before i fly by myself someplace).

i'm so looking forward to it. it's just gonna be fun to dress girlie, hang with my Husband and good friends and eat good Southern food. oh and take pictures, naturally.

see ya, y'all.

for you who asked..

the tamale pie was goooood.

i helped it along by frying up some ground beef, seasoned with Lawrey's Tabasco flavored seasoned salt, tossed some cheese around the edges of the cornbread mixture.

totally yum. highly recommended.

that wrong turn from Indian to Tex-Mex was the right road after all.

New Delhi is just off the 80 from Dallas, right? Right?

i am in a culinary rut.

rut.rut.rut.

i came to another brilliant realization, that i don't have a whole lot going on in the variety dinner department. i tend to cook the same things over and over.

mind you, the Husband isn't complaining. he knows better. he might end up cooking.

so tonight, on my Holy Pilgrimage to Target (face it: you go for toilet paper and end up with a hundred freaking dollar bill)for toilet paper (see above), i came home with some cute oblong tins from the dollar section, polo shirts for Brendan, colored pencils...well, you get the idea.

but when i saw this box dinner, it was all over with.

it looks soooo yummy! it must go home with me!! i must cook it! tonight!

and originally, i was thinking of making a chicken curry. so i've gone from New Delhi to Dallas and haven't even left the O.C.

it's in the oven as we speak. it is just a different road than what i originally envisioned.

but let's face it: with the amount of sleep i got, i could screw up the curry and turn it into heaven only knows what.

and while i'm feeling pretty dang proud of myself, i just realized that i gotta do this again Wednesday. any ideas?