the monthly cooking segment: 20/20

though i will not finish a number of items on my list, this is one i knew i would be mad if i didn't complete it...i had 19 out of 20, after all.

so i made dinner for liz and me the other night.

we had salmon, spring rolls (i didn't make them; they just sounded like a good add on), broccoli, wild rice, and poppadoms.

the meal was pretty delicious and made the apartment smell good, too.

oh, hey...tomorrow is my birthday.  nbd.

30 by 30 update: 2 more months

time sure is flying.  hard to believe that a month ago, liz and i were running a marathon.  crazy.

so here's what i have gotten done in the past month:

1) i got my master's degree!  i graduated on april 28th, with much pomp and circumstance.  for all of you still confused about what i have been doing for the last two years, this is my degree: master's of art in counseling, specializing in student development counseling and administration.  no, i am not certified.  no, i do not want to be.

this pic is heather and me at the hooding ceremony.  oh, so fancy.  :)

2) my debt to my father is down to the last $200.  pretty exciting!  ($2500/$2700)

8) i knocked out the pinterest meals in one month!  and they were amazing.  the first two are on my monthly cooking segment.  i dominated this goal, though.  i made a total of eight things.  i am leaving comments on my pinterest board HERE if you want to keep track of the things i am cooking.  but i'll also link to the individual recipes below the pictures for you.  so here is what else i made:

thai coconut curry shrimp.  yum.  RECIPE.

garlic and mozzarella wontons.  amazing.  i baked them (425 for about 17 minutes) instead of frying them.  RECIPE.  

rosemary and goat cheese-stuffed mushrooms with bread crumbs.  these are delicious and rich.  RECIPE.

green coconut salmon (with cous cous, peas, french bread, and fresh mango).  liz said this was her favorite meal.  RECIPE.  

southwestern egg rolls with avocado ranch dipping sauce.  i should have baked them a bit longer.  and made the sauce zestier.  but still yummy.  RECIPE.  

tuscan chicken pizza.  we used a yellow pepper instead of a red one.  very good, and the pizza was delicious left over.  RECIPE.

11) as i said, the first two meals (spinach and artichoke baked pasta and eggplant sandwiches) were featured on my monthly cooking segment (18/20).  check them out HERE.

12) i planned a scavenger hunt for my sweet little wigger girls.  heather and keely helped execute the plans.  i think they had a pretty fun time.  i made them run all over marion and do ridiculous things.  but they got lots of treats along the way.  here are some pics:

the girls as they headed out on their adventure.

helping heather choose 'the right hat.'  not sure this was it...

delivering treats to our pal, fritz.

27) i am changing 'get another tattoo' to 'get another piercing,' because i haven't settled on my next tattoo design, and it is not something i want to rush just for the sake of the list.

29) i have read 74/100 books.  i need to get cracking on this.  this past month, i finished the simple life, the guernsey literary and potato peel pie society, and perelandra.

30 by 30: the one where she gets punched in the eye

nothing very exciting to report for this month's update.  five months left...quite a bit to do still.

2) i have paid $2200/2700.  not bad.  almost done.  (yahoo...i'll get done just in time to start paying student loans again!)

11) uh...15/20.  i neglected to post a monthly cooking segment, so i am going to show you three things i cooked in the last month:

eggplant parmesan.  mmmmmm.  

garlic chicken, cous cous, sauteed zucchini and squash.

post-run meal: salmon, asparagus, cous cous...monster rehab...woot!

29) i have read 65/100.  the new ones are disney cash hacks, slave to child, simply christian, the purpose-guided student, and the unlikely disciple.  mostly good stuff.  

and...that's all i can give you right now.  i am sick.  deuces.

the monthly cooking segment: a little bit of everything...

announcer: hello, boys and girls. welcome to this month's edition of 'food you wish holly had cooked for you but instead ate all by her lonesome.' today, our lovely contestants are mr. steak and mr. salmon. say hi, everybody.

audience: *applause*

announcer: let's get to know our contestants. mr. steak, tell us: what do you bring to the table?

steak: i bring a lovely grilled charm, a smoky cajun flavor, and am warm and pink on the inside.

audience: oooh!

announcer: and salmon, my good fellow, what can you tell us about yourself?

salmon: well, i'm pretty in pink, good for the heart, and just a little flaky. *grins sheepishly*

audience: ahhh!

announcer: how will holly choose between these two excellent choices?

audience: *troubled murmurs*

announcer: what's that? she doesn't have to? well, folks, this is a new one on me! i have never seen the lady take both of them home! *laughing* well, i guess there's a first time for everything. tune in next month for another exciting installment.

audience: *applause* *joyful dancing*

**

i don't mess around, people. i am serious about my food.

bam: steak. grilled. some salt, pepper, chili powder, and some cajun sauce. yup.

wham: salmon. grilled in a dab of olive oil. a little pepper, a pinch of garlic salt, and some mushrooms to top it off.

and if you thought my grilled potatoes were good before (and i know some of you do because that was the only thing you ever really asked me to make when we lived together), i took them to a whole new level:

kapow! i added asparagus. that's right: red potatoes, sweet onion, mushrooms, asparagus, salt, pepper, olive oil, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and some garlic salt.

go ahead and be jealous. they were awesome. here's what they looked like, cooking away:

and here's the final product on the plate: