PDX

Sad story - Mr. Malone and I never really celebrated our wedding anniversary. Well, I take that back. We did celebrate, but we have yet to fulfill our gift to each other: the gift of cotton.

Did you know that someone had the time created a list of traditional anniversary gifts that correspond with each year? Seriously - check it out.

A friend of mine gave me a coupon for Amtrak... buy one adult ticket and get one FREE! Sounds like the perfect excuse to get away to Portland with my main man. Bonus? Saw an article in The Seattle Times about how to score sweet deals when booking a hotel by April 1.

 

The plan? Sleep, eat, shop, get camera happy, and make time to see our college friends.

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Anybody have any great recommendations?

Things to Come?

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I'm trying... and I'm hoping some new developments at work will do the trick. Fingers crossed!

Oatmeal Banana Muffins

Oh, Pinterest. I may have to scroll through endless wedding-related pins, but there is always a gem buried somewhere.

Enter these muffins, which in turn, led me here. (Confession: I think these two are ridiculously adorable and I have a total blog crush. Oh my god, Pinterest has made me I am crazy.)

Back to the muffins. Delicious and so easy! I needed something that would be a quick breakfast on the go and these delivered. However, I need to stop using cupcake liners - the paper is stuck to the bottom of the muffin! I mean, eating only the tops aren't that bad, but I want the whole darn thing. (Does this happen to anybody else? What's the remedy?)

OATMEAL BANANA MUFFINS

*Via C&E

2 1/2 C old fashioned oats

1 C plain low-fat Greek yogurt

2 eggs

3/4 C sugar

1 1/2 Tsp baking powder

1/2 Tsp baking soda

2 ripe bananas (I used 3 - loved the banana flavor)

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees and get your muffin tin ready. (Don't be like me - use nonstick cooking spray!)

*Place all of the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. (Add the oats one cup at a time.)

*Pour batter into muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy! And thanks for a great recipe, C&E!

Homeland

Just discovered "Homeland." I plan on being fully caught up by the end of the weekend, if not sooner.

Hope it's not just me.

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5 Things

Call them goals, call them guidelines, call them to-do's. But please, don't call them resolutions. I don't know why, I just don't like the word resolution. (I feel like calling it a "resolution" makes it more official, and that's not how I roll. You feel me?) Like everybody else and their mom, I have a few five things I am going to share with the world wide web; five things I'm hoping will bring a bit more happiness to 2013.

: : read more : :

I love to read, absolutely love it. Unfortunately, though, my reading goes in waves. I'll read two books really quickly and then not pick up another one for months. I need to work on making time for reading, whether at lunch or before I go to bed. There is nothing better than being immersed in a good book.

: : run more : :

Running clears my head, which I seem to need desperately these days. I can't wait for it to warm up so I can hit the Burke-Gilman. June 22nd will be here before I know it!

: : write more snail mail : :

C'mon, who doesn't love getting a letter in the mail? I'm always so surprised when I get a "just because" note, or a "thinking of you" card. I'd love to be able to put a smile on someone's face. Plus, it will allow me to keep in touch with those out-of-state.

: : take more pictures : :

Sometimes I wonder if I'm "that girl." You know? The one with her iPhone out, taking pictures of EVERYTHING. I really try not to be, but I don't want to miss out on anything! I wouldn't mind cutting back on the iPhone paparazzi game, but I want to explore Seattle behind the lens. I've been dying to bring my camera to work, so I can get down to Pike Place on my lunch break. (Nerd alert.)

: : shop less : :

I have a feeling this will be the most challenging, especially since Nordstrom has the cutest stuff right now. I don't even think I shop that much, but I tend to buy things that I don't necessarily need. (I'm sure Mr. Malone will be a-ok with this plan.)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

 
There is nothing more satisfying than a bowl of soup on a cold day. My go-to? Chicken tortilla - chunks of chicken & yellow bell pepper in a delicious tomato broth. Oh, my mouth is watering just typing! Vegetarian? I've never tried it, but I'm sure this soup would be just as wonderful without the chicken. (I'm talking to you, Jen!) For those of you who test it out in your own kitchen, I hope you love it as much as I do.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
*Via Sunday Soup 

1 small chipotle pepper (canned in adobo)
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for frying
1 C onion, chopped
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 Tsp dried oregano
1 - 28oz can diced tomatoes, drained well
6 C chicken stock
1 pound chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips (The bell pepper is my favorite part - I use two.)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt, to taste
6 Corn tortillas

*Rinse the chipotle pepper and pat dry. Cut a lengthwise slit in pepper & scrape out seeds. Coarsely chop the pepper and set aside.
*Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. When hot, add onion and cook until softened - about 4-5 minutes.
*Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add chopped chipotle, cumin, oregano, tomatoes, and stock.
*Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
*With an immersion blender, purée the soup in the pot. (If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer soup to a food processor or blender - whatever will make it smooth!)
*Bring puréed mixture to a simmer over medium heat and add chicken & bell pepper. Cook until chicken is cooked through and peppers are tender - about 5 minutes.
*Stir in lime juice and season with salt, as needed.
*For the garnish, cut the tortillas into strips. Coat a skillet generously with olive oil and place over medium-high heat.
*When oil is hot, add one-third of the strips and sauté until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
*Ladle soup into a bowl and top with a handful of fried tortilla strips. (You can also add cilantro or sour cream - go nuts!)

Oh Shoot

It's that time again!

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Out on the Town

Mr. Malone and I, along with his co-workers, were treated to a night out last Friday.

The agenda? Dinner & drinks at RN74, followed by karaoke at Rock Box. (Gee, twist my arm!)

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Let me start by saying how blown away I was with dinner. The service, the food... almost everything. Not sure if it was just our group, or if it was the restaurant in general, but it was LOUD. I felt like I was screaming to have a conversation with the person across from me. Other than that, though, I was really impressed.

The Menu

Mushroom Tempura (Shared)

Gougeres (Shared)

Black Truffle Popcorn (Shared, but mostly me!)

Potato Leek Soup (Mr. M)

Avocado & Butter Lettuce Salad (Me)

Beef Bourguinon (Mr. M)

Carrot Risotto (Me)

Hand Cut Beignets (Mr. M)

Crunchy Chocolate Profiteroles (Me)

I would recommend RN74 to anyone, especially those who have plans downtown. (Think dinner and a show at The 5th.) I've also heard great things about their Happy Hour! And when you're done, hitch a ride home in an Uber cab. I will never use a Yellow Cab again!

First time user? Enter promo code tquma and get $10 off your first ride! (You're welcome.)

Blue Friday

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SEA! HAWKS!