I bet there is an iPhone app for that!...

This man's cell phone turns his oven on!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/nyregion/23about.html?_r=3

Linguine with roasted shrimp and cherry tomatoes...

This was light and yummy...

Serves 2
Linguine
10 Peeled and deveined shrimp (I used bay shrimp but prefer gulf)
2 tbs Unsalted butter
1/4 cup (about 5) Yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 cup (about 5) Red cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 tbs Parsley, chopped
1 tbs Basil, chopped
Shards of Parmesan cheese
2 tbs Olive oil
1 tsp Salt plus more for pasta water
1 tsp Pepper

Preheat oven to 400

Place shrimp on baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange shrimp so that they lay flat and are not touching each other. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil water. Place linguine in salted boilg water and cook according to package instructions. Drain.

Combine all reamining ingredients in large bowl and toss together making sure butter coats the pasta. Serve with shards of parmesan. Enjoy.

Pasta Making...

Last weekend I decided that I was going to make pasta and I did just that! Making pasta is actually easy and you already have the stuff to make it in your pantry. Flour, eggs, salt, water. I do not have a pasta making attachment for my stand mixer...yet...so the process was a bit labor intensive but totally worth it! The Italians have been making pasta for centuries by hand so I think I can handle it! Last night I really wanted to make ravioli. So I did. The process was the same except I processed the pasta dough in the food processor and it was MUCH quicker and I ended up with a softer dough! I rolled out my sheets of dough very thin and then created the filling: ricotta cheese and leftover pesto sauce. I just could not believe how easy and fun making pasta is! It is almost zen-like. Then when you taste your creation....absolute splendor!

Doing things a little different...

I have decided that I am going to devote this website to cooking related stuff! Facebook kinda killed the ninja but I am still doing the cooking show and trying new things in the kitchen all the time!

Salmon Part 1

Black Beans Part 2

Coming Soon..

The season premier of Cooking with Karen! Filming is saturday and it should be posted sunday!!!

Facebook killed the Ninja...

You all may have noticed that I have not posted anything in months! Oops!! I blame myself and I blame Facebook. I have several Cooking with Karen’s just waiting to be posted and I just haven’t done it! I am going to be better at blogging and such!

We are leaving for Colorado on Friday so I will be posting thoughts, happenings, pictures, etc throughout the trip. I am going to try and slow my Facebook roll for a bit. Those FB people just make it so darn easy. Plus there is a quick and handy little app for iPhone.

Anyway, we are headed to Colorado on Friday and cannot wait the get the hell out of here for a week! We will be driving to Amarillo and spending the night and getting up early Sat and finishing the drive to Denver. Moses is going with us so it should be interesting. I am starting him on Melatonin to calm him down in the car. Hopefully he will just sleep most of the way instead of standing and panting.

In June I am planning a trip to London to see my friend Chad. I feel like a heel cause I have not yet gone to see him since he moved there about 2 years ago. Unfortunately, Ron can’t go….work, school, and not enough vacation time. I have to get my passport renewed pronto!! The damn thing expires 6/6/09, right before I am leaving!

I always hate the week before I take vacation. I am ready to go NOW.

test blog

This is a test of iBlog iPhone app

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

The Rural Juror*...

*if you get the reference then I'll buy you a drink!

I have been a registered voter since I was 18. Not once have I ever been called for jury duty. I got home yesterday to find a “summons for jury service” in the mail. It is weird though, I am “on call” from 2/6-2/20. I have to call in every business day after 3pm starting on 2/6. On 2/6 I am on a plane at 3pm. I called Dallas County and they and told them that I was traveling. Fortunately she said that it was fine. I have to call in sometime after 3 and if I am selected then the message would tell me to report the next business day. What is really annoying is that I have lived 6.5 years downtown, just a few blocks from the courthouse. Not once have I been summoned. I move out of downtown and not a month later I get a letter. This is also in federal court, not district so I am not certain what is going on here. It will be my luck I will be placed on a jury and sequestered for 6 months with no computer or phone. Guess we will see!

Moses' new bed...

Last week we bought Moses a new bed! We had been talking about it for a while. We found a very inexpensive doggie bed at target for super cheap and he loves it! It took him a little while to warm up to it but now he sleeps there all the time. At night he will start out in bed with us then later move to his bed. I was worried that he would not like it and ignore it but I was proven wrong.

Fleetwood Mac...

A few years ago I had the pleasure of seeing Stevie Nicks in concert. We sat 8th row dead center. It was one of those life experiences to be that close to a living legend. Then toward the end we were able to be right down at the stage and could seriously feel her breathe! Well, on April 30th Fleetwood Mac is coming to AAC in Dallas! We again got fabulous seats. Not as good as the last time but we are center on the floor but just further back. CAN"T WAIT!!!


In front of stage


8th row center

The washer and dryer...

Thursday I purchased my very first washer and dryer. Well, they were delivered today...finally. Lowe's called me to tell me they would be here between 11 and 1. After several phone calls they finally showed up at 5! I was really pissed but once they arrived I was happy. They are beautiful machines with lots of lights! Instead of an annoying buzzer at the end of the cycle there is a pleasant little song it does. Not kidding folks...these suckers sing to you! I have done two loads of laundry and am so pleased that I now longer feel apprehensive with the price tag. Yes, they were not cheap but I have no worries about it anymore! Of course Ron will be the person to most enjoy them since he does all the laundry while working from home but oh well!

Annoyed...

Last night Ron and I went to dinner at Cantina Laredo. A waitress spilled a pitcher of water on me. I felt like I had peed in my pants but luckily a lot of the water went into the seat. It really was not a big deal but I normally do not like to eat while I am wet. They were nice and paid for our food so I can't really complain that much. After dinner we decided that we needed some booze so we went to Sigel's. Ron picked up some vodka and I grabbed my Bombay gin. When we got home Ron asked if I had already poured a drink. I was like "no, we have only been home five minutes!" Well, it appeared that the bottle had been opened and about 3/4 of a cup had been removed. I took the bottle back to Sigel's and luckily the manager let me exchange the bottle. So I suppose not all was bad but darn it, I was tired, wet, and not in the mood.

Appliances...

UPDATE 1/15: The machines have been purchased and will be delivered on Sunday!


I love appliances. I get distracted every time I walk through a Best Buy, Lowes, Sears, etc. I have to touch the shiny household appliances and day dream. I have never needed to purchase any until now. This week I will be buying my very first washer and dryer. I could go cheap and get basic models but I like to have the best! I knew I wanted a front loading washer and dryer. I set out to research. I found some very nice machines that cost an absolute fortune. I just cannot fathom spending 3000.00+ dollars to wash my clothes. I really like the idea of the steam cleaning and steam refresh features. I have clothes that need to be dry cleaned and that gets pricey and really isn't that great on your clothes. After reading reviews and looking at machines and doing all the research I could do I have decided that the Samsung front loaders is the way to go. Although still a bit pricey I think that these are a good deal for both the steam washer and steam dryer. I am buying the white ones because they are cheaper. It is amazing to me that people will pay, in many cases, hundreds more for the color of the machine. I would LOVE to have the red or blue ones but the damn things are going into a closet. They are not pieces of furniture. Once they are delivered I will post a picture!

No More DART...

My DART pass expired at the same time we moved. I gotta tell you that I don't miss riding DART....at all. I don't miss getting up early and waiting in the heat or the cold or the rain for my bus. I don't miss late busses or people throwing bleach on each other. I don't miss smelly people and crazy people. But I will miss talking about them! My commute is across the street!

This ain't right...

I love the Golden Girls! Love em!!! But this picture just bothers me. It looks like Dorothy is about to choke Sophia. (Thanks Brittny!!)

Happy New Year...

Happy New Year everyone!

My year is off to a good start. We got moved and are settling in nicely in the new town house. After 6 years of living on concrete and hard wood floors it is taking some getting used to living on carpet. But I like it! Now that things have settled down I will certainly be posted more often. I am also working on a new Cooking with Karen!