Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!! I am really not sure if I'm more Irish or Scottish, but I like to smooch and I'm a "Mc", so the title today seemed appropriate : ). I really had no idea St. Patrick himself, but have no fear, Yahoo! posted a story about him. So if you’re interested in the man behind the green, here you go http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/the-scoop-on-st-patrick-2465481/
I have mixed emotions about my day today. It’s quiet around the office because all the parents are off on their version of Spring Break with their kids. There are not many projects on my plate, which is a good thing because usually I am pretty busy. Tonight is the visitation for Barrett, which still seems surreal to me. A close friends’ mom composed the obituary, and I think she did a beautiful job of portraying all the wonderful accomplishments he made in his short 31 years. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dfw/obituary.aspx?n=barrett-martin-havran&pid=149381350&fhid=4250 Please keep his family in your prayers.
One thing that really brightened my mood up was noting that the first day of Spring is on Sunday! Spring and Fall have an ongoing rivalry of which is my favorite season. I just love the pastels, blooming flowers, rainstorms, cool weather and clothing that Spring brings. Changing my closets over from Fall/Winter clothes to Spring/Summer clothes is like shopping for free : ) It also gives me an excuse to rid myself of all my clothing cluster (donated of course), therefore giving me a reason to buy more! Although most of us see New Years as the time to start fresh, I really do feel like Spring puts a pep in my step. Another reason that I love Spring is because of Easter. Obviously Easter is centered on Jesus, and He is who we are celebrating, but I have to say the 5 year old in the white puffy dress comes out of me during this time. I am not a sweet eater in general, but you can barely pull my away from Cadbury Mini Eggs when they start filling the aisles of supermarkets. I also really enjoyed dying/hunting for Easter eggs when I was little, and I actually kind of wish it was still appropriate to do so at 25. Two other candies that I am OBSESSED are from Louisiana…you cannot purchase them in Texas and they only sell them during the season. They are Gold Brick Eggs and Heavenly Hash (HH being more of my favorite). http://elmercandy.com/history.htm I had completely forgotten about those when I starting writing that sentence…now I’m REALLY excited.
I am posting TWO recipes today, one in lieu of St. Patty’s Day (not because it’s Irish, because it’s all green!) and the other is one that I am really looking forward to making!
Sharp & Sweet Green Salad
Ingredients
1 recipe Lime-Pepper Dressing, below
4 C torn Boston or Bibb Lettuce
1 C Fresh Watercress Leaves
3/4 C Fresh Cilantro
1 Cucumber, julienned
2 Baby Bok Choy, separated into leaves or 2 stalks bok choy, julienned
2 Kiwis, peeled, halved, and sliced
Preparation
Rinse lettuce, watercress, and cilantro in cold water; pat dry with paper towels. In a large bowl combine rinsed greens, cucumber, bok choy, and fruit. Drizzle with Lime-Pepper Dressing; toss to coat. Serve immediately. Makes 6 side-dish servings.
Lime-pepper Dressing: In screw-top jar combine 13 cup rice vinegar; half a fresh Anaheim (14 cup) or 1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped; 3 tablespoons olive oil; and 1 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel. Add 12 teaspoon sugar, 14 teaspoon salt, and 14 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper. Cover; shake well. Refrigerate until ready to use. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herb (cilantro, basil, mint, or parsley) before serving.
*Note* Because chile peppers, such as jalapeños, contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with them. If bare hands touch the chile peppers, immediately wash them well with soap and water.
*Nutrition Facts*
Calories - 104, Fat – 7g, Sat Fat – 1g, Mono Fat – 5g, Poly Fat – 1g, Sodium – 200mg, Carbs – 8g, Fiber – 3g, Sugar – 4g, Protein – 3g, Vit C – 146%, Ca – 18%, Fe – 12%
Spinach Tortellini with Beans and Feta
Ingredients
1 9 oz package of Cheese Tortellini
1 15 oz Can Cannellini (white kidney) Beans, rinsed and drained
1 C Crumbled Garlic-and-Herb flavored Feta Cheese
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 Large Tomato, chopped
Ground Black Pepper, TT
4 C Baby Spinach
Preparation
Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and; return to pan.
Add drained beans, feta cheese, and olive oil to tortellini in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until beans are hot and cheese begins to melt, gently stirring occasionally. Add tomato; cook 1 minute more. Sprinkle black pepper.
Divide spinach among four dinner plates or shallow salad bowls. Top with tortellini mixture. Serves 4.
*Nutrition Facts*
Servings Per Recipe 4 servings, Calories – 448, Fat – 18g, Sat Fat – 7g, Mono Fat – 5g, Poly Fat – 1g, Cholesterol – 61mg, Sodium – 858mg, Carb – 55g, Fiber – 9g, Sugar – 3g, Protein – 24g, Vit C – 221%, Ca – 28%, Fe – 19%
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