I'm Hooked on Bracelets...

Linked to my heart Bracelet, glass bracelet strung by MOI, MKwatch and I'm hooked bracelet

ARM PARTIES are all the rage and I love hosting them.  When I need a little pick me up, there's nothing like a little bauble to do the trick.  Especially when they are inexpensive.  Some people go for chocolate, I look to accessories when I want a treat.  Besides, it's important to take pride in your style.  Personally, I feel better when I put together a good look even if I will only be chilling with my pups.

I'm hooked bracelet by mark.

May I introduce you to my  new FAVORITE bracelet.  I have champagne taste on a beer budget but this baby will not break the bank.  It is from mark. and I think I might be getting a few more because it adds a little flair without being TOO Vegas (not that there's anything wrong with Vegas, my fam lives there after all!)

This simple combo using some of my finds from past beach trips is also an easy way to add a little spring to my step.  For more of my arm parties click here and here   Lastly, I think a white or gold watch is really beachy.  Toss a few bracelets and you are ready to have your own partay!
Hope your weekend is a BLAST!

History Lesson from Point Isabel, TX

 I stop for all anchors and this one was no exception.  I love the rust on it. On our last outing to the island we made a stop for the boys to run around and came across this beauty a few blocks from the bridge.  I love it when you can get a little history lesson in the most unexpected places.

 I'll let this plaque do the talking for me because there are so many details to be absorbed. 

 

Wishing you a PEACEFUL day!

California Rolls in Texas

I put smoked salmon in these rolls.

 Ok, one more recipe post from me, but this is a special one!  I thought I would share it on Monday so you have the whole week to buy the products and build up the excitement to make these in your casita.  These rolls are what told B I was "THE ONE!"   I made these for him when we first met because believe it or not it was one of the few things I knew how to make and not poison people.
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I spent quite a few years in Indiana for graduate school and work and missed my California cuisine dearly.  Not only were there few sushi places in South Bend (back then), but they were pricey, especially on a graduate student stipend.  Fortunately my friend Kristin shared this California Roll recipe with me and I can't thank her enough!

 1.  Cook some Calurose rice in a steamer. I use one cup of rice and 1/14 cup of water, but check your machine for instructions.  Or you can cook it on the stove but it's a little more work! Once the rice is cooked, you will want to cool it before you proceed.

2.   Make the seasoning you see above while your rice is cooking.  You will use some of it to pour into the rice to season it and the rest to dip your hands in while you spread the rice over the seaweed.  I used about 3/4 cup over my 2 cups COOKED rice.  Remember 1 cup dry rice usually makes about 2 cups COOKED.  The idea is to flavor the rice evenly but your definitely don't want mushy rice.

 I guess one of the reasons I love Sushi is because it is such a clean and fresh meal.  Mind you, you can insert whatever ingredients in your roll.  In this one I used imitation crab meat, avocado and cucumber.  Then you use a little bamboo mat that you can purchase at most supermarkets or online and roll!  Try to leave about 1/2 an inch of the seaweed with out rice so you can roll it up nice and tidy.  If you have sesame seeds pour some over the ingredients before you roll it up.  I was all out, so no sesame seeds for me this time.

Believe it or not, this is an easy meal to make.  It won't take you 10 minutes, more like an hour but if you plan ahead you can  make the rice earlier, chop your veggies and then get to work later in the day. This recipe makes about 6 to 7 rolls and the bad news is we had NO LEFTOVERS!!
What is your most popular recipe?

Egg Salad Sandwich Al Fresco

So I've been on a bit of a sandwich kick lately.  Ever since I've started my new job as a stay at home mother to 2 bilingual, bicultural chihuahua hybrids I've had to channel my domestic side.  Oh and with Lent that adds another challenge to preparing meals.  Not so much a problem for me, but the hubster likes some carne.  I don't know how people did it before the internet, if it weren't for the blogosphere I would have nowhere to go for help and inspiration for my next meal.  The other layer of cooking fun, is that we are trying to eat what we have.  Usually I'm ok but since I haven't gone to the store for days, it was a little of a quickfire challenge. I was ready to hit Subway and pick up an Italian Lovers Sub ( I made this yesterday, so we were ok for Lent!)  Anyway, this is what you will need for your sandwich:

 Ingredients:

• 2 eggs per person
• some chopped celery to taste
• some chopped chives or onions to taste
  
• 2 Tablespoons of mayo or you can eyeball it
• 1 Tablespoon of Mustard or to taste.  I like spicy mustard.
  
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• lettuce
• 2 pieces of whole grain bread

So this is my take on an egg salad sandwich.  If you want to check out the original recipe that inspired me click here.  I didn't stray too much from it really.  Oh, and a little update, the hubster did not come home for lunch today, so I enjoyed this sandwich all by myself and it was pretty good if I do say so myself!
What are some of your meat free lunch ideas?

Morning Coffee

I just got back from taking the boys on a long walk, hoping that they will nap for a few hours (fingers crossed!).  And as they nap, I am planning out my day.  Starting with a little cafecito using my Tangerine Tango Coffee Press from Bodum.  Is it just me, or doesn't everything taste better outside?  

Here are some of my goals for the day:

• fine tune my resume/CV
• plan out more blog posts
• surround myself with positive energy
• Yoga/Stretching

Most of you have followed us throughout our many moves and although they are exciting, they also involve a lot of readjusting, re-inventing, re-packing.   So our favorite prefix is RE!  Which brings me back to my resume... It's so hard to talk about yourself.  I know I do it to some extent on the blog but sometimes I wish people would just interview me and see how FAB I am! :)  Until then, I will keep plugging away as CEO of sealaura industries.

Wishing you a Tangerine Tango Day!

 

Lunch by the pool: Chicken Salad Sandwich

 As a newlywed, I am still trying to add to my repertoire of meals.  This week we had some rotisserie chicken leftovers, so I decided to try and squeeze another meal out of that first one.  Do you ever do that?  Cooking is such a creative process, for me it's like a puzzle.  This time I had all the pieces!

As with most of my recipes, this involved throwing a bunch of stuff and mixing it together: SUPER EASY!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced apple
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds optional
• 4 to 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon curry powder, or to taste, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• lettuce leaves

All of these amounts are suggested, but really you can add as much or as little of what you have and make it your own style.   

(I used this recipe as a guide but then tweeked it a bit.)

Preparation:

Basically mix all of these ingredients together and add mayo to taste.  I added a little spoonful of sour cream for a little more moisture.

And there you have it! It makes for a quick lunch preparation.  I think it took me about 15 minutes total.

Beach Access @ South Padre Island

 On Sunday we took advantage of the glorious weather to hit the Isla Blanca Beach on South Padre Island.  Plus for the next six weeks or so, the island is going to be crowded with Spring Breakers and that scene has come and gone for us :)   How about this "BEACH ACCESS" sign?  It caught my eye because it was so cheery.   I bet it would not be hard to recreate with a little D.I.Y. elbow grease.  This beach is located on the southern most tip of South Padre Island and to access it and park your vehicle you only pay $4, not bad.  Coming from California I am always happily surprised at the prices of things here in Texas.  In LA going to the beach is a pricey experience when it comes to parking not to mention the sea of people fighting for a spot.  I'm sure things might get crazier here in the summer, so we will enjoy the calm while we can.

Although this is a big Spring break destination,  I have mostly interacted with Winter Texans and it sure makes you think about how you want to plan your life.  I definitely wouldn't mind saving my dinero and enjoying the autumn of my life by the sea.  I know I've been lucky to always live near the coast, but B and I like to travel so we hope to be able to pull up our anchor and set it by many shores.

 SPI is a dog friendly beach but you do have to keep them leashed or you will be fined. BOO.  I understand and respect the law but I wish I could just let the boys run.  One time we got here real early and let them run like they used to back in Monterey (don't tell anyone!).  At least they are allowed on the beach, because many beaches don't allow dogs, and I can't imagine going to the beach without the Canine Travel Team, they are part of living the coastal lifestyle.  Now if only more restaurants had patios that allowed dogs that would be awesome.  So far the hot dog place I showed you here at Port Isabel is our eating spot, but that's across the bridge.  If think the key is to buy some take out ahead of time and enjoy it at the beach.

 

SPI is a nice place to take a stroll, it is sprinkled with sweet little shells along the island.  The boys had so much fun, and I can't wait to come down here once the Spring Break Madness wears out.  Hope you enjoyed our little outing.

Where do you like to take your dogs?

Morning Walk in the TX Tropics

 My spirits were lifted today thanks to Mr. Sunshine! I love happy little clouds like these accompanied by tropical winds.

The boys and I took an extra long walk this morning to celebrate the sunshine.  One thing that helps the transition from California to Texas is the palm trees.  They are very comforting to see here even though I am miles from home. 

 

Newman is a little camera shy but I managed to snap a pic and deal with the tangling of leashes.  Do you take pictures, while you walk your dogs?  I do almost every day and it's quite the acrobatic experience. I'm feeling so motivated and inspired today so for today it's a quick hello.

What are you going to do today?