warning: don't read when hungry

If you had one day to eat anything you want and not gain a single ounce what would it be?

Well now, that's my kind of writer's prompt. I love food. I've never been able to deprive myself of something I really truly wanted. Moderation, sure, and exercise to balance these indulgences. Logical, no? So, since we're momentarily living in a world where calories don't count, let's make a list, shall we?

1) A huge heap of hot, crispy, homemade fries. With salt and Heinz ketchup. And a tall, ice-cold Pepsi.

2) I was going to say pasta in general, but that's not true. I point to the trifecta of deliciousness: fettuccine alfredo, homemade mac and cheese, and tortellini with marinara sauce. Any of the above with a healthy unhealthy portion of salty garlic bread.

3) A veggie burger. Not just any veggie burger either. The one piled high with sauteed mushrooms and grated cheddar on a delicious onion-y bun at Jack Astor's. It is the best.

4) Anything vegetarian and Mexican, especially burritos, with lots of fresh salsa and guacamole. An icy margarita on the side doesn't hurt, either.

5) Fresh-from-the-oven, homemade chocolate chip cookies with a huge mug of hot coffee with milk.

6) Homemade falafel with homemade tortillas. I don't make the latter often, but the former is so easy and delicious. Topped with tatziki, naturally.

7) A perfect sandwich. That means a lightly toasted ciabatta bun, or the like, with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, avocado, lots of cheese (I don't play favourites with cheese) and sweet-with-heat mustard.

8) Garlic fingers. With lots of garlic and cheese. And unlimited donair sauce. This must also be accompanied with a carbonated beverage.

9) Turkey dinner sans turkey. I love a hot plate of all the fixins ... whipped potatoes, carrots, corn, green bean casserole, squash casserole, stuffing and gravy.

10) Homemade baked beans, with a generous side of hash-brown bake, and hot brown bread toast with butter.

Hungry now? You're welcome.

Thanks, as always, to Mama Kat for the Writer's Prompt.

our house this morning

Our sweet toddler prefers to go to the potty in private. Can you blame him? I do too, don't you?

So this morning, we heard the patter of little feet in the bathroom, before he called out "Mommy, Daddy, I done!" Husband opened the door to discover that he had, indeed, got up off the potty and started walking around, when he wasn't ... umm ... finished, leaving a trail of ... well, you know.

Then, I came around the corner, into the hallway.

Me: Oh my God.
Husband: What now?
Me: [Examining a foreign object on the carpet] ... oh, nevermind, it's just a raisin.

Ahh. Never a dull moment.

friday the 13th

It's Friday the 13th. How does that make you feel? My co-worker is flying out today, on Friday the 13th, for vacation and he'll catch a cruise that sets sail tomorrow ... on the 100th anniversary of the day the Titanic sunk. If he were superstitious, I'm thinking he might have reconsidered.

For me, today means pizza, of course. It's Pizza Friday and that's all I need to know. I'm not on the lookout for black cats or broken mirrors. Rather, I'm considering the bevy of pizza options at my disposal in Sackvegas. Tell me locals, what's you're preferred pizza place?

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And just so you're not like, WTF kind of post was that?! Here are a few Friday links for your perusal.

A few posts from My Hectic Home:
Mum-approved Easter dinner
When kids say the darndest things
Pinching pennies
The idea sharer
Her own way to paint
Doing the potty dance

And a few things I've starred, pinned and bookmarked of late:

We're working on compiling ideas for Jacob's big-boy room. Given that he is obsessed with balls, it only makes sense that we incorporate as many as we can into his new digs. Like this, from Pinterest >>

I'm intrigued by Ashley's Project 333, where she's cut down her wardrobe to just 33 items. Think it's doable?

If you feel the same way about The Hunger Games that I do, you may also be interested in this recipe for District 11 bread.

Speaking of delicious, I tried Suzie the Foodie's recipe for Subway cookies last week (opting for mini eggs instead of chocolate chips) and they were delish! Definitely worth a try.

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Happy Friday!

winter pinterest challenge

I originally wrote this post a couple weeks ago, but just as I was ready to hit publish, I managed to close it, accidentally losing the whole thing. I'm just now getting over it enough to start again.

Some of my favourite bloggers (like this gal and this gal) have created a fun little Pinterest Challenge, which encourages us to actually try the things we pin. This is a great concept because I am one of those people who pins like mad and rarely follows through.

I decided to try out a Mexican Quinoa Casserole I had pinned, which would work perfectly for our vegetarian family meal swap.

The thing that really makes you go "Mmmm, what is that?" is the grated sweet potato. Mixed with cooked quinoa, black beans, and combined with a sauce of salsa, cheese, egg, and cumin, it makes a delicious combo.

Then, if you're smart like lovely friend A, you'll think to scoop it with nacho chips. Then we got really crazy and filled tortillas with the casserole and grilled them for tasty quinoa burritos. This is really a versatile and super simple supper.

It also appears that, after losing the original version of this post, I also lost the "after" photo of this delicious dish. Take my word for it; it's awesome.

What have you made from Pinterest lately?