There are moments in time where you remember thinking, I am fortunate or I’ll remember this moment forever. I’ve had a lot of those moments in the past year. Without being overly sappy, the past year has been the best…for many reasons.
There’s the things I don’t need but am grateful for: living on the beach, having jet skis to zoom around on in the summer, resigning from my job to work less and closer to home, a new car, etc.
Then there’s the people I can’t imagine my life without: my husband, my daughter, my parents and brother, my in-laws and sister-in-law, our extended families, and some of the best friends a girl could ask for. As the years fly by, it’s amazing to see how so many of my friendships have survived the test of time and distance, and I am still very close with so many people that I’ve moved away from or haven’t seen in way too long.
And my dog. I’m thankful for my dog. 🙂
But there are just so many moments in this past year that even my poor memory will never forget. I will never forget my labor and as terrible as it was, I look back on it with only fond memories.
I remember being surprised at Christmas with a new car…after Mr. P and I had one intense disagreement over over-packing my old car and hitting the road for the holidays. It was ugly but ended with a wonderful gift.
I remember my last day at the hospital and how I hugged my team in a hurry so that I could get to my car before completely breaking down into an ugly cry. It was truly one of the most difficult and bittersweet moments of my life.
I also specifically remember sitting at dinner one night in Cabo with Mr. P. The weather was a perfect 68 degrees and breezy at our table outside at the resort’s main restaurant. The sky was pitch black over the Pacific ocean with bright stars shining above. We were drinking margaritas on the rocks and holding hands – something we so rarely do (why is that!?). We were enjoying a 4 course meal and just taking in the moment.
I couldn’t tell you what Mr. P ordered, but I ordered a veggie appetizer that was called something very simple, like “grilled vegetables”. I wanted to try something new and so I ordered it. What arrived was soooo good that my first thought was maybe I should order another! And my second thought: how can I make this at home?
So, this is my rendition. It’s acceptably close, but next time, when Michigan weather permits, I’ll use the same ingredients and simply prepare the veggies on the grill. Until then, however, this definitely hit the spot. Delicious!
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 bell pepper, cut into slices
- 1 onion, halved and sliced into ½ to ¾ inch pieces
- 2 small zucchini, cut into 3 inch "sticks" (about ⅓ inch wide)
- 2 small yellow squash, cut into 3 inch "sticks" (about ⅓ inch wide)
- ½ tsp salt
- ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the bell pepper and cook 2-3 minutes, stir occasionally. Add onion and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, stir occasionally. Add zucchini and squash, stir and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook veggies 8-12 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness.
- Meanwhile, heat the vinegar in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat; whisking often to avoid burning. Allow vinegar to reduce to about ¼ cup, or about 15 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables in the skillet and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a serving dish and sprinkle with goat cheese and sunflower seeds; serve hot.
- Sunday: caesar salad with baked salmon
- Monday: Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo
- Tuesday: Caprese Panini
- Wednesday: Roasted Veggie Tostadas with Avocado Dip
- Thursday: Kale Salad
Quick question: Any interest in bringing back the RD Q&A series? I kind of miss it, personally!
Be well,
It’s hard to remember all the little stuff over the course of a year, isn’t it?! I am so grateful that I have my blog for the last almost (gulp!) seven years to look back on my daily life with my husband. I miss him so much, but I like going back and looking at posts where he’s being goofy – it makes me smile and cry at the same time. 😀