hey! wanna see some photos?

I finally got around to uploading photos from the week-long 4th of July festivities that included a boozy day at Tavern Sur La Mer, a complete and utter shitshow at Harvard Gardens and a soggy cookout at The Hair's Lair.

Check out the entire set including some lovely shots of me without my eyes.

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v. doesn't come for free, she's a real lady

I just… can’t. Words. There are none.

I’m typing, of course, about Posh and the brilliant Vicky Storms America With Her Best Girl and Her Best Gay special that aired last night. Because I have no words, I present you with my four favorite quotes from the program:

“I’ve got a Bentley. With no roof.”

“I find shopping quite therapeutic.”

“It’s like a porn TV!”

“You should probably wear sporty heels.”

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you really are super!

I wanted to draw everyone’s attention to some recipes left by superfriends in my comments section; I am always so tickled by comments – particularly recipes! I’m a big sharer (often times an oversharer *ahem* tattoo licking…) and I just adore that so many of you are too. A pox on people who hoard their recipes!

First up, a super easy pasta salad with pesto, courtesy of reader (and fellow Sox fan!) J

Pasta salad with pesto
Just toss the pasta with pesto, halved cherry tomatoes, and a little fresh mozzarella if you wish. It's so easy and everyone loves pesto.

Next up, a whole menu (!!) from 1blueshi1, who I’m hoping will also share the recipe for the tomato pie she mentions on her blog.

for the 4th I did barbecued pork chops and then Sunday I marinated chicken breasts in buttermilk and oven fried them *yuuuuumy*

but the best, easiest side of all is fresh farmer's market tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, and the bottled or homemade balsamic vinaigrette of your choice. with a bottle of shiraz. add some feta and tortellini if desired. or not. good just like it is. I made this for a work thing last summer and people STILL ask for it.

Lastly, both Em and Mel have taken to sharing recipes over in their little corners of the internet, so please admire the delicious looking dishes those two beauties have been whipping up this summer. And of course, for those of you who enjoy your food news with a whopping dash of the funny, don’t forget to visit Jeff’s personal and professional blogs, side salad and the stew.

related: check out my favorite food blogs

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really? too much? I hadn’t even gotten started.

“There was this HAWT guy at the pool today, he kind of looked like a Guido version of Bear.”

“Oooh, yum. But I really can’t picture what a Guido version of Bear would look like.”

“Think Bear, but with bigger muscles and a series of delicious tattoos.”

“Delicious tattoos?”

“Yes, as in so delicious I wanted to lick them.”

“Ew, Jolie, TMI.”

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no! no, I am not watching this alone!

I was flipping about the channels Sunday morning, sipping my coffee, wearing pink pajamas – you know, the usual – when I noticed that American Gladiators was just beginning. Hi? Why didn’t anyone tell me ESPN Classic was showing AmGlad repeats? I mean, really it's such a fantastic program of my childhood – you all can have your Transformers, for my entertainment dollar I’ll take the gladiators any day.

So, ok, I’m watching American Gladiators; they’re doing the introductions prior to beginning the joust - remember the joust? The one where a contestant and a gladiator square off atop raised daises and swat at each other with oversized foam rubber Q-tips? – and they introduce returning contestant Lucian. Lucian has put on 20 pounds since his last visit, and is predicted to do well in the joust because of his training as – are you sitting? You should be sitting for this. I really can’t believe no one was with me when I heard this to confirm that, indeed, I'd just heard the baddest-assed statement ever. – A CHIPPENDALE’S DANCER.

Do you think we’ll ever be able to top the blow out that was the 80s?

editor’s note: superfriends, I’ve been a neglectful blogger. This summer has turned unexpectedly busy - in many, many good ways - but unfortunately it’s taken my mind away from the Very Important Work that I do here in the hall of justice. Make sure you’ve added me to your readers so you’ll know when I’ve updated, as posting will likely continue to be sporadic over the next few weeks.

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falling down on the blog

Jesus, so much for my well laid plans to post recipes for you all this week. I’ve been mixing up a storm recently; mixing, not cooking – I want to have nothing to do with a stove right now. The humidity we usually don’t get until August has arrived early this year. I sort of love it… hey, curly hair! Would ya look at that!

Moving on… I made this cous cous salad last week for our cookout and it’s a keeper. I’ll try to get the other keeper – an awesome tortellini salad I made for the 4th – up later today. My other 4th offerings were the coleslaw we’ve been consuming in vats and the famous hummus from the Hangover Dinner.

cous cous salad

what you need:

1 ½ C cous cous (unprepared)
¾ C pine nuts
1 C broccoli florets, chopped into ½-1” pieces
½ a bell pepper, confettied
¼ - ½ Vidalia onion, finely diced
½-1 C mint dressing

what you do:

1. prepare cous cous according to package directions; remove from stove and allow to cool
2. in a large bowl, combine pine nuts, broccoli, onion and peppers*
3. stir in cous cous, and add dressing, ¼ C at a time tasting as you go along until you’re happy with the level of mintiness
4. season with salt & pepper to taste, chill for at least a ½ hour et voila! Cous cous salad.

*you can use any raw veggie you like, just cut into very small pieces

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I love the word 'slaw', don't you?

This week I'll be posting picnic/cook out recipes - it's a slow week and I'm sure some of you will be entertaining, so this is a good time to do it. First up: An awesomely easy, healthy and delicious recipe for coleslaw. I didn't get a chance to photograph it last week, but I'll be making more and will upload the finished picture when I do.

coleslaw

what you need:


1 package shredded cabbage
1 package broccoli coleslaw mix
3 heaping T non-fat mayonnaise (I use Smart Balance)
3 heaping T non-fat sour cream or non-fat plain yogurt
2 t dijon mustard
2 T cider vinegar
½ packet Splenda
salt and pepper to taste

what you do:

1. in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream (or yogurt), mustard, vinegar, Splenda, salt & pepper; mix well
2. put coleslaw mix in a large bowl, and stir in dressing

serves 8-12 people

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