dragon tat

I am finally reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I have wanted to read this book for a while now, but I kept forgetting. Patrick and I saw the movie Moneyball in the theater and one of the previews was for the movie "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".  Now I HAVE to read it. In any case, I would prefer to read the book before seeing the movie because let's face it, the book isn't as good after watching the movie. It has been good thus far, but I am only through Chapter 1. I hope it lives up to the hype!

saving big coin

In an effort to save money my boyfriend Patrick and I have stopped eating out for every meal. It is amazing how much money can be saved by preparing your own meals! Patrick is a really good cook and will usually tackle the main dish while I do the side dish(es). While cooking our own meals has been a success there are still a few flaws we have, such as portion control. Usually we end up eating the same thing for at least two days straight. I think we need to make better use of the freezer. Another problem is the size of the kitchen. I am working with a 6'2" Patrick in a kitchen that has no counter space, cupboards that I need a stool to get anything out of, a mini stove, and approximately a 3x5ft section of space to stand. Lucky for me Patrick's 3yr old daughter Riley has a small stool I borrow to get access to the cupboards. We went on vacation to Cabo in early October and it was so nice to cook together! The kitchen was big enough for us to both have space to cook.

Here is a lamb stir fry Patrick created:

He marinaded lamb in:

• honey 
• lemon juice 
• soy sauce
• red wine vinegar
• ginger root
• red pepper

He found a snow pea, carrot, broccoli, and cabbage combo for $5 at Whole Foods and cooked it with the lamb. Served with rice, it was fantastic!