Pizza Margherita from "John the Simple Minded Chef"

Talk about a very easy, fast, and simple recipe for a deliciously light and tasty Margherita pizza.  My dad's friend, John the Simple Minded Chef (well...simple minded when it comes to recipes), gave him this recipe and was passed along to me.  I made this today for lunch and after eating...without speaking one word during the meal...my husband exclaimed, "Solid!"  What was great is that it took less than 30 minutes to prepare, cook, eat, and clean up!

1. Start oven preheating to 400F.
2. Coat the top of an extra large store bought flour tortilla with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Yes, a store bought flour tortilla - I used zesty garlic herb wraps by Mission.
3. Place sliced mozzarella cheese, separated by about 1/2 inch. Arrange very thin slices of Roma tomato (about 1/8" thick). Tip: They look better sliced lengthwise.
4. Sprinkle "just a pinch" of salt, no more. It makes the taste richer and lessens the acid taste of the tomato. Sprinkle basil on to pizza (either fresh or dried).
5. Put the pizza in the oven on a cookie sheet and reduce the temperature to 350F. This may not be necessary but it makes you feel like you're doing something important!
6. Bake until the cheese bubbles and the edges start to brown, about 12-15 min.
7. Enjoy!

Meet Butch and Lola Mae Brown

It's my distinct pleasure and honor to present Butch (a.k.a. Butchy-Pooh) and Miss Lola Mae Brown to the blogosphere, my almost 6-month-old English Bulldog puppies. Yes, they are brother and sister and couldn't be better friends. The picture above was taken this afternoon after a short walk --- very short distances wipe these guys out like nothing else. I've never had my own dog and having two puppies has been quite the treat. Even when they're bad, which is a daily occurrence, I can't stay mad once they give me their adorable puppy-dog eyes. I'm a sucker, what can I say. My only complaint is that they get big waaaaay too fast. Here's a picture of them the first night in their new home. Aren't they just the cutest things ever?!

I'm in the Game!

Over the past couple of months, Mad Money with Jim Cramer has been added to our nightly TV rotation --- God bless the DVR. Clearly, I thought this was initially a mistaken recording, but soon learned that it was strategically planned by Ray.

If you've never tuned in, Jim has quite the shtick. I'm shocked to say this, but he actually makes learning about stocks and the market very fun and interesting. During the show's intro he welcomes you to "Cramerica" and encourages viewers to "Get in the Game!" My favorite part of the show is the Lightning Round where he answers many questions from viewers in quick order. I love when he walks us through if a viewer's portfolio is diversified and helps break everything down.

Well folks, this weekend I took the steps necessary to officially GET IN THE GAME. I was questioning what my strategy should be once my first stock doubles and so I tweeted at Jim Cramer (@JimCramer) and asked him. He responded within 15 minutes!!! Funny enough, this was the highlight of my weekend. His advice, "Bulls make money, bears make money, Pigs get slaughtered!" Sage advice.

31 and Still Learning Lessons in Life

In celebration of my 31st birthday yesterday, Ray wanted to take me out for dinner. We got all gussied up and headed out to one of my favorite spots in town so I could get some seafood. Unfortunately, we learned upon arrival that they are closed on Monday & Tuesday. Ugh, it's so tough when my stomach is set on something in particular to switch gears. We decided to try out another steakhouse that we had never eaten at before.

Prior to entering the restaurant, I checked out the menu and said that the only thing that really jumped off the page were the Alaskan King Crab Legs, served by the pound with drawn butter and lemons at market price. Ray also said that he could find something on the menu. When we sat down at the table, I looked more closely at the menu, and again nothing else sounded quite as good - except maybe the Surf & Turf which was a 7oz filet & 1lb of the crab legs for $60, but knew I wouldn't be able to eat that much (not to mention spend that much on a meal).

I placed my order for the Alaskan King Crab Legs, Ray ordered a wedge salad and soup, we both had water to drink and didn't feel like an appetizer. I could not believe my eyes when they brought out my platter of crab legs; there had to be three pounds on there! And of course it was accompanied by a vat of melted butter that I could have happily drowned myself in. They were very tasty and had plenty to share with my man.

Before the bill arrived, we played the 'what do you think market price is currently' game. We figured somewhere around $45, especially since the Surf & Turf was $60. Well, we were completely off the pace. Can you believe that my meal alone (no sides, JUST the crab) was $80.00?!?!?! WTF?????????????????? You know, I've had A LOT of crab legs in my life and have never spent close to $80! I mean they were good, but not $80 good.

Another lesson in life learned, I will now always ask "what is the current market price" on the food that I order and will also be sure to ask "how many pounds of crab are included in an order?"

A year older and now a tiny bit wiser.

Nice Shot

This past week I had the honor & pleasure of escorting five journalists around north Louisiana, showcasing a number of the beautiful State Parks and partaking in various outdoor activities. The 3-day itinerary included fishing, golfing, hiking, birding, mountain biking, canoeing, an air boat ride, a hay ride, and my personal favorite - skeet shooting! It was my first experience shooting a real gun, and you know what, I was a pretty good shot. To be honest, I was nervous to even pick up the gun. But after I shot it the first time, I really had a blast and felt like a natural. The guys kept calling me Annie Oakley, which I'm told is a compliment. Shockingly enough, I have to admit that I'd love to go again. By the way, the caption to the photo above is me saying, "Ohhhhh YEAH!"

Rebel Red

When this bottle of wine was spotted at the local wine store, I couldn't help but stop and take notice. Although I'm a middle sister, at time fancy myself as a bit of a rebel , and yes I do have red hair, by no means did I think there was a wine named after me! Obviously, the bottle had to be purchased and promptly tasted. You know what, it was very smooth and quite tasty. I've since learned that it has won "Best in Class" and a Gold Medal at the San Franciso Chronicle's International Wine Competition. If you're looking for a nice, inexpensive table wine, you won't go wrong by picking up a bottle of this.

Unbeknownst to me, there is a whole line of Middle Sister Wines including Wicked White, Drama Queen, Forever Cool, Mischief Maker, and Smarty Pants. I quite enjoyed reading Middle Sister Wines website description of Rebel Red: "Did you know that birth order is commonly believed to have a profound and lasting effect on psychological development? And that the middle sister has a greater chance of having a special wine named just for her? A sassy blend of our three favorite red varieties perfect for sipping before, during and after our favorite family meals. Some people are just born lucky. Now give me back my blouse."

I Can See Clearly Now!!!

After more than 17 years of wearing contact lenses and glasses, I gave myself the gift of sight this year for Christmas! I had LASIK corrective eye surgery this past Friday afternoon and the result has me absolutely dazzled. My favorite game this weekend has been testing my vision. The follow-up doctor appointment yesterday morning confirmed that indeed it worked...I'm already seeing better than 20/20 in each eye! Modern medicine and technology is truly amazing.

The photo above was taken moments after the procedure was completed when I was pumped full of Valium. I had kind of a strange reaction to the medication. It is supposed to really calm you down and mellow you out to create a state of relaxation prior to the procedure - it had quite the opposite effect on me. It really got me jacked up and anxious. I also don't think the local numbing pain drops that they used on my eyes worked very well on me either because I basically felt the entire procedure. I'm told that this is not a normal reaction as most people feel no pain or discomfort whatsoever. Regardless, looking back now it was 100 percent worth the discomfort to be able to see. I would do it again in a heartbeat and strongly encourage LASIK to anyone who is dependent on glasses or contacts.