Nov 21, 2010

Weekend Recap, Ham and Lentil Soup

Friday:
Ladies' night! Margaret, Amanda, Mary, Mary-Grace, Meghan, Molly and I met up for dinner and drinks at O-Ku Sushi. Can you believe how many M names were in our group? Naturally Amanda was renamed Mandy and I was renamed Mina.
For dinner, Margaret and I split two rolls. I chose the Potato Wrapped Roll: shrimp tempura, avocado, shoe-string potatoes, eel sauce, and mango remoulade. Amanda and Mary raved about this roll, so I knew I had to try it. It was a really interesting combination of flavors and I loved the extra crunch from the potato.
 Margaret ordered the Harvest Roll. I can't remember exactly what was in this roll, but it was topped with fried Fuji apple! This roll was way too intense and had too much of a deep-fried flavor.
O-Ku Sushi on Urbanspoon
On the way to the bars after dinner, I ran into my favorite hot dog vendor men! They call me "Cookie Girl" because every time I've had too much to drink, I try to convince them to let me sell my cookies at their stand. They always tell me that cookies don't go with hot dogs, but I think they are being silly. I took a pic with them anyway.

Saturday:
I think I half died yesterday. Awful. I haven't decided if it was a 24-hour bug or from the shot of Wild Turkey, but I was yakking all day. Margaret even brought me to Chick-fil-A and I couldn't even it. That is crazy talk. These were my friends on Saturday night.
Btw, unflavored Pedialyte is NASTY. It tastes like salt water, but it works.

Sunday:
I finally felt better! I met Tyler for lunch at Mozzo, then Amanda picked me up so we could take some pictures downtown. A friend of hers that lives in North Carolina wanted us to take some pictures of a street sign that had special meaning to her fiance and her. The pics came out so pretty!
After our little photo shoot, we hit up Menchie's for some fro yo. I got the blueberry tart yogurt and topped it with cookie dough balls and heath bar bits.

For dinner tonight, I made a wonderful Ham and Lentil Soup that I found on Closet Cooking.

Ham and Lentil Soup adapted from Closet Cooking

Ingredients:
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 2 cups ham, diced
  • 1 ham bone
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 handfuls spinach
  • pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a large sauce pan. 
2. Add onions, carrot, and celery and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes. 
3. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two. 
4. Add chicken broth, lentils, ham, and ham bone. Simmer, covered, on low heat for an hour. 
5. Remove from heat and stir in spinach.
This soup is awesome. It's packed with veggies, and the lentils absorb so much of the broth that the soup actually thickens up. Next time you bake a ham, SAVE that bone and make this!

29 comments:

  1. Cute pics from Friday night. Your makeup looks fab! That one hot dog dude is totally checking you out. Glad you're feeling better. MENCHIES! Glad you made it again...now I want to go....

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  2. Access denied on the cookies! I would totally be down for buying some cookies at the hot dog man. Hell you could get me to buy anything at the hot dog man....keep riding them about it hehehe.

    And adding yet another places to go when I am in Charleston!

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  3. i want to try the blueberry frozen yogurt..it looks so good but right now I am still hooked on the original without any toppings!

    that lentil soup looks amazing..beautiful colors!

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  4. Im sorry you were sick girl! That blueberry yogurt looks so good. MMM I love cookie dough! Hope your feeling better!

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  5. I don't even like lentil soup and that looks yummy! Glad you are feeling better!

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  6. I loove ham in split pea soup, so I'm guessing ham and lentil would pretty darn delish as well.

    The only Pedialyte I've tried was in popsicle form...they were actually pretty good!

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  7. love girls nights. the sushi roll sounds great - even the fuji apple one!

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  8. What? Those guys are crazy- hot dogs were MADE to go with cookies. hahaha! They must not understand the sweet/savory combo. ;)

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  9. Cookie girl! Glad to hear you're feeling better. It's 34 degrees in Boston right now but I'm craving for froyo...

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  10. LOL I love the hot dog/cookie story. I bet you're awesome to drink with.

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  11. I'm glad to hear you are feeling better! While Friday night looks like an AWESOME time, I always hate feeling sick the day after a crazy night out. Froyo looks like a much better alternative to the Pedialyte.

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  12. Hahaha I love how drinking always results in making friends with such random people! I like your cookie & hot dog idea. I would totally buy them together. ;)

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  13. Hahaha they should totally let you sell your cookies. Many people may crave grease as drunk food, but I'm all about the sweets...and if it's right by the bars, you know people will buy drunchie cookies!!

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  14. Your nights out with friends always look like such a blasty--and it's never fun to be sick, but glad you're feeling better! :-)

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  15. Sounds like a fun night! Thtat's too funny that you try to get the hot dog guys to let you sel your cookies - I would MUCH rather buy a late night cookie than a late night hotdog. Sorry about the sickness on Saturday, glad you're feeling better!

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  16. I love OKU! Have you ever had sushi from Savory? It is seriously delicious! I went with my girlfriends last week and we spilt 5 rolls and they were all good! I love Closet Cooking, I will have to try out that recipe!

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  17. Longitude Lane!I know this couple :)...

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  18. No Chick-Fil-A?! That IS crazy talk. That roll looks SO good too...MmMm..love sushi. Ok, now I'm officially hungry for lunch!

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  19. I mean, are we neighbors or what?! I love the way you roll.

    That hot dog man has his eyes on you!

    Pedialyte - amen sista!!!! I was dying on Saturday too.

    I like Menchies, but they don't carry my little japanese marshmallows. I'm a total brat, lol.

    Def a cool weekend!

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  20. You girls are so pretty!!! So funny with all the "M" names.

    Sorry you got so sick!!! That's never fun :(

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  21. I've never heard of a potato roll! I bet I would like that - I'm not huge on the whole sea weed deal. And of course, I always think froyo looks to die for!

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  22. adorable pictures! Looks like you had a wonderful weekend and that soup looks delish!

    xo

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  23. Gotta love sushi dates! And I think the C"ookie Girl" thing is hilaaaarious!

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  24. Hmmmm...Sounds like you had what I had the weekend before last. Alcohol-induced illness. Wish I would have thought about the Pedialyte.

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  25. yum-o! the finished results of that soup look killer!

    yayyy for froyo over the weekend. delish. i love cookie dough balls.

    that potato shrimp roll SOUNDS really tasty but i don't think i like tempura and i definitely don't like avocado.

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  26. What a quaint street! Reminds me of Europe..I really need to visit NC huh?

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  27. LOVE the new blog look! But sorry to hear you spent part of the weekend yakking. Never, ever fun. Ugh...Your soup looks just like one I made last week only I used smoked turkey. Yum yum! :)

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  28. I LOVE Closet Cooking!!! It has been my favorite blog for over a year and everything I make from his blog is absolutely delicious! My newest favorite: the balsamic vinaigrette...so easy and delicious :) Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

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  29. I just made this soup. It is soooooo good!

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