Need A Vacation?

I could sure use one ;p

Speaking of vacation/travel, here is the much overdue gift list for the frequent traveler in your life. I had a little help from a certain roaming gnome so hopefully it's not too boy-specific! For more ideas, check out Budget Travel's list :)

Moleskine Notebooks varies with size and type
I always pack a small ruled one whenever I travel since I like to keep track of all the sights and restaurants we visit. It also has a handy pocket in the back for stashing items. Moleskine also makes these nifty City Guide Notebooks that include a page of basic information for the specific city.

SteriPEN Adventurer $100
Have a camper on your gift list? Or maybe someone who just loves frequenting places with sketchy water situations? The SteriPEN uses UV light to purify water within minutes (1 minute for 16 oz; 1.5 minutes for 32 oz). Can't get any easier and less messy than placing a stick into a container of water and pressing a button, right?

Budget Travel $12
One of my favorite magazines of Jamie's to steal! ;p We've both been notorious for browsing Budget Travel online (how else would we be able to manage a fun trip each year?!) and last year Jamie finally subscribed to the actual magazine. There are always tons of fun stories to read (including some funny travel 'horror' stories) and great travel tips and deals. Very fun read :)

The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost $14
Jamie introduced me to this book and I actually laughed out loud several times while reading. The author writes about how he followed his wife to the small island of Kiribati in the South Pacific and all the adventures that follow. I like incorporating the bubuti system in my daily life. For more on that, read the book ;p Apparently the rest of J. Maarten Troost's books are equally chuckle worthy - Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip through the Islands of Fiji & Vanuatu and Lost on Planet China: One Man's Attempt to Understand the World's Most Mystifying Nation.

Bananagrams $15
I saw this on DailyCandy a few months ago and got super excited because I love word games (f you, Sodoku!). I didn't spot the actual game until we were in the airport en route to Budapest in September and I camethisclose to buying it. It's essentially scrabble without a board and letters shoved into a banana shaped sack. Lame? Nerdy? Bite your tongue.

Noise Cancelling Headphones varies
Jamie and I received a pair of Panasonic Noise Cancelling Headphones (can't find a link) before our trip to China a couple years ago and we're officially addicted. I can't even fathom using regular earbuds or (gasp!) the headsets they distribute on the plane! Ours work on battery power and have an on/off switch so you don't burn through that battery mid-flight. I think they actually lasted the whole flight from DC to Tokyo? They are totally worth the splurge if you take a ton of longer flights (I wouldn't bust these out for the DC to NY ride ha).

Nuun $7
So, say you're on a small island in the Caribbean and you accidentally consume too many bottles of fruit juice and rum...or maybe dine on some questionable conch...and you're plagued with the big D. O yes, that D. Not a bottle of Gatorade to be found ANYWHERE on the island - and you know, you need more than just water to survive the big D. Lucky you, someone wised up and packed a tube of Nuun! You've heard how much I love this stuff post-run, but who knew it doubled as a trusty travel companion?? Flavor recs - Tri Berry, Citrus Fruits, Lemon Lime.

Do you have any fun travel gadgets you recommend??

Dinners have been super boring lately - salads because they are easy. Last night's dinner was a mash up of Saturday's buffalo burgers and my favorite salad toppings. No picture because well, it was hideous. Hideous and delicious! The burger part was a last minute addition since I didn't have any spare proteins in the house and it needed to be cooked. Topped my salad with this new salad dressing I grabbed at the market
It's not exactly what I thought it would be, but it was good. Probably not the best mix for my pickled beet topping (tahini and soy are totally the opposite of sweet pickled beets), but I think this would be great on a crisp, cool iceberg salad.

I'm off to run a bunch of Christmas errands. Decided to play hooky from the office b/c I am totally burnt out between jobs and I JUST realized I haven't gone Christmas shopping, nor have I really gotten anything done at home recently. UGH. Not enough time in the world!! Google Reader is OUT OF CONTROL!!

Foodie whaa?

Hello again! I've been super productive this evening and once I'm done blogging and cleaning, I'm hoping to get Jamie's mini-care package pulled together. Do you like pulling together care packages that remind people of home? I sure do :)

As promised I've got some recipes from last weekend's PTT dinner to share, supplemented with some gift ideas for that foodie in your life...you know you've got one! I love that all my favorite magazines have gift guides posted. Tonight's installment is inspired by Food & Wine Magazine's Holiday Gift Guide. They've got a ton of fun ideas and here are a few more to marinate on:

Food & Wine Magazine 2 subscriptions for $19.99
There's no denying that this is one of my favorite magazines. I've been known to dog ear almost every page because the recipes always sound fantastic! Plus, the recipes usually have wine pairing suggestions and bargain wine ideas. GREAT read for a food and/or wine lover :)

Tastebook $30 - $35
I started pulling one of these together pre-blog as a way to keep all my recipes. Basically, you build your own recipe book with your recipes and/or recipes from magazines. You can pick from different covers and there are even pre-made Tastebooks for you to choose from. Very cool personalized gift!

Kombucha Brooklyn Home Brew Kit $25
Know a kombucha lover? Why not give them the tools they need to make a batch of their own? I'm a bit freaked out at the whole kombucha thing, but even I think this would make a fun gift!

Gourmet Sea Salts vary with size and type
All salts are not created equal. I've always been curious about the different types of sea salts out there and so far Fleur de Sel and Himalayan Sea Salts have piqued my interests. Most of the websites I've visited have at least 10 varieties, including Smoked Sea Salt. You can definitely find a variety sample pack out there!

Cuisinart Mini Food Prep $30
Best. Doodad. Ever. I have an older one that I actually use more than my full size food processor. It's great for everyday use or even for big Thanksgiving feasts ;) Compact and powerful. A must have in every kitchen!

Color Coded Cutting Boards $15 for a set of 4
Safety first! These silicone boards are color (and picture!) coded so you avoid cross contamination and all that gross germy stuff!

Microplane Grater $15
I think this is a must have item. I got a mini one a few years ago and love it. In fact, I think I started using citrus zests because of it! Shh...I've also been known to use it for grating cheeses, spices and even garlic!

The Momofuku Cookbook by David Chang $26 online
Ok, unless you are currently living under a rock (or maybe not so into the foodie scene), you are probably familiar with all things Momofuku - Noodle Bar, Ssam Bar, Momofuku Ko, and Milk Bar (did I catch them all??). Last time I was in NYC for a fine dining experience, my sister and I almost made it to (I think) Noodle Bar but passed on it since they didn't take reservations. I've only heard excellent things about the food and the pictures alone make me drool at my computer. Amazon's preview of the book shows some fairly reasonable recipes if you have access to Asian condiments and sauces.

Mini Paella Kit $50
I've mentioned my love of LaTienda.com before and I've also mentioned the Mini Paella Kit (that definitely serves more than 2) - it's packaged neatly and ready to give as a gift! They've also got a ton of fun goodies and gift packages on their website so check it out! :)

What fun food/kitchen gadgets have you received lately? Any you've been eyeing??

Or perhaps you've just been eyeing Thanksgiving goodies and are waiting for some recipes ;p

I've got THREE for you tonight! Ready?

Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomato Tarts
1 package Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (thanks, FoodBuzz Tastemaker Program!)
1 4-oz log goat cheese
1/4 c caramelized onions (see recipe that follows)
1 jar sun-dried tomato halves in oil
1 1/2 tbsp fresh (or dried) thyme, minced
salt
pepper
flour for dusting

Flour a flat surface and roll puff pastry out. You want to be able to cut 16 squares/rectangles from the sheet. With a knife, score a square within the square so you create about a 1/8" to 1/4" border for your filling. Set aside and preheat oven to 375.

In a small bowl combine goat cheese, thyme and salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Slice sun-dried tomatoes in half crosswise until there are enough for all the tarts.

Lightly spray cookie sheet with olive oil and begin assembling tarts. Place a small spoonful of cheese mixture in the middle of the square, top with some caramelized onion and a piece of sun-dried tomato. Bake for 10 minutes or until pastry turns golden brown.

Caramelized Onions
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp water
pinch salt

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent. Drop heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in balsamic vinegar, sugar and salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally and slowly adding water if mixture looks too sticky.

Baked Flatbread with Brie, Caramelized Onions and Pears
1 package tandoori naan (I used the WF brand that has 4 in a pack)
3/4 c caramelized onions
1 wedge brie, thinly sliced
1 ripe pear, thinly sliced

Place slices of naan on a baking sheet and layer first with caramelized onions, brie and then pears. Broil for 3-5 minutes or until brie starts to melt and naan looks toasty. Slice into triangles and serve immediately.

Horseradish Shrimp with Bacon
(makes 30 pieces)
30 large shrimp, tail on
15 pieces bacon, cut in half crosswise
2 tbsp horseradish sauce
1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp cocktail sauce
toothpicks

Preheat oven to 375 and line a cookie sheet with foil. In a small bowl, combine horseradish, Worcestershire, Tabasco and cocktail sauces. Reserve all but 1 tablespoon of the mixture for serving.

To assemble shrimp, lay one piece of bacon on a cutting board. Smear a SMALL amount of horseradish mixture onto the bacon, place shrimp on top, wrap and secure with toothpick. One tablespoon of mixture should be more than enough for 30 pieces.

Bake for 10 minutes or until shrimp looks pink and bacon is crisp. Drain cookie sheet halfway through cooking if needed. Serve with reserved horseradish sauce.

Enjoy and keep an eye out for travel-friendly gift ideas!

'Tis the season!

Looking for good gift ideas for that runner in your life? Runner's World just posted a slideshow with some good ideas (though, some are on the pricey side) that got me thinking about what I would want or give to runner friends (within reasonable price ranges too)!

Saucony ViperLite Conversion Glove $35

These come in a bright orange material that's hard to miss in the dark. Need to work that iPod touch? The tips of the thumb and index finger flip off so you can use the touch screen easily. Plus, it's got a nifty little light on the right glove. Flash away!

Runner's World Magazine $12

The gift that keeps on giving! Great articles, motivation and training tips...and yes, it's much more fun than just reading the website :p

Balega Hidden Comfort Socks $10

You know how I feel about these socks so I'll keep it short. The newbie runner is probably running in cotton socks and suffering from blisters. Show them the light!

Nike+iPod Sport Kit $29

Not quite ready for the Garmin, but want more than what a regular watch and Mapmyrun have to offer? Enter Nike+. You'll have to calibrate it and some people have experienced some innacuracies, but overall, not a bad tool. Not a Nike shoe wearer? No worries. Pair this with the Shoe Pouch $6

Body Glide $8

You can never have enough Body Glide in your life. Trust me. There are a few options too - original, warming and one with sunscreen. Take your pick!

Nike Thermal Running Skullcap $20

Gotta keep the head warm! This hat is justa bit fleecy and fits snuggly on your noggin while you run. Ladies, you know how ponytails generally don't mesh well with hats? This hat solves things by leaving a little hole in the back just for your ponytail. Brilliant.

Foam Roller Varies with size and density.

Have a friend with nagging IT band tightness? Give the gift of 'it hurts so good' with a foam roller. Visit your local running store and I'm sure they'll give ideas for techinques.

The Stick $35 for the 19" Sprinter Stick.

It's just freaking genius. Read the website. Learn and love the stick. Dooo it.

Amphipod Hydraform Handheld Pocket and Handheld Lite $18 for 20oz; $16 for 12oz

Just because you're all bundled up in the cold weather doesn't mean you can throw hydration to the wayside! Check out the two size options for this super comfortable handheld water bottle.

You also can't go wrong with anything you know your runner loves for sure...nutritional items they swear by, favorite types of gear or stores. What would you add to this list and the Runner's World list??

Stay tuned for some gift ideas for that foodie friend of yours ;p