Health~ma to your brother, Kathy.

My dad was another man who had a heart attack, got a stent, and lived on for many years. It's a great trend, and I hope your brother joins it.

Tep, mmmmm. Some variation on that (sometimes we skip the rice, sometimes we throw in yogurt instead of sour cream--the Greek yogurt from TJ's is especially awesome for this) is one of the top 2 or 3 go-to meals chez Zmayhem.

Well, we had homemade burritos over the weekend (flour tortillas, refried beans, sour cream, salsa), and since we're leaving for vacation Friday, I wanted to use up the leftovers and use the avocado before it went bad.*

Because, honestly? It had never occurred to me to make burrito bowls before. (Or, really, standard burritos.) Our go-to meals are (depending on season): Tombstone's "light" pizza, which has a TON of veggies on it; TJ's spanakopita; vegetarian biscuits and gravy; veggie stir-fry with whatever veggies are lurking in the fridge and/or freezer; veggie shepherd's pie; vegetarian chili. Oh, and TJ's sushi.

Now I'm adding burrito bowls.

Even though we try not to eat out a lot because we're trying to be responsible and budget and shit, we end up eating out once a week, without fail, because the various groups we belong to manage to have a social dinner night every week. (They all kind of coordinate with each other, so Group #1's dinner is on the first Wednesday of the month, Group #2's is the second Thursday, etc.)

*(Like a fruit-crazed maniac, I bought a dozen peaches from TJs on Friday, and now we need to burn through them. I would make a tart, but there's too much else we need to get done before we leave. So it's peach city around here. And oh my god, they are SO GOOD.)

I'm curious, Seattle folk: why aren't Bainbridge or Whidbey Islands on your short list of wonderful places to buy a house in the area?

Man. I don't want to do anything tonight but sit on my ass and watch Ace of Cakes. (My diamond shoes, they pinch!)

Every time I go to Target from here or work, I drive by the bakery.

I've never seen the show.

OMG, I am a networking machine. I think I just told five people I could talk to them on Friday. On the phone! I don't know why we can't just email... I also have another ad to respond to, but I think I've used up my gumption for the night. Maybe tomorrow.

P-C, reading that articles, I thought "someone needs to make that movie", then I thought "Well, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead kind of already is that movie."

[link] OMG Bainbridge Island!

Tep, we've scored a batch of extra delicious white peaches and Emmett's gone on a binge.

We did wind up doing a smoothie to finish them off.

Also, when I make the black beans: saute onions in butter and olive oil, add beans, add cumin, add fresh salsa, add pinch of brown sugar.

Trick with black beans is also to add a dusting of cinnamon. Richens up the flavor, but doesn't taste of cinn. You can add an amazing amount before that happens.

Me, I do black beans after sauteeing garlic and onion and chile, plus chile. Did I mention chile? Green, please. Cumin, fresh only on top. If you do meat, throw in previously cooked and chopped chicken. Don't do the sugar.

Make it more souplike (keep in mind when I do this, I do several large cans at once) I puree a cup or two and remix. Burritos, soup, beans and rice.