A Penny Saved...

Or how about 5,000 pennies saved?  Pictured above are 6 lunches of leftover lasagna packaged and ready for the fridge/freezer.  I figure this batch will save us about $50-$60 in lunches Paul won't have to eat out while at work.  Paul has been very good about taking his lunch to work since we moved here, and I have been pretty good at making those lunches, if I may say so myself.  He's not a big cold-sandwich-for-lunch fan, so I try to make dinners that will have good leftovers for lunches.  I periodically make a double batch of the "Healthy Lasagna" that I mentioned previously on my blog, which makes excellent lunch leftovers that freeze well.  He says his co-workers are always commenting on how good his lunches look :)

The Staten Island Ferry

 On Friday, Andrew and I got in to the city to meet up with my high-school friend, Lynne, and her husband, Erik.  We all took the Staten Island Ferry, which provides a great view of the Statue of Liberty.

Andrew waiting for the ferry

The view of Jersey City from the Hudson River

There she is!

Andrew on the ferry

The ferry pulling in to the pier

Colonial Building, Modern Building, Modern Art at Battery Park

Fraunces Tavern, where Washington bid farewell to his troops

 I noticed this cool building from the Brooklyn Bridge Monday evening.  It has all these cool curvy vertical lines on it.  I learned from Lynne (who studied interior design) that this is a new building--the first skyscraper designed by Frank Gehry, architect who designed the Experience Music Project in Seattle.

We walked up through China Town on our way to lunch

It was a long walk to lunch!  Andrew enjoyed the fruits of our labors. 

We took the subway back.

Yes, We Really Do Live Near New York City!

I've been into "the city" a handful of times since we moved here, but most of the time it doesn't really feel like I live right outside New York City.  But then, there are days like yesterday when I went to a baby shower in an apartment closer to the water, and I looked over toward the city and saw the Statue of Liberty!  Or, like today when we stopped by our friend Varnali's new place in the Newport neighborhood of Jersey City, which is right on the water, and we got these amazing views of the city from the boardwalk outside her complex.

To the left of us is Midtown and to the right of us is the Financial District

That's the Empire State Building to the left of us

Hanging Out at Home

Hanging out in the kitchen in the afternoon.  Sometimes I let Andrew eat while standing on a chair at the kitchen counter.

Tickling after a Saturday breakfast

Looking statuesque

 Watercoloring

Food to Kick off Summer

I made these sandwiches a few weeks ago when we fed a couple of missionaries.  They were delicious, and perfect for getting in the mood for warmer weather.

Shredded Barbecue Chicken (from Southern Living's Slow Cooker cookbook)

1 1/2 pounds skinned and boned chicken thighs
1 Tbs olive oil
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs cider vinegar
1 Tbs yellow mustard
1 tsp ground red pepper (this means cayenne, and I cut this amount in half, which I'm glad I did)
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Brown chicken 4 minutes on each side in 1 Tbs oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.  Remove from heat, add to a slow cooker, mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over the chicken.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour, then LOW 5 to 6 hours.  Remove chicken from sauce and shred, then add back to the sauce.  Serve on hamburger buns.  Makes 6 servings.  I doubled the recipe, and this made great leftovers.  I made these homemade hamburger buns, and they were quite good as well.