5 Things Thursday

on April 12, 2012
in All Posts

#1: I am addicted to this blood orange sorbet.  It is so ridiculously delicious.  It tastes like I’m eating a frozen orange with a spoon.

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Now it’s all gone.

 

#2: Speaking of cold things, it is freezing in my house. Charlotte has been getting really chilly at night and, out of pure stubbornness, we refuse to turn on the heater.  It’s mid-April.  I am not warming the house on principle.  I woke up this morning and my thermostat read 60 degrees.  The dogs are walking around the living room with jackets on.

 

#3: Today, we found out that both of our HVACs need to be replaced.  Welcome to homeownership.  Pray for me that it’s covered under our home warranty, okay? At least it’s freezing in here and air conditioning is currently unnecessary.  <– Brightside!

 

#4: As part of dinner, I made these delicious zucchini boats. These pretty babies were really easy to make and a fun way to eat zucchini, which is a vegetable that I always buy even though I don’t really like all that much (what’s up with that?).

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To make a serving:

 

Slice two zucchini lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scrape out the insides.

In a small bowl, use your fingers to combine 3/4 cup cooked brown rice with 1/3 cup packed goat cheese (I used an herbed variety) and a small handful of shredded carrots.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop the rice mix into the zucchini, repeat four times, and place in a glass casserole dish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Enjoy!

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#5: I have successfully made the “leaping high five”  happen at Girls on the Run.  The funny thing with the 8 – 10 year old age group is you can make really weird and random stuff ‘trend’ with a group of them (because they still think adults are kind of cool).  Now, we give each other leaping high fives for absolutely everything.  A leaping high five is way more fun than a regular high five, by the way.  I recommend that everyone do it!

photo

That’s all.  High five!

{ 49 comments }

 

  • Allison K April 12, 2012, 8:39 pm

    Yep. Welcome to home ownership. We had to replace our ac….big time bucks. Also…good luck with that home warranty. We used ours for a few things and to be frank dealing with it was a huge pain in the ass.

    • LindsayH April 12, 2012, 9:27 pm

      The “Home Warranty” that came with our house was not even worth the paper it was printed on. They are a scam.

      • Allison K April 13, 2012, 12:58 am

        Exactly. It is pretty much the sellers way of getting out of having to pay for any home repairs.

        • LindsayH April 13, 2012, 8:43 am

          And Realtors get kickbacks for shilling them.

          • CaitlinHTP April 13, 2012, 10:02 am

            Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

  • Katie April 12, 2012, 8:50 pm

    Oh my goodness, I LOVE Ciao Bella ice cream! My niece bought it one time and never ate it.. Left it just sitting there for weeks, so I wound up eating all of it! 😉 My favorite (er… the only flavor that she bought that I got to try)is the pistachio! Sooo yummy! 🙂

  • Katie @ Peace Love & Oats April 12, 2012, 9:03 pm

    I LOVE that blood orange sorbet! It’s delicious!

  • Christine @ BookishlyB April 12, 2012, 9:26 pm

    We rarely use the heater- maybe twice this whole winter (granted, I live in Southern California where it gets to be about 30 at the lowest during the winter). It’s all about the extra sweatshirt and blanket. Too cheap and it bothers my asthma!

  • Kristen April 12, 2012, 9:47 pm

    Any time I have tried a leaping high five it has looked like an out-take…

  • Julia Steele April 12, 2012, 9:54 pm

    It *should* be covered by the home warranty. Be sure to document everything very carefully.

    I’m doing leaping high 5’s with myself right now. That’s also fun! Although the mirror is a mess.

    • Jen April 13, 2012, 1:05 am

      Ahahahaha….awesome. I send you a leaping high five! (I really could use one myself.) 🙂

  • Eliza April 12, 2012, 9:59 pm

    My theory on why I am not the biggest zuchinni fan; it reminds me of warm cucumber, not cool.
    That looks yummy though!

  • Helen April 12, 2012, 10:06 pm

    Why didn’t the home inspector notice that?

    • Katherine April 13, 2012, 12:12 am

      I agree. I would look through your inspection and appraisal to see what was written about it. You just bought the house so it’s worth checking into.

      • Jennifer April 13, 2012, 8:43 am

        Definitely check the inspection – that should come back on them if they didn’t catch something. Otherwise, if you have a home warranty, it should cover it.

        • Caitlin April 13, 2012, 10:05 am

          I need to investigate the inspection. We knew they were older and were going to go soon, I just didn’t think it would be THIS soon.

          • deva by definition April 13, 2012, 11:18 am

            Our inspector looked incredibly closely at the HVAC and Furnace and told us how many years ours had left – it’s definitely
            worth looking at the inspection report.

          • Allison K April 13, 2012, 12:57 pm

            I think this is the inherent issue with purchasing a house in the spring/fall…its not always cold or hot enough to make sure that the HVAC has full function.
            We bought our house in April 2008. It is almost impossible to get the AC to turn on in April in Idaho. Our inspector noted on our report that he was unable to test the AC function. We had to chose whether to proceed. And..murphy’s law…the AC had an issue of course. Hence the replacement.

          • Helen April 13, 2012, 1:01 pm

            Allison – true. We purchased our house in April in Wisconsin and it has to be 60 outside for them to run the AC and he couldn’t. Thankfully it has been fine so far! It is also newer. but our heater died this past February (it was time!)

          • CaitlinHTP April 13, 2012, 4:29 pm

            Alison and Helen – I think this is what happened to us… Gah.

  • Jenny April 12, 2012, 10:19 pm

    Mmm zucchini boats 🙂 I always make mine with black beans and spanish rice for mexi boats! Sorry about the HVAC. Hope things get worked out quickly and easily.

  • Sarah B April 12, 2012, 10:23 pm

    Thank you! You’ve just decided what I am having for dinner. I’ll have to leave out the goats cheese as it is too expensive here in NZ, but I think I’ll add a sprinkle of parmesan, some seeds, ooh and maybe some beans…..

  • Rebecca April 12, 2012, 10:51 pm

    I’ve been wearing long sleeves to bed this week. It’s April. I shouldn’t be in long sleeves and three layers of blankets, especially when our apartment thermostat is stuck at 75. But still I bundle up at bedtime. So annoying.

  • Brianna April 12, 2012, 10:58 pm

    60?! That’s warm!

    Funny thing. I had a random dream last night that your house had a leak in the floor. Premonition? Maybe. Or maybe I just read your blog too much! lol!

    • Caitlin April 13, 2012, 10:08 am

      seriously?! that is crazyyyy!

      please have a premonition that i win the lottery 🙂

  • Laura April 12, 2012, 11:33 pm

    You can make your own blood orange sherbet really easily! foodsnobstl.com/2012/02/moro-blood-orange-sherbet/

    • Caitlin April 13, 2012, 10:08 am

      Awesome recipe!

  • Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed April 13, 2012, 12:09 am

    The boyfriend hates zucchini so I never buy it. Although he has said that about other things and then he ends up eating them anyway, so I should just throw it into the rotation haha.

    Yay for high fives 🙂

  • Laura @ She Eats Well April 13, 2012, 12:35 am

    Zucchini boats!? Amazing. They look cute ha. And delicious. I have a few from TJs in my fridge…thanks for the idea!

  • Jen April 13, 2012, 1:09 am

    LOVE the leaping high fives…think I need one myself!

    I just bought some blood orange Greek yogurt…haven’t tried it yet, but have heard really good things about it!

  • Beccky April 13, 2012, 5:43 am

    This recipe looks good! I have a question though – what do you do with the zucchini you’ve scooped out? Do you mix it in with the rice and cheese mix and then stuff it back in? Thanks, want to make these!

    • Caitlin April 13, 2012, 10:09 am

      I just tossed it. I don’t like zucch that much anyways 🙂

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin April 13, 2012, 8:00 am

    I think I’ve seen that sorbet at my grocery store before! I’ll have to buy myself some as a treat to motivate me through studying. 😉

  • Jodi @ Jodi, Fat or Not April 13, 2012, 8:07 am

    I keep seeing recipe’s for zucchini boats everywhere! I think it’s a sign that I need to make them for dinner soon.

  • Sara April 13, 2012, 8:19 am

    LOVE that blood orange sorbet! FYI they have a knockoff Harris Teeter brand that is just as good! 🙂

  • Joanne April 13, 2012, 8:38 am

    Those zucchini boats sound so good.

    I read in one of your previous posts that you need so much protein a day while pregnant. How much more is that than if you weren’t pregnant and, since you are vegetarian, where do you get the protein from without over doing the carbs?

  • Kath April 13, 2012, 8:57 am

    The HVACs didn’t come up in inspection? Home warranty should cover them!

  • Carolina John April 13, 2012, 9:18 am

    I still can’t believe both units blew out. I had both of my rental properties empty out this week. just about as painful.

  • Angela April 13, 2012, 9:21 am

    Those zuccini boats look delicous. I was looking for something yummy to bring to a BBQ this weekend, that might just be it 🙂

  • Amber K April 13, 2012, 2:03 pm

    Home ownership is definitely different! I don’t even know what a HVAC is…good thing I’m still in an apartment. Because if not that’d be a bad thing.

  • Erin April 13, 2012, 2:08 pm

    Careful with letting your house get that cold. Anything under 55 degrees could potentially cause your pipes to burst.

  • Mildly Entertained April 13, 2012, 2:48 pm

    Fun! I would just add though not to throw out the insides to the zucchini – rather, mix it in with the rice and goat cheese mixture – it’s good for you!

  • Linda @ Lemons April 13, 2012, 5:21 pm

    I’m not really a fan of zucchini either but I could definitely eat it with your recipe, I’d just switch to vegan cheese.

    I love how you motivate the girls, it’s fantastic. Wonder if any of them have asked how that baby got in there?

  • Jessica April 13, 2012, 6:29 pm

    I teach school and Girls on the Run is taught(?) at our school. Because of YOU, I now participate and run with my girls after school. Besides having a motivating running partner, I get to bond during an extracurricular activity with them! I have picked a buddy to race with, she chats my ear off. I love it.

    Proud moment: My running buddy and I got the “energy” award yesterday. We ran 21 laps–Almost 3 miles! (8 laps is one mile, we don’t have a track!)

    Thank you!

    • CaitlinHTP April 13, 2012, 7:03 pm

      i am so glad you are having so much fun!!!!! 🙂

  • Susanna April 13, 2012, 6:54 pm

    I bought an old house (1950s) and we did get the home warranty via American Home Shield in one of the most expensive plans (i.e, the one that covers the HVAC). I have shelled out big bucks for 3 years and this year I finally got my $ back through an HVAC replacement (my unit was 19 years old!!!). American Home Shield was not happy, but the repair guy told them on the phone that we could get CO poisoning…so, new unit! We did not get charged for anything, except for 2 things: the effing crane to put it on the roof ($350)and the service call ($60). A home warranty that truly covers your ass is not cheap, but it gives you peace of mind. Especially when you buy a house, you have no idea how many things can and will go wrong!

  • Jessenia April 14, 2012, 5:50 pm

    When I was in NYC they had Ciao Bella stores and I ordered a drink that was lemonade with scoops of the blood orange sorbet in it! They are soo good. You should try making one!

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