BM Dress, Tracking Back, Southwest Salad Recipe, Ausitn's Prezzies

Thanks you guys!! It really did go well but I can't wait for pictures!! However, I realized I did have a few pics I could post that I KNOW Zach didn't get pictures of - Austin's gifties! He opened these after the morning after the party. I believe I mentioned that our family and friends were too sweet and generous - look at these great items!

Close up on some the awesome liquors

His mom had some HS pics framed! Austin's HS team his senior year were state champions (something like that. I dunno. He has a big ring that he never wears.)

He seriously got some great t-shirts, frames, gift cards, booze, DVDs, a shamwow hehe, and even an awesome video game! Very cool of our friends - now he has to get on thank you cards!! So yesterday was a pretty good day, especially considering that I couldn't sleep the night before! Kept waking up and stressing about the busy work week I had ahead. I HATE tossing and turning. Oh wells. I got to work and was slammed, as I expected. Then I had a meeting during lunch. Sigh. Then I worked more and at 5 p.m. was off to pick up the bridesmaid dress. I tried it on -MUCH better. Then I left. No one said anything about payment. It had a $25 tag on it but they were just like "bye girl - have great day!" So I rolled. CRISIS AVERTED! I will officially have a dress for Stacy's fabulous wedding this Saturday! After the dress I headed HOME. No gym - I was starvation central. I was supposed to cook. Didn't happen. Instead I had 2 slices of leftover pizza and got in bed to watch Entourage and True Blood with the family, do about another hour's worth of work and read blogs. Finally feel a bit more caught up! I ended the night at 1,503 calories, 192 carbs, 42 fat grams and 91 protein grams. Here's what I ate.

MOM this ones's for you (:)) here is the recipe for a TON of Southwest Salad using a great vinaigrette from For the Love of Cooking. I know you can't tell, but these C&B bowls are BIG, like 10" squares and about 4" deep!

Dressing: Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette Recipe

2 cups of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup canola oil
½ cup fresh lime juice (juice from 2 limes squeezed to death)
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
2 tsp jarred minced garlic
2 tsp oregano

Add to blender. Blend. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (pulse one more time before adding to salads)

Salad: Southwest Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

4 bags romaine lettuce, divided

2 cans corn, drained, divided

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

2 cups Kraft 2% Mexican cheese, divided

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size), divided

1 cup of red onion, diced and divided in half

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (recipe above), divided in half

Take out two large bowls. Add 2 bags of lettuce to each bowl. Drain corn and black beans. Add a can of corn and a can of black beans to each. Add 1 cup of cheese to each. Add ¾ cup diced tomatoes to each. Add 1/2 cup of diced red onion to each. Pulse salad dressing to ensure it’s mixed. If you plan to serve both at the same time: Drizzle each with half of the salad dressing. If you plan to serve one first and the other when it runs out: Drizzle half with salad dressing. Put the other salad and ½ dressing in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

Nutritional Information (for each huge bowl of salad including dressing): 2,023 calories, 158 carbs, 136 fat grams and 65 protein grams.

Review: We LOVED it and it seemed to go over really well! I made it the night before, left it in the mini processor and put it in the fridge. Right before I served the salad (both at the same time), I dropped it on top of the mini processor, pulsed it again, then poured half over each salad.

Just so you know, for less salad dressing, simply divide the recipe above by 4. This is what I did (I multiplied Pam's recipe by 4!) - Pam's Recipe:

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup canola oil
1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano

I also tracked back:

Friday I ended up at 1,628 calories, 155 carbs, 36 fat grams and 84 protein grams. Here's what I ate and drank.

Saturday I ended up at 1,899 calories, 156 carbs, 43 fat grams and 86 protein grams. Here's what I ate.

Sunday I ended up at 1,502 calories, 188 carbs, 62 fat grams and 54 protein grams. Here's what I ate.

WOO - quite a Monday. Ready for a less busy day today! (here's hoping!)

Q: Have you ever made your own salad dressing? This was my first time!

Q: Are you watching Entourage? I am... and I'm finding Vince's behavior so disturbing. I hate to watch people destroy themselves... :( (which is why it boggles my mind that so many of my friends love Intervention. I can't handle it!)