Just Call Me Sandra.

I love when I catch Semi-Homemade on the Food Network. The host, Sandra Lee, is hysterical and a tad crazy (but entertaining nonetheless). Sandra, of course, doesn't even compare to Giada DeLaurentiis, my favorite (and ironically the favorite of many guys in my life, which is obviously not a mystery if you saw her size zero frame with her c-cup chest spilling out of a v-neck shirt), due to her classical training and easy delectable menu items. She is commonly ridiculed because of the fact that she'll make a meal with partially home made items for 60% of the show, and the reminder of the allocated time for her show will be focused around the coordinating cocktail she throws together to accompany the food item(s). Excellent. My kind of lady. She was my inspiration tonight.

Tonight I made cranberry sweet potato quinoa with goat cheese, and to accompany, a cherry cranberry vodka cocktail. The meal was ended with dark chocolate and knitting on the couch. What am I, 92 years old? Seems like it, don't worry I'm going out to the bars later, I'm not as lame as I sound right now! See what you are missing when you are doing all those awesome things in California, Doug? I'm just kidding.

Doug is spending time with the family for Thanksgiving, and today was (well, I guess is right now at this moment) at a College Football game at USC (his dad's alma mater) . He's also seen a great collection of modern art in LA, and also has had a recent run-in with John Michael Higgins when leaving the art museum in fact (I did mention that I was happy I wasn't there for that moment. If I were, I probably would have yelled "come come with the kick drum, Gary, Gary, in the house, with the kick drum, come come...." from "The Breakup"). Back to the point. This quinoa rocked. I made up the recipe as I went. My cranberry sauce was fantastic in it. I used the left over sweet potato from the store that I bought for the mashed rosemary sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving dinner. I used the cranberry sauce (from this post). Recipes below for both. Try them out for a cold night after Thanksgiving to use your extra ingredients!

Sweet Potato Cranberry Quinoa

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
  
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 peeled and cubed sweet potato
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary chopped
  
• salt and pepper
• olive oil or cooking spray
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  
• 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles
  

Bring the broth and quinoa to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Simultaneously, start softening the sweet potatoes. These certainly need time. At least 15 minutes if not 18 to 20 depending on how soft you prefer them (I cooked them for 20 minutes). Simply grease the pan with olive oil or spray. Add in the rosemary with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally. The two things should be ready at about the same time. Combine them in a bowl, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and stir in the red wine vinegar. Add in goat cheese and eat some while you do it, like i did. Eat it and save the rest in a container for whenever. quinoa is really good cold, if i might say so myself.

Cranberry Cherry Vodka

Splash of Effen Cherry vodka. Fill 3/4 of the cup with Diet Cherry juice (I got mine from Target). Fill the rest of the glass with ice and Target brand Cherry Limeade sparkling water. Enjoy!