So let me just start by saying I have very bad self-diagnosed life A.D.D. but when it comes to food and wine it is ten times worse. Tonight I had grandiose plans of making Corn Pancakes with Smoked Salmon and Lemon Chive Cream, but that just didn't happen. I got home after working out with my personal trainer and I was physically exhausted. I sat down and started working on my book and after several hours of diggin' deep into my past I was mentally exhausted...but starving!!

I knew I needed to go to my happy place, which for me is always the kitchen. So I poured myself a glass of wine and decided to start cooking. This is where it all began...


Let's start with the wine. The other day at the grocery store I saw this cute little box of wine and although I remember my Grandparents having boxed wine when I was a kid, I had never had it myself. Yes, I developed wine snobbery at a very young age. However, when I looked at the back of the box, it said this boxed wine had won awards. It had received 88 points at the 2011 Ultimate Wine Challenge...sure I have no idea what that is, but it sounds impressive, right? And it won 86 points at the 2011 California State Fair. Now I knew about the state fair as I went once in college and sure I don't remember seeing any wine, but that was awhile ago. I do remember the highlight, for me, was seeing the Budweiser clydesdales. Yes, I know that is a random fact and it has nothing to do with wine and Budweiser is yucky, but it is the truth.

Anyway I digress, I bought the cute little box of wine. It is a 2011 Merlot from Lathrop, which is in Central California. And I kind of suckered myself in because on the box it talks about environmental stuff, like how the box is made primarily with paper which is a renewable resource and how it has a smaller carbon footprint than a wine bottle. So seriously if I am drinking for an environmental cause, how can I go wrong, right?

And I have to say it isn't half bad. I don't think I would make an effort to search it out, but it is fruity and smooth and it is easy to drink. This is definitely a great alternative for a picnic or a beach adventure because it is small, non-breakable and tasty. And you get three glasses out of this cute little box...yeah I don't know if that is a good thing or bad thing either, but it just is.

Ok but back to dinner. So I got into the kitchen and I was starving and I just didn't feel like spending too much time in the kitchen. Plus I am one of those people who definitely eats based on feel. That is why I have never been able to be one of those people who shops for a week in advance, with a well thought out and calculated menu 7 days in advance. Because for me I get to day 2 and day 5 and day 6 and I have no desire to eat the meal I planned for. And yes, I know this is bad, but I pretty much go to the grocery store every day, based on what I feel like cooking and eating for that day.

Tonight was no different, I did not feel like making corn pancakes and smoked salmon, but I did have bok choy and that sounded awesome to me. I actually thought of taking my spinach recipe from the other night and just doing it again, but with bok choy, but seriously what kind of blog would that be. So thankfully for google I found another recipe that was similar but a tad bit different. I made Baby Bok Choy with Cashews.


Ok but I did a few things differently. I cooked this more like a stir fry, so I did not use a lid. I also wanted a little spice so I added some red pepper flakes which added a nice kick to it. But all and all this was a great light and fresh dish. I loved the flavor of the sesame oil, the bite of the garlic and the salt and crunch from the cashews.

Baby Bok Choy with Cashews Recipe

And just one more thing about my A.D.D, while I was cooking I decided I needed a bottle of water.So I went to the fridge, opened the door and saw the Parmesan cheese. I had just bought it yesterday at Fresh and Easy and so I was curious as to the quality. I ended up with this instead of my bottled water and even as I write this I still don't have my bottle of water. Hmmm....


This was the perfect low maintenance, tasty and easy dish for my Saturday night. Hell there are a few benefits to being single...I can have boxed wine and bok choy for dinner, seriously how do you beat that? Cheers!!