Wowzers...

Well, I guess I failed my New Year's resolution, because I have not posted on here at least once a month! Time has not been on my side and this little blog went to wayside. I still have been cooking, but not so much DIY'ing as I'd like. I did have a friend teach me one knitting stitch and I am knitting me a scarf. But I couldn't even begin how to explain it, so that will probably not have a tutorial.

I've also been super busy getting my work out on at the gym. I signed up for a membership at a local gym last November and then canceled it in Feb or March because I wasn't getting my money's worth. I finally got the nerve to ask a guy if he does personal training. I was a bit hesitant to have a one on one trainer because why pay someone to train when you can get free workouts from Pinterest? Well the answer my friend, is it worth it. The past month I have been seeing him twice a week and doing cardio 3-4 times a week and changing what I've been eating. (Kind of...) A month later I'm down 6 pounds and 10% of my body fat. So if you can work it in your budget, get a trainer. They'll push you more than you push yourself and you get results a lot faster than if you do it yourself. I know some of you can't budget a trainer, so here is something that might get you going: Commitment Day. It's a 5K that you can run, walk, skip, hop, jog, bring the kids out, etc. It is kind of cliche because it is on New Year's Day, but that's when 95% of the world decides this is the year I'm going to get fit and by March (much like my resolution of my blog) goes to the wayside and the gyms clear out. Here's the link: http://www.commitmentday.com/#top
Go on and join the movement and make a small commitment to yourself that you will get out and be active twice a week for 30 minutes and you'll give up beloved cokes or chips. Then after a month make it three times a week, etc. Trust you'll feel better about yourself. My journey has been difficult, but I can see the end goal in sight and will keep working on it once that goal is met.

Also-one other thing, don't be discouraged if the numbers on the scale aren't falling, it's your body fat that is important! In a round about way muscle does out weigh fat, so the scale won't reflect that. Start today thinking about getting fit for 2013!

Strawberry Cream Cake

Happy Friday the 13th!! I wanted to make a yummy dessert for our first Easter dinner and thanks again to Pinterest I found a recipe for a Strawberry Cream Cake. (I hate baking so Pinterest has kind of inspired me) Mine didn't have a fluffy cake like Serving Up Love's. (http://www.servinguplove.blogspot.com/2011/04/serving-up-cake-strawberry-cream-cake.html) But nonetheless was still tasty. I also did my topping a little different. Here's how to make it this yummy dessert:

Ingredients:
1/2 package white cake mix
1 egg
3/4 cup water
2 Tbs flour
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups powered sugar
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1 container of strawberry glaze
1 package of strawberries, hulled and cut in half

Mix together the cake mix, egg, water and flour and blend on high for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased 13" x 9" pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until done. (Mine was almost burnt, so make sure you check on it) Cool completely.

Beat the whipping cream on high until soft peaks form. Set aside. Beat the cream cheese until smooth and add the powdered sugar in. (I combined these at the same time because I didn't read the directions all the way and it still turned out fine) Pour in the whipped cream until all mixed together. Spread over cool cake and refrigerate. (I refrigerated mine for about 2 hours)

Put the strawberries in a bowl and pour glaze on top. Mix until glaze covers strawberries. Put the strawberry glaze on top of the cream cheese layer. **If you have refrigerated the cake and topping this should spread on without messing up the cream cheese layer.

Because we are only two people, I brought what we didn't eat to work, and it was gone in less than 30 minutes. It was tasty and I got lots of compliments on it. Enjoy your weekend! :)

Knockoff Washington DC Bistro Recipe

A few weeks when we went to DC, we went to this cute little bistro called Zest Bistro on the southeast end of town. (http://www.zestbistro.com/) If you're in DC, make reservations and go!!! I ordered the Southwest Chicken Risotto and it was TASTY!! I was a little nervous when the waitress asked for the both of you? And I responded no, just for me. It WAS a lot! We could have shared it and probably had a little leftover. As I was eating it, I thought I bet I could make this, so I did! It was more yummy as leftovers, but still good none-the-less. Also after you eat there, save room for dessert. Walk up the street a little ways and go to 32 below. Yummy red velvet yogurt. I actually did a little red velvet with cheesecake yogurt and it was divine! Anyways on to the recipe:

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
Risotto (cooked according to package directions)
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can Rotel (if you can find the spicy kind, buy that--drain half the juice out)
8 oz Salsa (I bought 16 oz and used the rest for chips:) )
Queso Fresco

Boil the chicken breasts until cooked thoroughly. While they are cooking, you can start making the risotto. In a bowl, put the beans, Rotel and salsa and mix together. After the chicken is done cooking, shred it finely. (I use the Kitchen Aid to save myself burnt fingers) After the chicken is shredded and the risotto is done, mix all together in the bowl. Scoop some out in a bowl and YUMMY!
**I completely forgot to crumble up some queso fresco to add to the top, so make sure you do that!**

Sunday Funday: DIY #3

I hope everyone had a great Easter. We had two days off in a row and it was great!! I finally convinced the hubby to take me to REI on Saturday and buy a bike. So--now when the weather is nice, I can go on a nice long ride with him! It will be great to do that together, although I'm still a little on slow side and a little wobbly.
Anyways-I wasn't going to post this because I don't like how it turned out, but I said I would post my fails--this includes crafting. Thanks to Pinterest I came across this: http://www.sewdangcutecrafts.com/2011/06/styrofoam-wall-art.html and thought that would look great above our bed, especially the yellows & greys! I printed out directions to Joann Fabrics in Staten Island, and off I went. (Yes, the hubby stayed home) I bought Styrofoam and fabrics. I don't know if it's because I was doing 3 crafts in one day or I just hate Styrofoam and can't measure, but my didn't turn out like hers. Mine is crooked and has less than anticipated. So--I'm not going to write a tutorial, just sharing her link. It is still hanging until I figure out something else to do! Also sorry for the blurry picture, it was taken from my phone!

Close to it Chick-fil-A Nugget Recipe & Changes

First I'll start with changes. Just when I get used to this blogging thing, Google decides to change it! First I get used to using Picnik and that is going away and now a new blogger software!! UGH! I'm not tech savvy, so I'm not even going to try and figure out WordPress...plus I think I like blogger better. How do I know if I've never tried WordPress? Well by reading other blogs. I don't like the format of them. Anyways onto anther Pinterest recipe...Close enough to Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets. Original recipe: http://www.mynameissnickerdoodle.com/2011/03/fabulous-food-friday-79.html

Ingredients:
2 skinless chicken breast (You could use chicken tenderloins also)
1 C Milk
1 Egg
1 1/4 C Flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Canola oil
& are you ready for the last ingredient??? 2 Tbsp of powder sugar (Yes you read that right!!)

In a bowl you'll whisk together the egg and milk. *Make sure you read the recipe thoroughly BEFORE you make a recipe.* ;) You'll put cubed chicken breast in the egg wash, cover and let marinate 2-4 hours. (I only did mine for an hour, hence the disclaimer) In at least a gallon size baggie (think Shake-N-Bake & I helped) combine the flour, salt, pepper, and powder sugar. Zip up and mix all those together real well. We have a Fry Daddy (although not much frying goes on in this household) so I poured a 48 oz bottle in it and it got up to the minimum line. If you don't have a handy dandy kitchen gadget, then pour about 2 inches of oil into a pot. You'll want the oil to get up to 375 degrees. (Add some water and then water should pop, your oil is hot enough)

Then throw your cubed chicken in your ziplock baggie and SHAKE it up until all chicken is covered. Then carefully put your chicken in the pot/fryer. You don't want them to touch. Roll them about 3 minutes in to get all sides of the chicken browned. Once they are floating and are a golden brown take them out and place on a paper towel.

Much like Amy ( My Name is Snickerdoodle) I eat my chicken nuggets with honey, the hubby eats his with BBQ sauce. I also served mine with corn to have some balance to the meal. Also apologize for the horrible picture. The camera was in another room and I was to eager to try this and grabbed my phone and snapped a photo still on the paper towels!! These will most definitely be made again until Chick-fil-A is just a drive away...oh and I have thought about putting them on bread and having my own Chicken-minis for breakfast! LOL

Exactly...

I was doing so good with posts and almost a week goes by and nothing!! I apologize for that...but I have been busy!! I made some yummy chicken nuggets that almost tasted like my favorite fast food restaurant in Texas...you don't know?! (Hint: Chic-fil-a) Thanks again Pinterest!

I've also been finishing up some schooling. I signed up last year to take a 2-course PR certification class online. I am a pro at procrastinating, so I turned in my final assignment on the last possible day I could. Hoping I passed to get that little piece of paper in the mail. That kept me busy most nights last week.

Also--I got sick of all my shirts in my closet and went to my favorite store, Kohl's...seriously have an addiction. Every time I go in there I have to buy something. So needless to say the AMEX got used quite a bit on Saturday and then went to an outlet mall with a friend yesterday and spent some money at the Gap. It's refreshing to see new clothes in the closet. (I didn't leave the hubby out, he got 5 new shirts) I cleaned out my closet...and next is drawers. I went on a tank top spree last summer, so I need to take out some stuff I've been holding on to to make room from last year's obsession. I don't do this very often, most of the time I buy one or two new shirts and wear them at least once a week to the point I'm sick of them!!! So--in about 2 years, I'll probably do this again. A lot of people told me I can't get rid of stuff because I may wear it again. Well folks some of these shirts I haven't worn in 6 months others almost a year. IT IS TIME TO GET RID OF THEM!! I got tired of standing in the closet every morning saying, "I guess I'll wear that shirt AGAIN."

I see it as Spring cleaning for my closet and drawers. So hopefully tomorrow you'll have that yummy chicken nugget recipe. Have a great Monday!!

DIY Sunday Funday--Starburst Mirror

Remember when I said I had a DIY Sunday Funday? Well here is project #2 of 3 complete. Thanks to the hubby for helping with this one! He drilled the holes for me. I got the inspiration from: http://amotherandadaughter.blogspot.com/2012/01/diy-starburst-tutorial.html She has a much better tutorial than I will. (ie. lots more pictures)

I started out with:

Not sure why it's turned sideways, but there's:

8 in wood circle

Large mirror

small mirrors

dowels

small wooden circles

I didn't sand any of the wood but it will make for a smoother work surface if you sanded the large circle. I printed out a paper ruler and measured 1 inch apart on the large the circle for the hubby to drill holes in. (He said the beveled edge made it hard to drill the holes and some are closer together than others, but it turned out in the end) I ended up with 26 holes.

Then I took 7 dowels and cut them in half with a Dremel. (I did this while the hubby drilled holes) Then I sprayed painted everything black. (If you live in apartment, I suggest NOT to do this on your balcony as spray paint will blow onto the ground & you'll have black marks. You can take the time to hand paint everything or go somewhere else to do the spray painting.) After everything was dry I used Gorilla Glue (I suggest regular wood glue at this stage as Gorilla Glue expands) to stick the dowels into the holes. {Hubby to the rescue again...he cut the 'extra' glue off with an Exacto knife so I didn't cut myself...I'm a klutz and it would have happened.} Then I spray painted again to cover some of the imperfections. Then the hubby put on a picture hanger on the back of the large circle.

WHEN all that was done I used the Gorilla Glue to glue all the small mirrors and large mirrors on. I'm sorry I didn't take more pictures of this process. I really bit off more than I could handle on a Sunday and wanted to get all the projects done, but realized it would take a few days to complete everything! So here is my our finished product. It does add some dimension and color (even though it's black) to the living room.

THANKS to A Mother and A Daughter for their tutorial and inspiration!! {I'm not taking any credit on this, except that I made my own!}

PS Yes one of the small mirrors is not centered...and yes my OCD sees it every time and once I slow down, this will get fixed! =)

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

Maybe because I didn't freeze this meal and cooked it fresh, it didn't turn out very well. BUT--I said I would post what I cook, whether it's a fail or a hit...and this one was a fail. Here is the link to what you're supposed to do: http://www.ringaroundtherosies.net/2012/02/freezer-cooking.html
Here's what I did:
1/2 bag of carrots
White Onion chopped
2 large cans pineapple (undrained)
4 tsp of minced garlic
4 Chicken Breasts
1 cup teriyaki sauce
Rice

I put everything (but the rice) in my crockpot on low for about 6 hours and then made the rice right before I served.

It was good don't get me wrong, but the pineapple with carrots was weird. Maybe if I used diced pineapple rather than the chunks it may have been a little better. I dunno, let me know if you follow Ring Around the Rosies recipe and if it turns out. If it does, I may retry this recipe in the future!

MIA--Cleaning tip

Sorry I've been MIA the past few days, but I've been extremely busy!!! We went to our nation's capitol this past weekend to see all the beautiful cherry blossoms and be tourists. We did a lot of walking and had lots of fun. Pics to come later this week as well as a few restaurant recommendations.

I know most of you clean on the weekends and it's Monday but I wanted to share with you a Pinterest cleaning tip that works wonders! If you have a glass stove top, this is a must at least once a week! All you need is baking soda, Windex, hot water, dish soap and a dish towel. (I use the one that we've used all week since it's already dirty, no need to have another towel to fold!) You ready for simplicity? I'm showing you a before pic...it's kind of scary, but this is 2 weeks worth of crap!

Take the baking soda and sprinkle on top of the grossness! Then in a bowl put some lukewarm water and some dish soap. Take your towel and get it wet with the water and soap. You'll want to wring it out so it's not soaking wet and place on top of the baking soda.

Set your timer to 15 min and clean the rest of your kitchen or another room in your house/apartment while the baking soda does its magic. Once the timer goes off, wipe up the baking soda with the wet towel. Then spray with Windex and wipe clean with paper towels. And this is the end product:

So simple & so very clean!! I love it!

Wordless Wednesday



One of the fountains that are in the footprints of the Twin Towers. Breathtaking!



Easter Wreath

As I said I had a DIY Funday Sunday! Thanks to Pinterest, I have tons of ideas on how to get color in our white, white apartment! One of three projects that I completed was an Easter wreath. I bought more supplies than what I needed, but I'll find a use for the extras!! I've seen a lot of Easter wreaths on Pinterest made with plastic eggs, so when I went to Michael's I put some in the cart, then I saw these pretty sequins eggs for only $.99 plus 30% off!! I say that's practically free. I really love making wreaths! They are so easy yet so beautiful and unique. Here is how I made my wreath:

2 rolls of wired edge Easter ribbon (1 1/2 in x 3 yd)
1 Foam Mousse Wreath ( 1 7/8 in x 1 7/8 in x 11 3/4 in)
3 sequin eggs (you'll see 6 in the picture, but I ended up using 3)
Fake gerber daisies
Low heat hot glue gun

Begin by hot gluing one end of the ribbon anywhere on the ring. (It's easier to wrap around the ribbon if you take it off the cardboard) You'll want to hot glue the end of the first ribbon where ever you end and then hot glue the beginning of the next ribbon on top of where the first ends (I hope that makes sense) So your wreath should look like:

Then I took the gerber daises off their stems and took off the bows and sticks from the eggs. I placed them on the wreath BEFORE I hot glued anything to the ribbon. Once I placed them and arranged them how I wanted I put some hot glue on the back of them and glued them on. With the eggs I held them down until the glue dried some and the flowers stayed put pretty well. This is where the low heat hot glue gun comes in handy. When I made my Christmas wreath (sorry no tutorial of that :( ) I used a regular hot glue gun and it melted the flowers I tried to put on there, so I went with plan B & next time I went to Michael's I bought a low heat on & it worked wonders! Here is my finished product hanging on our door!

I love how the pink, green, and yellow all coordinate!! I was going to use purple gerber daises, but it didn't look right. I'm so glad I stuck with the 3 colors! Even the hubby says "It's cute."



Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

If you know me, I'll pretty much eat anything if it has buffalo chicken or ranch in or on it or in the name. When I saw this on Pinterest I know the hubby would love it because it incorporates one of his favs grilled cheese. I didn't follow the recipe on Pinterest, so I'm not going to link up to it, because really the only I "took" was the name and that can't be illegal in blogland. (Illegal=disrepectful) Anyways without further ado the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast, cooked
3 tablespoons hot sauce (I used Frank's)
3 tablespoons Ranch dressing
A handful or 2 of shredded cheddar cheese
Butter

Directions:
Boil chicken in water until it's cooked thru. Then shred it. If you've read my prior post, use your Kitchen Aid Mixer--your fingers/ears will thank you!! In the same bowl (or in a bowl if you didn't use the Kitchen Aid) add the remaining ingredients. You can always add more to make more spicy or less. As far as the cheese the goes, same thing. If you like cheesy things add more cheese! Once all the ingredients are combined, grab your bread and put some of the mix on one side. (as much or little as you'd like) Put another piece of bread on top and then put in a pan with some butter and cook until bread is brown and cheese is melted.

DELICIOUS!! I caved and ate 2 of them!!! I served with carrots and ranch dressing. So yummy! Also if you are a fan of bleu cheese dressing, you can use that (as that is what the original recipe called for) instead of Ranch!

Pinterest, oh Pinterest

how I love thee! The hubby wanted me to cook chicken in order to eat healthy, so I turned to Pinterest for some ideas and if you have been reading this blog for the last month & have seen some of the recipes I've been posting, they are all Pinterest inspired. The hubby keeps saying "Wow, this is tasty!" & I say, "Another pinterest find." The hubby, "Ugh...I don't want to like that website, but it keeps giving you good stuff make!"

The aha moment for the hubby occured yesterday when I made Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (recipe is coming, I promise =) ) and the recipe called for shredded chicken. To me, I said Ugh...burnt fingers here we come. Because I can't stand using two forks, to me it's like nails on a chalkboard! EEK! But I did remember seeing on Pinterest where you could shred chicken with a Kitchen Aid mixer. (Remember the hubby bought one for my birthday a few months ago. & I've used at least once a week.) Well...thanks Pinterest for letting us have our fingers back and showing me that I can use that handy dandy expensive Kitchen Gadget for something other than baking!!! Just put in the warm chicken and use the cookie attachment (the flat one) and put it on speed 4-6 and it shreds the chicken for you!!! How amazing! This option will definitely get used in this household!

Another aha moment for the hubby, crafts for the apartment. You see I've had an itching to paint, and paint every wall in every room because I hate seeing plain white walls. (No not even khaki, tan, beige that most apartments have.) Plain white hospital, crazy house (sorry if I offended anyone) walls. BUT if I paint, then we (I) have to paint before we move out and I don't want to do double the work. So thanks to Pinterest AGAIN because I found some crafty things to do today. Off to Joann's (in Staten Island, NY) I will go. Maybe I can convince the hubby to drive so I don't get lost or frustrated.

So--needless to say all the hours I spend pinning away has come into use around the apartment. Don't worry pics and maybe tutorials to come. Have a happy funday Sunday!

Happy St. Patty's Day!!

I think I'm officially 'old'. I told the hubby that I didn't want to go in to the city because I didn't want to deal with all the drunkenness, loud bars and the massive amounts of people. I just wanted a 'quiet' place to go and sit and have a few drinks. Maybe next year we'll just have a party at the apartment. Seems more fun!! (Especially with all the ideas from Pinterest!!)

Anyway, this makes 4 blogs in a row!! How'd I manage? Well I'll let a secret out, that many bloggers probably know about, but I just figured out. So if you're new to the blogging world or old and want to learn a new trick here you go:
You can write a blog post & have it scheduled to post when you want it too!! How amazingly awesome is that? (Ok, nerd in me) So how do you do it? On the post options button there is an arrow. Click it & choose Scheduled at under the post date and time, and then choose when you want the post to appear on your blog!

This post, however, is being written in real time, where the last 2 were scheduled!! I know what I'll probably be doing on Sundays from here on out! ;) It may actually help me meet that New Year's Resolution of blogging more. This will also help when we go away for the weekend.

Which brings me to...we'll be going to Washington DC next weekend to enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms. If you've been there recently, what are some good places to eat, go do? Last time I was there I was 14!! Anyways...I'm off to search some decorating ideas for this blah apartment! Hope you had a safe and fantastic St. Patty's Day! (Also hope you were green so you didn't get pinched)

Salsa Chicken and Black bean Soup

I realize that spring begins in a few days, but April is around the corner which means rainy days. Some may be cold while others are just right. Either way you may want to turn on the trusty old crockpot and sleep the rainy days away. This smelled amazing while cooking and it was even better a couple days later for lunch! This will be staple next winter in our household. (The hubby doesn't know it yet.) I really hope that Pinterest sticks around because I get so many great recipes from there!!

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chicken broth
1 jar medium salsa (I used the Tositio's mild salsa)
1 1/2 tsp of cumin

Place all ingredients in the trusty handy old crockpot. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks. (Or if you have a KitchenAid..I have yet to do this) Put chicken back in crockpot for about 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, sour cream, avocados, etc. I just used shredded cheddar cheese and ate with Ritz Crackers. Reminds me of a good Mexican soup! (Would have been good with some Tositio scoops also!) And as a recurring tradition, I forgot to put corn in it. So if you don't forget add a small package of frozen corn or can of corn. Just be sure to drain the corn if it's in a can.

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

I made these a few weeks ago & they turned out so much better than I thought!! I do realize that I'll need to buy chicken that is already cut thinly because I didn't do a great job cutting them myself. This recipe is adapted from Skinnytaste. I've made a few other things from this website and all have tasted much better than I thought. Here you go:
Ingredients:

• 3 large chicken breast halves (I used regular chicken breasts, which is a bad idea unless you know how to cut)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp water
• 3/4 cup of bread crumbs (I used Progresso Italian)
• 2 cups broccoli florets, cooked, chopped small
• 5 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese
• salt
• spray oil (I used Pam Original)
• toothpicks (or something to hold the breasts together)

Preheat the oven to 350. In a bowl, combine: egg, eater and a little salt. Beat with a fork to make an egg wash. Fill another bowl with the bread crumbs. Slice chicken into thin cutlets. (I tried to pound the chicken and it made them a little thinner, but not as thin as I'd liked)
Fold each slice of in half and tear, so you have 2 pieces. Place 1/2 slice of cheese onto each chicken piece and add broccoli ontop of the cheese. Wrap chicken around to completely cover the cheese, using toothpicks to secure. Season with salt.
Spray cookie sheet with oil. Dip chicken into egg wash then bread crumbs. Shake off excess bread crumbs. Put chicken onto cookie sheet. Lightly spray chicken with oil and bake about 25 minutes or until cooked.

I used the extra broccoli as a side. I forgot to take a picture of it on the plate, so here it is right out of the oven.

Enjoy!!

Texas vs. East Coast Livin'

I’ve had many people ask me why I miss Texas. The longer I’m on the East Coast, the longer the list seems to be. Some are silly, like getting pickles on your hamburger without asking while others are big, like missing family. So after not being on this blog in almost a month (and I wonder why I have few readers) here is my list of what I miss about that great state Texas:

*Being a few hours’ drive from my mom, dad and ever growing nieces (who are going to be 10 & 14 in May!)

*Not getting to be close to two of my best friends’ kids while they grow up. Thankfully there’s Facebook and one of them blogs, so I’ve got to see pictures (not near enough) of the three cuties. I really do miss out on a lot.

*Not being able to watch all of Sunday or Monday night football. I mean really when a game starts at 8 or the rare 9 pm, I can’t stay up until the wee hours. (I have to be at work at 7 am and need my sleep)

*I rarely get to see the sunset. I get to see the pretty reflection off the massive buildings, but don’t get to see it go away to the other side of the Earth.

*MEXICAN FOOD

*Actually going to the grocery store

*Driving

*Dill Pickles on hamburgers, as a side, etc

*TV Shows starting at normal times (See the bullet a few points up) I mean really, who is going to watch an hour long show at 10 pm?? Thank goodness for the DVR!!

*On the same note 10’o clock news. I’m not all about the 11 o’clock news and rarely watch the 6 o’clock news

*A backyard

*And a house with normal shaped rooms to decorate/paint/craft etc

*Summer

*Pools

*Running in the green grass barefoot

*Normalcy

*People smiling at you

*Asking what kind of coke I want

*Chick-fil-A

*State pride

*Longhorn football

*Being close to SFA to enjoy some of the Alumni activities

I could go on and on about what I miss about the great state of Texas, but I don’t want to bore you. Sure there are things I’m going to miss about NJ: seeing the downtown Manhattan skyline daily, public transportation, being in another state for a weekend getaway, Italian food, pizza, and the craziness of tourists. Also don’t get me wrong. I am extremely grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to live somewhere other than where I was comfortable. It took a while to get adjusted to this new life, but it was fun. We’ll be back in Texas sooner than later now, 2014 needs to hurry up! I hope you enjoyed my list and if you live away from home, maybe you’ll appreciate this.

Anti-Valentine's Day

First off, I haven't been MIA from cooking. I just haven't been taking pictures. :( So no cooking post today and probably not until next week. Second, the title of this entry may be a little misleading. When myspace was big, yeah remember that site? Anyways, I always wrote an Anti-Valentine's Day blog. I've never been a big fan of this so-called holiday except as a little girl when my daddy would bring home me a new bear with the paws wrapped around a vase with a pretty red rose. I cherished those days although I didn't know I did till I grew up. (& Yes I still say daddy at 30.) This entry today will be somewhat why I hate the holiday, but why I want to celebrate it all at the same time. Get ready, this may be a long winded post. :)

I usually give a little history on the holiday. But thanks to Google, you can search for Valentine's Day history and then go to Wikipedia or just click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day.

Why do I hate this holiday you may be asking yourself. The answer is simple in a way. My birthday is January 28, so a little over 2 weeks ago. My great hubby went ALL out this year for it, because I was turning the dreaded 30. I really rather stay 25, it's just a great number, not quite 20, but not yet 30 either, if I could tell people I was 25 the rest of my life I would, but something about 30 makes people respect you a little more. As I said, the hubby went all out: getting a hotel room in the city, taking me to a yummy steak dinner, seeing Lion King on Broadway and then Junior's for dessert. Not to mention making me take a half day off Friday so I could go get one of the best mani/pedi's I've ever had with my great friend Trish. We were there about 2 and half hours...oops. It was one of the best weekends yet. (Def of 2012, lol) On that day the hubby showed how much he loved me.

On Valentine's Day, a holiday that girls either gush over or hate themselves because they have no special someone in their life. I just don't understand putting so much pressure on the man when the woman should do the same thing for that special someone. Think about: A man starts to think,"Oh great valentine's day is coming, I must buy overpriced flowers (think supply & demand, 2 weeks ago a dozen roses, $18.99, today, $29.99--not kidding a price hike), a mushy card, chocolates, oh & I better pick the best place for us to go eat. I have to out do all my buddies or I'll never hear the end of it." A woman thinks: "I am dreaming I get flowers & a mushy card that I wish he would just tell me in person and chocolates are a bonus. A romantic dinner would be great! I get to say my other is better than my friend's." (Because for whatever reason God made women make things into a competition.)

So--what happened to let me pick a random day out of the year and buy flowers, a mushy card, chocolate and take my other out to a romantic dinner? This goes both ways. I don't think all those things show that a person loves someone, it stresses people out. Just another holiday to make Hallmark money.

This year though I feel different. Why? Well, I'm finally happy with my life. I'm married to a great man (note: not the greatest because that honor is held for one man, God) and I want to celebrate my love for him. Sure, I bought him a card {if he reads this before dinner, then oops} and no we aren't going to a fancy place for dinner. I'm going to cook us a nice meal and have a yummy dessert so we can enjoy each other at home. I told him no TV, no phone, no computer. A technology free night for us to spend our first married Valentine's day together. Technically I told him while I'm cooking he can get his technology on, but after that, I just want it to be us. Holding and cuddling each other, telling the other why we love one another so.

NOT saying, that all the pictures on Facebook of my girlfriends getting flowers won't put a smile on my face or all the I love you {insert pet name here} will damper my day like it has before, but this holiday just irritates me!

I still want that random day where the hubby whisks me away in the city or gets me flowers for no reason other than he loves me. And I will whisk him away and take him to a seafood place and tell him the reasons I love and respect him. He gives me many days where he shows he loves and respects me and I give him those days too. It has made our relationship so much stronger because we celebrate at random times and not on a holiday that will stress each other out.

My challenge to my readers (which aren't many), but pick a day this year (not a birthday or anniversary) and show your love to that special someone in your life. Get a baby-sitter and go enjoy yourselves. Whether it be a bike ride, a scavenger hunt, a picnic or going to a museum or staying at home snuggling, make it just about the two of you and the rewards will be so much greater than those today.

I think if you've made it this far in my thoughts about this holiday, you deserve some love & respect yourself. Hope you have a great day! ;)

Pan Roasted Chicken with Green Beans

Pinterest has become an obsession of my time. I have been loving getting new recipes from there and the hubby has too! I've been able to have more a variety of food. The hubby wants me to cook chicken more often as long as it has taste and boy has Pinterest come to my rescue. This recipe took a little longer to make but was so delicious!! It is from http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pan-roasted-chicken-lemon-garlic-green-beans-10000000780291/index.html

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
4 cloves of garlic (I used minced garlic from a jar)
Salt & Pepper
3/4 pound green beans
8 small red potatoes, cubed
4 chicken breasts

How to make:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.Coat a dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
2. In a large bowl combine: oil olive, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
3. First coat the green beans and place in dish. (I used already snapped beans)

4. Do the same with potatoes. (I didn't use 8 since there are only 2 of us.)

5. Put chicken in bowl and coat with dressing. Then place on top of green beans. Drizzle anything remaining in bowl on top of the chicken.

6. Cook for 50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. My chicken and potatoes were both done cooking.

The hubby was hungry as was I so I didn't get a picture of the finished product! Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Pasta--My bday

Let me start this out by saying my hubby did a blow out job in planning my birthday celebration. Friday night he gathered up all our friends and we all met at the local bar. After dinner the waitress brought a cake over that my hubby went and picked up and dropped off before we got there. THEN Saturday we went into the city stayed at a great hotel, went to a yummy steak dinner, he took me to see The Lion King (AMAZING) and then went and got cheesecake at Junior's. Absolutely great night...oh & on top of ALL of that he bought me a Kitchen Aid Mixer that I have been wanting well...for forever! So you may now see a little more desserts on here. (Even though I have mentioned before I hate baking, the mixer may help me turn into a baker.) THANKS FOR EVERYTHING BABE, IT WAS THE BEST WAY A GIRL WHO TURNED 30 COULD CELEBRATE. I LOVE YOU!!!

Anyways...have I mentioned I love Pinterest?? I find so many great recipes on there. A few that Cory (the hubby) has even said, Will you please make that again? This one was please make again, but not so spicy. Oh--if I could only get him to enjoy spicy foods like me. :) So---here is the best of both worlds, buffalo chicken with pasta and cheese. Found on pinterest from: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/05/baked-buffalo-chicken-pasta/

Ingredients:
1 pound pasta (I used orecchiette)
3 cooked bonless skinless chicken breasts (I shredded mine)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 1/2 cups milk
4 oz monterery jack cheese (shredded)
1/3 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce (I used Frank's...HOT buffalo instead of just buffalo)
1/3 cup bread crumbs
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
I boiled my chicken until it was cooked. Then let it cool to shred. I used the same water I boiled the chicken in for my pasta.
While pasta is cooking. Add the butter, and once it’s melted and bubbly add the flour in a medium saucepan. Whisk together to create a roux and cook for 1-2 minutes until mixture gets a bit golden in color. Add milk, stir and turn down heat to low. Continue stirring until milk thickens. Add in grated cheeses and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in buffalo wing sauce. I added in salt and pepper.

Spray a baking dish (9 x 13) with non-stick spray. Add pasta and chicken, then pour cheese sauce over and mix throughly until everything is coated. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Spoon some out & eat!! I added some more buffalo sauce to the top of mine.

Another blogger I followed also made this recipe this weekend. She added Ranch dressing to the top of hers...I guess the East Coast is getting to me because I didn't think of that! You can check hers out at: http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/2012/01/sorry-i-dont-eat-buffalo.html

Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken

Two days, two posts...as most people at this time of year, I am doing pretty well at keeping up with my New Year's Resolution. :) I made this last night...just FYI if you're a football fanatic (even though you don't like either team playing) I suggest not making this unless its half time or the game is a blow out. The 49ers/Giants game had me going back and forth...if you can see the TV from your kitchen, lucky you. ;) The hubby enjoyed this one, so it goes in the recipe binder. I didn't measure all the ingredients out because I hate doing that. (Thus why you won't see many baking recipes from me, unless you don't really have to measure.) In my picture, I left out the butter, but I did use it. This recipe was adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-garlic-lime-chicken/detail.aspx
Ingredients: (I didn't measure these..just poured into a small bowl)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more for spice)
1/8 teaspoon paprika
 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I like the organic chicken)


2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons lime juice (would have been better with fresh limes)

Preparation:
1. In a small bowl mix together: salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika,1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, thyme, and parsley.

2. Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of the chicken breasts. (I rubbed mine in a little to lock in same extra taste.)

3. Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.

4. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side.

5. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons garlic powder and lime juice. Cook 5 minutes turning to coat evenly with sauce.

 6. Serve with your favorite veggie...this would have been good with garlic bread too!

Five Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps

I'm probably one of the few people who has been to PF Chang's once...yes you read that right, only once. I wasn't so sure about the lettuce wraps that our friends ordered when we went, but I gave it a try. When I came across this recipe I thought I'd give it a try. My hubby doesn't like spicy, but I do so when this recipe called for hoisin sauce and said it was spicy, I followed the directions with how much. I should have tried it first because it wasn't spicy at all! We ended up adding some more to the wraps along with some soy sauce to add flavor. My New Year's resolution was to put recipes that I try up on this blog, so even though this goes on the probably won't make it again list, I'm putting it up here. I didn't use all the same ingredients as the one from the website. Recipe came from: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/five_spice_turkey_lettuce_wraps.html

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup instant brown rice
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, (found in the Asian section of the grocery store)
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder, (look for Chinese five spice powder in the spice section)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 heads Boston lettuce, leaves separated

Preparation

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cumin; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

3. serve, divide lettuce leaves among plates, spoon some of the turkey mixture into each leaf and roll into wraps.

Hope you enjoyed this first recipe! Many more to come. =)