tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64968575077046738652024-02-18T23:59:01.741-08:00Half BakedA Journey Through Baking from a Woman on the EdgeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-61919964145311104702013-09-19T09:00:00.000-07:002013-09-19T09:00:06.381-07:00Comparison is the Thief of Joy, and Other Mommy Lessons I haven't had much to say over these last few months. Or... maybe I have, but I am just to sheepish and ashamed to admit of what has been coming to mind. Regardless, I thought with today's news from today's doctor's appointment that it was time to break my silence.<br />
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Disclaimer: what I am about to type has been particularly painful for me. I've thought for months about how I want to blog concerning my pregnancy, and have kept mum with concern for offending someone. I have many friends and acquaintances that I know would L-O-V-E to be in my position, and I want them, as well as anyone else reading this to know that I am in no way trying to hurt anyone's feelings. Please do not take my words as my attempt at making light of any of your situations. I want you to know, I am thankful for my pregnancy. I love this little man that my body is bringing into this word, and I am so thankful for him, as well as for the closeness and new level of intimacy it has brought to my marriage. I am not trying to make light of this wonderful miracle that I am lucky enough to have in my life, but instead am just trying to get my frustrations out, and see if anyone else can relate to my issues. Again, I'm sorry.<br />
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All right, with all of that being said, let's just get right down to it: <b><u>pregnancy is awful</u></b>. I know you've heard that and have seen it in various movies and books, but it is so true, and I wouldn't have believed it until I experienced it for myself. I think too often when I try to express my frustrations with growing a human, women around me want me to sweep my anger under a rug and keep it hidden, but I can't do it anymore. Pregnancy is the hardest thing I have ever experienced.<br />
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I am very lucky this is the worst thing my body has encountered, I know that, and I thank God in daily prayer for that. But I have hit every symptom and milestone in pregnancy thus far, and I have to tell you- I AM SICK AND TIRED OF IT.<br />
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My first trimester was stereotypical- I was sicker than a dog for weeks. Which I know a lot of women say, but I think I was above average. For seven weeks or so, I literally could not go through a day without throwing up at least twice. Nothing smelled good or tasted good. I would force myself to eat, and usually, the only thing that would stay down is greasy McDonald's fries, which of course brought on a whole new level of "mommy guilt." I spent those weeks stressed, worried about the health of my baby, and trying my very hardest not to vomit in front of my entire fourth grade class. I think I tricked most people into believing I was actually healthier than I was- the only person who was lucky enough to really see how bad it was was my husband. There were a couple of weeks that were particularly bad, to the point that we were inches from jumping into the car to head to the E.R. for emergency fluids. One vivid Sunday, I distinctly recall throwing up a whopping 16 times, and from that day forward, I have been unable to eat anything remotely related to Taco Bell (that chicken quesadilla seemed like such a good idea at the time). There are certain songs (Suit and Tie, anything Skrillex) that I can't hear or smells I can't smell (Bath and Body Works Honeysuckle) without becoming overwhelmingly nauseous, all thanks to their association with that particular time in my pregnancy. And don't even get me started on chili dogs or chocolate milk or Sprite... or saltines.<br />
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Fortunately, that period stopped with my second trimester. Unfortunately, that was also the time my husband moved to Chicago and I went through the worst ups-and-downs of my life. My weight started to skyrocket, since I could actually eat again. Very early on, I had to switch to maternity clothing, thereby bringing my self-esteem even lower. For someone who has such difficult body image issues to begin with, pregnancy is NOT very friendly and forgiving. Watching my weight drastically increase from week to week was becoming so hard, my husband INSISTED I hide our scale until after the pregnancy is over, and it has stayed hidden. Prior to this week, I think the weight gain has been the hardest thing I have had to deal with, which has sent me on another "mommy guilt" downward spiral.<br />
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I can't tell you how many articles and blogs I've read about little Utah mommies who gain an absolute minimum amount of weight, and then shed it all magically right after the baby is born. Or moms who manage to stay active, running three to four miles a day, and finding the time and money to put together healthy pregnancy smoothies and salads. For someone who has gained XX lbs. (I'm not ready to divulge that number just yet, it fills my eyes with tears just acknowledging it) and has seen her pregnancy pants become tighter and tighter, none of these articles are helping. I have often spent days in bed (not an exaggeration) just wondering what I have done wrong to gain so much weight, thereby allowing the guilt of worrying about MY OWN IMAGE completely crush the wonder that I am bringing another human into this world. For every guilty, negative-self image thought I have, I am completely overwhelmed by how selfish I have become. It is the worst kind of vicious circle, one that continually defeats me.<br />
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I think where this becomes the most disheartening, however, are the medical issues I've started to encounter this week. On Monday, I had my 37 week appointment. Stephen and I were both excited to hear if we were beginning to make any progress towards early labor (without getting too graphic, I've started to see "progression" with practice contractions these last few weeks). Unfortunately, that excitement turned very quickly as soon as my nurse took my blood pressure. According to both she and my doctor, my levels were looking high. I have done everything in my power to try to combat such a thing from happening- since my second trimester, I have been working out about 4 times a week for 45 minutes to an hour, as well as trying to watch what I eat. Sure, I haven't been overly careful about getting all of the whole grain/vegetable/fruit/quinoa crap that everyone is into with pregnancy these days (yeah, I'm sorry, but those things just don't sound good!), but I have been very careful about not overindulging, especially with my weight issues. Even with all of that, my blood pressure was high, and as of today, it is still rising. Now, on top of all the guilt I had with my selfish self-esteem issues, I am trying to sort through my guilt of somehow letting my blood pressure become so high.<br />
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Luckily, the blood pressure issues we're seeing are not preeclampsia. I have had a couple of friends combat their way through that complication, and it sounds like it can be particularly scary. Instead, I have been diagnosed with gestational hypertension. Essentially what this means is that I have high blood pressure induced by my pregnancy, as my pressure has never been this high prior to pregnancy. In addition to seeing my OBGYN weekly (as is normal with being this close to the end of my pregnancy), I also get to see a high risk OBGYN to keep tabs on my blood pressure, as well as my baby's progression. Since I escaped preeclampsia, I also escaped our Monday, September 23rd labor induction my OBGYN was ready to schedule, just in case. Instead, we are scheduling an induction for Sunday night, October 6th, which is just around my due date anyways, so no big deal. The only change we might see is if my health or the baby's health takes a turn, in which my doctor said we'll induce immediately, or if I naturally go into labor myself.<br />
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So what have I learned from all of this?<br />
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<ul>
<li>I hate being pregnant.</li>
<li>I hate that as a pregnant woman, I am expected to grin and bare everything, and just be thankful for my little miracle.</li>
<li>I hate how the media hypes up pregnancy. I feel awful for all the things I said about Kim Kardashian (of all people) and her weight gain. Serious weight gain in pregnancy is just part of the package deal. It's going to happen- I think some women are just luckier than others.</li>
<li>I also hate how the media hypes up postpartum weight loss. Seriously? You're expecting women who have gained an enormous amount of weight in such a short amount of time to shed it all within months of giving birth? Shame on you.</li>
<li>I hate how guilty I feel for having these feelings, I also hate that I even HAVE these feelings.</li>
<li>I hate that everyone wants to compare their pregnancy to mine. Honestly, I don't mind talking about how we differ- what makes me crazy is when I hear "Oh, but my pregnancy was so easy!" or even worse, "but isn't it worth it for what your body is creating?" I don't know how many times I've had to explain how happy I am to be the vessel for my little man, just how much I hate everything that comes with it. Stop making me feel guilty.</li>
<li>I hate having swollen ankles, swollen fingers, and a swollen face. </li>
<li>I hate how my big girl pregnancy pants aren't fitting well anymore.</li>
<li>I hate wondering what people are saying about how I look. I know I've gained weight, why do you think I haven't been posting pictures on Facebook?</li>
<li>I hate having no energy.</li>
<li>I hate being unable to sleep because I have to pee, he's kicking me violently from the inside, or it feels like my uterus is about to pop.</li>
<li>I hate having "practice contractions." Just bring on the real ones, and let's get this over with.</li>
<li>I hate how guilty society makes me feel for wanting a medicated delivery. Bring on the epidural, I know I'm a big baby.</li>
<li>I hate feeling guilty for not making my own baby food. That's weird.</li>
<li>I hate how judgy everyone gets when you talk about breastfeeding. Uh, my breasts, my decision MAN.</li>
<li>I also hate how much I compare myself to everyone and everything. I can't tell you how many times I have seen a picture of a friend of mine on Facebook, who has stayed teeny-tiny and adorable throughout her pregnancy, and instead of feeling happy for her, I feel miserable for myself. Or how many times one of my friends has blogged about her pregnancy workout routine and I've felt guilty about only accomplishing a two mile walk instead of a four mile run. </li>
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The following is true:</div>
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The most important lesson I've learned through all of this is to just let go- the chips will fall where they may, and I can safely say that I have done everything I can to bring about the best possible outcome I can. It isn't my fault I have been diagnosed with GH, my doctor kept reassuring me with that over and over again. I have done everything I can to bring a healthy baby into this world. My only responsibility now is to LET THIS GO- I am done comparing myself to everyone and everything around me. I will be happy for those women who gain 20 pounds, as well as those that gain 70. I will applaud a mother for taking the time to make sure her diet stays gluten free during her pregnancy- that just isn't me. I will mentally high five those who can Zumba until a week before they give birth, when every time I try to dance, it feels like my uterus is going to fall out through my pants. I will welcome opinions, smile, and nod my head, and then go about doing what I was originally going to do. </div>
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But best of all, I will soak in all of the craziness of these last few weeks of pregnancy. If all goes according to my October 6th induction, I only have 17 more days with this little man. I will embrace that my body has done what it is meant to do. I have somehow taken my husband's genes and my own, and combined them to make a whole new person. I will relish every little kick, knowing that my son is showing me that he's still healthy and growing. I will be thankful that I am only suffering from gestational hypertension, and nothing worse. I will be grateful that my son gets to continue to grow instead of be plucked early from me. There is nothing more humbling than pregnancy, and for that, I am grateful. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-62264194114723475982013-06-18T10:12:00.000-07:002013-06-18T10:12:44.779-07:00The OTHER B-I-G Announcement...I haven't blogged in a while. It's not that I don't have any news- In fact, I would say that everyday something changes, for the good or the bad. Instead, I just know that most of you would prefer to be in the dark concerning my pregnancy ups and downs. You've all read the blogs and books about what pregnancy is REALLY like, and I concur- there is NOTHING glamorous about growing another human being. At 24 weeks, I am praying that the next 111 days my pregnancy calculator is predicting I have ahead of me go VERY quickly, and that our little sport decides to re-position himself out of my lower back and kidneys (please and thank you, little one!) as soon as possible. <div>
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Instead, I'm here to finally reveal where Stephen and I are setting up house and home for the next little while. Most of our friends and family already know, but Steve's company has stressed that we not let this become common knowledge until we're already there. Which, as you all know, is nearly impossible for me! I feel like I would be doing everyone an injustice if I don't blab about our new home. Plus, I've had so many of my internet friends ask... so I'll do this discreetly. </div>
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As of next Monday, Stephen and I will be, once again, packing up and moving across country. And I mean, ACROSS THE COUNTRY. To a region I never thought I would find myself visiting, much less LIVING in. Due to the "secrecy" I have to exhibit, I'll just give you this hint... and fill you in when we're actually there and I am at a liberty to discuss our delicate living situation. Ha ha ha. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-86896184445866038452013-03-26T10:38:00.000-07:002013-03-26T10:39:42.344-07:00Ch-Ch-Changes...This is our week of big changes. The time has finally come for Stephen to start his job, so it comes with a slightly heavy heart that we'll be moving out of our first place this week. I'll stress SLIGHTLY. It isn't that I've hated living here in Orem: like I said earlier, I have surprisingly learned to love living in Utah. We have quite a few family members nearby, the shopping is fantastic, the food is great, my job is the best I could've asked for! What I WON'T miss is our apartment living experience.<br />
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I loved living in an apartment in college. I had a close friend from the teaching department and one of the closest friends I could've asked for living with me at the time in a cozy, outdated apartment. We were "lucky" enough to have our own washer and dryer, two separate bathrooms, and the most... spirited young men living below us that we got close to. Every night we were up late, every morning up early, and at that time, it didn't matter! Now, IT DOES. I can't tell you what an AWFUL decision it was for Stephen and I to choose an apartment so close to UVU. We have at least three groups of college-aged kids living around us, which wouldn't bug me if they didn't spend most evenings screaming and running up and down the stairwells at all hours of the night. It's not even like they're breaking any sort of noise ordinance either, so I really don't feel like I have any grounds to go out and yell at them, but seriously. I'm awake by five, out the door by 6:30, and yeah, some nights I'm out by 9. If you think I want to hear you chase your girlfriend up and down the stairwell at 11, you've got another thing coming.<br />
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Ugh. My age is showing.<br />
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Not to mention the little dogs living on all sides of us. The pot smokers living below us... which didn't bother me in college, OBVIOUSLY, but now that I've figured out that they're smoking in their laundry room, I wish they'd knock it off. The vents are directly connected between our two apartments, so needless to say, their smoke makes their way into OUR laundry room. I don't appreciate teaching in marijuana-smelling clothing, na'mean?!<br />
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ANYWAYS, we're ready to move. I'm spending this week packing up our belongings while Stephen starts to square away his end of the term. We're moving in with my amazing sister-in-law Lisa and her equally awesome husband and two girls, and then Stephen will be leaving me a week later to move to Chicago to begin his training with his new company. We'll be separated until I am done teaching, so I get to spend a couple months alone. It'll be a little like dating again, which I'm not looking forward to, but it'll all be worth it once he officially starts his job. We still don't know where the company will be putting us permanently, but in the mean time, keep your fingers crossed it's some place warm! I'm over the cold and the snow!<br />
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Lots of changes coming, I'll be sure to try to keep you all in the loop (better than I have been). For now, best Easter wishes to all of you! Love, love, love!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-6383268843049389742012-12-27T11:15:00.000-08:002012-12-27T11:15:42.424-08:00... And a Happy New YearWhoa. Whoa whoa whoa. I can't even believe how long it's been since I last bothered to post. A lot has come and gone since my last update. I THINK I finally reached my 100th recipe. My thoughts on Utah have changed completely. I have the best job with the best kids. I have the best husband a woman could ask for. AND... I am moving. Again.<br />
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Whoa.<br />
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Yeah, it's official: I love Utah. I hate admitting it, for all the bad mouthing and anti-LDS sentiment people slew at this state, but it's awesome. Great restaurants, great shopping, beautiful scenery, and there is so much to do! I can't get over waking up every morning and having the gorgeous Wasatch Mountains practically in my backyard. Never mind my amazing job!<br />
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I never knew how much I truly loved teaching until I was no longer a teacher. The last two years in XXXXXX, no matter how thankful I am for the experience and grateful I am for the position, were exhausting. Every day was a minor struggle- my students acted like they hated being in class, hated doing their homework, and were more concerned with what they were going to be talking about on their highly-inappropriately-aged Facebook pages that night after school. Parent involvement was next to nothing. I had a 50% guarantee that these adults were even going to show up to their conference. Yet through all of these struggles, I was still expected to come to school and improve test scores AND student morale. How do you help children and adults who don't want to help themselves?<br />
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I thought my time working at that particular dot com company in Provo would be a welcomed change. It wasn't. There was nothing more depressing and exhausting than making phone call after phone call day after day to either reach the message machine of a particular university or be flat out turned down due to budget issues. Sales prospecting just wasn't my thing. Even though I was considered successful (since I was able to set up a couple of meetings on most days), I never saw the results. When I left the company, there were only a few of my appointments that were being set into actual deals, and NONE of them had gone through yet. Talk about anti-climatic!<br />
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My teaching job in Sandy was exactly what I had been praying for. I had literally hit rock bottom when the opportunity fell into my lap. One night after another curse-filled tirate, my husband kindly suggested I try looking for a teaching job again. Upon looking online, I found a very generic posting online searching for a person to cover a "teaching position" if one should open in this particular district. IF ONE SHOULD OPEN. I honestly don't even know why I bothered, since the school year had already started two weeks earlier. About a week after putting in my resume, I received a phone call asking me to meet with the director of HR for an interview, "just to get to know me." It still didn't sound promising, but I went anyway.<br />
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The interview was awesome, and just what I needed. I couldn't believe how good it felt just to "talk shop" with someone in the field I was trained to be a part of. We talked classroom management, lesson planning, technology integration, all the things I missed! At the end of the interview, she shook my hand, and let me know that there was a position opening up for an emergency fourth grade hire she thought I was perfect for. I was set up to talk with the principal at a local elementary school, and from there, it was a complete whirlwind!<br />
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Following my interview on Monday, I was hired on that following Wednesday, went to Parent/teacher night on Thursday to be introduced to the parents, and then was asked to report on Monday for training, observations, and classroom set-up. I couldn't be happier with the situation: I was helping to lessen the load for the two fourth grade teachers already at the school. Each class had about 33 students, and I was to take 21 of those students to my classroom. I was being placed in the largest portable I had ever seen, with five bright windows, and all the space to get loud and crazy that I needed! No old items to move from one classroom to another, nothing to have to go through and sort through. Just a clean slate! Oh my goodness, and my kids! 21 of the sweetest children I've met. Most are eager to be there, turn in their homework on time, and their parents are excited to help however they can. The one's who aren't, TRY. They really do want to do better. Talk about a breath of fresh air!<br />
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Now, here's where it gets interesting: I'm moving AGAIN. Stephen finally has made up his mind concerning his future, and we've decided to postpone medical school. It just hit us one day that once Steve was done with school, residency, rotations, all of that good stuff, we'd be in our mid-thirties. Considering we want to start a family also BEFORE then, we'd need to find a way to get into a comfortable situation sooner than that. With all of that being said, Stephen just accepted a position with a Chicago-based company specializing in audiology. He'll be flying out to the Midwest for three months for training, and then will be placed ANYWHERE in the country for his "residency." We could end up in Chicago, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, etc.<br />
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Am I scared? Yep, a little. I never thought I'd be moving to Utah, much less any place else in the country. Plus, I've learned to love our little home in Orem. I have a fabulous job, but luckily, it isn't a position guaranteed for me next year, which makes moving a little easier. I guess it's just time to have faith again, and to realize that where ever we're sent, there is a reason for it. It's time for another Baird Adventure! I'll just have to keep you posted about where we'll end up!<br />
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Phew! That's an update. Here's a list of the other recipes I have tried:<br />
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#79: Melt in Your Mouth M&M Sugar Cookies- <a href="http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/2012/07/m-sugar-cookies.html">http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/2012/07/m-sugar-cookies.html</a><br />
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#80: Ham and Cheese Sliders- <a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/04/ham-and-cheese-sliders.html">http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/04/ham-and-cheese-sliders.html</a><br />
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#81: Lemon Burst Cake Mix Cookies- <a href="http://tidymom.net/2010/lemon-burst-cake-mix-cookies/">http://tidymom.net/2010/lemon-burst-cake-mix-cookies/</a><br />
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#82: Pepperoni Pizza Quesadillas- <a href="http://www.snixykitchen.com/2012/04/20/pepperoni-pizza-quesadillas/">http://www.snixykitchen.com/2012/04/20/pepperoni-pizza-quesadillas/</a><br />
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#83: Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches- <a href="http://reallyfrompinterest.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-02-03T11:52:00-08:00&max-results=1&start=11&by-date=false">http://reallyfrompinterest.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-02-03T11:52:00-08:00&max-results=1&start=11&by-date=false</a><br />
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#84: Baked Oatmeal Casserole- <a href="http://alwaysamrsforeverakidd.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html">http://alwaysamrsforeverakidd.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html</a><br />
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#85: Cake Mix Cinnamon Waffles with Cinnamon Roll Glaze- <a href="http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2012/05/01/cake-mix-cinnamon-waffles-with-cinnamon-roll-glaze/">http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2012/05/01/cake-mix-cinnamon-waffles-with-cinnamon-roll-glaze/</a><br />
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#86: Thick and Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes- <a href="http://bakingbites.com/2011/09/thick-and-fluffy-pumpkin-pancakes/">http://bakingbites.com/2011/09/thick-and-fluffy-pumpkin-pancakes/</a><br />
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#87: Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole- <a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/02/chicken-and-broccoli-noodle-casserole.html">http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/02/chicken-and-broccoli-noodle-casserole.html</a><br />
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#88: Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread- <a href="http://www.lovintheoven.com/2010/03/cinnamon-swirl-banana-bread.html">http://www.lovintheoven.com/2010/03/cinnamon-swirl-banana-bread.html</a><br />
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#89: Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps- <a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/09/crispy-southwest-chicken-wraps.html">http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/09/crispy-southwest-chicken-wraps.html</a><br />
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#90: Bow Tie Skillet Lasagna- <a href="http://realmomkitchen.com/9612/bow-tie-skillet-lasgna/">http://realmomkitchen.com/9612/bow-tie-skillet-lasgna/</a><br />
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#91: Potato Bacon Breakfast Casserole- <a href="http://nestleusa.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/bachelor-in-the-kitchen-breakfast-tailgating-with-potato-bacon-casserole/">http://nestleusa.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/bachelor-in-the-kitchen-breakfast-tailgating-with-potato-bacon-casserole/</a><br />
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#92: Crockpot Barbecue Chicken- <a href="http://forkinit.blogspot.com/2010/09/crockpot-barbecue-chicken.html">http://forkinit.blogspot.com/2010/09/crockpot-barbecue-chicken.html</a><br />
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#93: Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne- <a href="http://realmomkitchen.com/1505/baked-cheesy-chicken-penne/">http://realmomkitchen.com/1505/baked-cheesy-chicken-penne/</a><br />
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#94: Wingers Sticky Fingers Quesadilla- <a href="http://lovelylittlesnippets.blogspot.com/2011/07/wingers-sticky-finger-quesedilla.html">http://lovelylittlesnippets.blogspot.com/2011/07/wingers-sticky-finger-quesedilla.html</a><br />
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#95: Pizza Bites- <a href="http://chaosinthekitchen.com/2008/10/party-food-pizza-in-a-bite/">http://chaosinthekitchen.com/2008/10/party-food-pizza-in-a-bite/</a><br />
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#96: Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies- <a href="http://scrambledhenfruit.blogspot.com/2010/11/caramel-stuffed-apple-cider-cookies.html">http://scrambledhenfruit.blogspot.com/2010/11/caramel-stuffed-apple-cider-cookies.html</a><br />
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And THAT... is why Steve and I are going on a diet again!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-70885086101341895492012-09-09T14:53:00.002-07:002012-09-09T14:53:25.189-07:00Mas Pollo! Recipes #76-78I miss Washington. I miss Cougar Football games. REAL COUGAR football games. I miss being surrounded by other WSU fans. But most of all... I miss teaching.<br />
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I was having a real "Woe-is-me" kind of week last week. The kind where you have to force yourself out of bed and to work, try not to cry when you get denied for the fiftieth time on a prospecting call, walk-of-shame your way out of the stadium following the WSU/BYU game. So I decided to cook, and bake, and find the things that I have loved about married life so far. Because sometimes that's all you can do to keep your head afloat.<br />
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So what do I love about life right now?<br />
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1. I love my husband. I love how much love he shows me. I love that he appreciates my quirks, compliments me constantly, and gives me hugs to wake me up in the morning. He is the best.<br />
2. I love family coming to visit.<br />
3. I love my birthday, and all the love I was shown this week! [the big 2-6. Bleck.]<br />
4. I love cooler weather, new sweaters, and riding boots.<br />
5. I love my new set of curlers, and the volume my hair has now.<br />
6. I love that my husband tries to love watching old episodes of The O.C. as much as I do.<br />
7. I love replacing my summer Scentsy scents with Warm Apple Pie.<br />
8. I love that Halloween decorations are coming into the stores.<br />
9. I love surprise interviews [shhhhh...]<br />
10. I love that my husband is almost done with this MCAT madness.<br />
11. I love XBOX Kinect dancing games.<br />
12. I love Friday night sushi dates.<br />
13. I love the Republican National Convention... and Ann Romney.<br />
14. I love sleeping in.<br />
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I also love the following recipes. I needed more chicken in my life... so I found some awesome chicken recipes. Enjoy!<br />
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Recipe #76: Honey-Dijon Chicken Tenders with Zucchini Rice (as found on <a href="http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/">http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com</a>)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes. That is MY actual dinner.</td></tr>
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">1 cup panko breadcrumbs</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">1 tsp. salt</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">1/2 tsp. pepper</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">1/4 tsp. garlic powder</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">1/4 tsp. paprika</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">3 tbsp. butter, melted</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">heaping 1/4 cup Dijon mustard</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">1 Tbsp. honey</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced vertically into strips</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Directions:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a large baking sheet and set aside.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - Seriously, coat that sheet in oil, or everything WILL stick to it. Consider yourself warned.<br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">2. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, Dijon mustard and honey; whisk until well combined.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">3. Place the chicken strips into the mustard-butter mixture, then into the breadcrumbs. Coat evenly. Place onto the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the zucchini rice (see below for recipe).</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">1 cup long-grain white rice</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">1 medium zucchini, coarsely grated</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">3 tbsp. butter</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Salt and pepper, to taste</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Directions:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.Cook rice according to package directions. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - A special shout out to the Roberts family for buying us THE BEST rice cooker in the world... and for my Korean missionary husband. Seriously, I've never had such great rice.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2.Remove from heat, add butter and sprinkle zucchini over the rice. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork. Salt and pepper, to taste.</span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - Also, a separate shout out to Mindy for her awesome zucchinis she gave us. Now, I just have to find a recipe to use the other GIGANTIC zucchinis we have,,,</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This was a great recipe. A little much for two people though. I think Stephen had lunch for a solid two days after this dinner, which works for me... plus, I'm sure he's tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We dipped ours in honey dijon mustard, and a combination of BBQ sauce and Frank's Red Hot Sauce. So good.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Recipe #77: Oreo Pudding Poke Cake (as found on </span><a href="http://www.thecountrycook.net/">http://www.thecountrycook.net</a>)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1oj0AyNCr2bcPZHA9lpSKnZBEygZmyRhtxj850-htL0UBvS75Bnubvz8fh2lZ6bjrUUXDCO3axgdSRJ6Qu1TYI_f7bUem2OGz2QYjFXU8HNHWOuGNNxSDdxOUocXS8F8BCG7dq7Fgao/s1600/Poke.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1oj0AyNCr2bcPZHA9lpSKnZBEygZmyRhtxj850-htL0UBvS75Bnubvz8fh2lZ6bjrUUXDCO3axgdSRJ6Qu1TYI_f7bUem2OGz2QYjFXU8HNHWOuGNNxSDdxOUocXS8F8BCG7dq7Fgao/s320/Poke.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one isn't.</td></tr>
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I had a BAD Friday at work. So I baked. Why wouldn't I?<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">1 Box</span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"> </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Chocolate Cake Mix- I used Pillsbury... because it's cheap. Do I need a better reason?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients needed to make cake (eggs, oil and water)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 (4 oz.) packages of<i> Instant </i>Oreo pudding<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 cups milk <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Crushed Oreo Cookies </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Make cake mix according to directions and bake in a well-greased 9x13 pan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Just before cake is done, start making pudding. In a medium bowl, add milk to pudding mixture and continue to whisk until most of the lumps are removed. Let pudding mixture sit for about 2 minutes. You want it to thicken slightly so it isn't overly runny but not fully thickened into pudding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - And then try not to eat it all before using it on the cake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. When cake is finished, while still warm, poke holes all over cake (about 1-inch) intervals </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">using a wooden spoon handle or a straw. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Pour pudding mixture over warm cake. </span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spread it out with a spoon and gently push down on the</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">pudding to help get it into the holes. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Allow the cake to cool for several minutes on the counter then put</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">into the fridge to set up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">5. Once the cake is set, spread crushed Oreo cookies on top. Keep </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">refrigerated</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">... and then quickly find sister-in-laws and an adorable family you just met to eat it all, so you and your husband don't instead. Seriously. Stephen and I WOULD'VE finished this all off if I hadn't brought it to a picnic at Liberty Park.</span></div>
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Recipe #78: White Chicken Enchiladas (as found on <a href="http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white;">http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com</a>)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGYwHds5jSYL3lSIu8bC0uH1EvyKo6gyXp4ZdfSSMIcz7X30sY2OtiRTuC9TOw8h19SL0kqNmJZmzEuFfSJ5Q-Bftdxlx83eRrcG6kh3IubUqGSQ9i3Td4DT7yBpsouXgJOUhn7A0vwU/s1600/photo+%252824%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGYwHds5jSYL3lSIu8bC0uH1EvyKo6gyXp4ZdfSSMIcz7X30sY2OtiRTuC9TOw8h19SL0kqNmJZmzEuFfSJ5Q-Bftdxlx83eRrcG6kh3IubUqGSQ9i3Td4DT7yBpsouXgJOUhn7A0vwU/s320/photo+%252824%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is me ALMOST forgetting to take a picture. But remembering JUST after dinner.</td></tr>
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Ingredients:</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">10 soft taco shells</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - My recipe only filled 8 medium soft shells, so heads up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups cooked, shredded chicken</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> - The author behind this blog says that she likes to use pre-cooked </span></span><span style="line-height: 20.773334503173828px;">rotisserie chicken from the grocery store deli counter. Because I am too cheap for such luxuries (*sigh*), I opted to use two chicken breasts and marinate them in Frank's Hot Sauce, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 Tbsp. butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 Tbsp. flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups chicken broth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup sour cream</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">1 (4 oz) can diced green </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.773334503173828px;">chilies</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> - So following my chicken </span></span><span style="line-height: 20.773334503173828px;">marinating</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">, I put the chicken breasts on the Foreman Grill. Once they were cooked through, I shredded the chicken and mixed it with the cheese. It worked out great, and the chicken was super flavorful.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - Use a large saucepan, I learned that lesson quickly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">SO GOOD. And this fed us for dinner Thursday, lunch Friday, dinner Saturday, and lunch Sunday. You get a lot of bang for yer buck! And when we made </span></span><span style="line-height: 20.773334503173828px;">re-fried</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> beans and served them along with chips and salsa, holy cow, so much awesome food. This one is a keeper!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">So life has it's ups and downs. But at least dinner is always taken care of. </span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-12698616983848440382012-08-21T18:30:00.000-07:002012-08-21T18:31:01.328-07:00Playin' a Little Catch Up...So, the hubby is in the other room, studying for the MCAT. I have already caught up on all things Pinterest [you guys are letting me down, not NEARLY as many pins as I am used to seeing!] and Facebook, have shut down my Skype account so I stop getting updates from work, have made dinner AND cleaned the kitchen, and have already committed to NOT going to the gym (I can't work out after eating dinner... because it WILL make a reappearance on the gym floor, no lie). I could continue to work on thank-you-cards from the wedding, OR catch up on something TV related, but the hubs is so cute concentrating, I'd hate to interrupt him. Hmm, nothing better to do than update the old blog, I guess.<br />
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I COULD fill you in on life here in Utah... but I won't. I'll keep you hanging on for that later. What I WILL do, however, is tell you all about some recipes I have tried recently, because I have a total of FOUR, and I am just so amazed at what a little homemaker I've morphed into in such a short amount of time.<br />
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... Okay, not really. Most of our nights consist of Mac N' Cheese from the blue box and hot dogs. But I <u>have</u> managed not to burn anything yet! And that in and of itself is an accomplishment, if you ask me.<br />
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So for now, I'll leave you with these four recipes. I won't get into any cutesy little stories like I normally would, just because food isn't fun anymore, IT'S LIFE! I have to feed MYSELF these days! Holy crappola! ... now, if only some of you would come and visit me these days. I have recipes!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*Recipe #72: <span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;">Fiesta Chicken Casserole (as found on Pinterest. I would give credit to the woman who first blogged about it, but the link provided takes me to Twitter. And if you know me, you know homie don't play that TWEETIN' crap)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups chicken breast grilled & cubed </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups medium shell pasta cooked </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups cheddar/jack cheese blend </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 can of cream of chicken soup </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 can Rotel 1 can green chilies </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup of milk </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Okay, I guess I do have a SMALL story to tell you about, concerning this recipe. Stephen and I are now what you might call frugal. We literally went to three separate grocery stores to find these ingredients because we were looking for the best price. Next thing you know, I'm going to be one of those crazy COUPON LADIES. Utah ruins people, I tell ya.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, pour into large baking dish (I think we used a 9x13).</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Cover with cheese, salt and pepper to taste! Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #211922;"><span style="line-height: 17.53333282470703px;">- Yeah, that's really it. Super easy. It was good too, although I did get tired of all of the peppers after awhile though. Stephen really seemed to enjoy it, yay me! Oh, and as a side note, when it says to cover with cheese, I think I poured one cup in with the mixture, and then covered it with the other cup. I wanted cheese everywhere. A plethora of cheese!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #211922;"><span style="line-height: 17.53333282470703px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #211922;"><span style="line-height: 17.53333282470703px;">Dinner that night was being shared with family. So we needed dessert. Bring on...</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #211922;"><span style="line-height: 17.53333282470703px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #211922;"><span style="line-height: 17.53333282470703px;">*Recipe #73: Berry Cobbler (as found on </span></span><a href="http://livingachangedlife.blogspot.com/">http://livingachangedlife.blogspot.com</a>... very inspirational)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6-WM3HdwfNYHtmf4SmqljO_EuSfzVE5gxo3yEUXS8K_GffqkleY1p_0XTtJJUDlPvp6wlhSD2nEW4RCyASk1CI9765LgH0meMMOMRdH5wGX0hqExuuJQMGF3aL0svp5EE2e9lHfD5ic/s1600/246783254551302946_Yo9x0fS3_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6-WM3HdwfNYHtmf4SmqljO_EuSfzVE5gxo3yEUXS8K_GffqkleY1p_0XTtJJUDlPvp6wlhSD2nEW4RCyASk1CI9765LgH0meMMOMRdH5wGX0hqExuuJQMGF3aL0svp5EE2e9lHfD5ic/s320/246783254551302946_Yo9x0fS3_f.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Two 12-oz bags frozen mixed berries (we found some awesome deals on a mix of blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries at Winco, but the lady from the blog says that frozen peaches are delicious too)</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">1 box white cake mix (no pudding)... oops, we used pudding-laced cake mix. And it was French Vanilla. So sue us.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">1 can of diet 7-up or sierra mist (clear soda)</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Directions:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">1. Place frozen fruit in a 9x13 baking dish. Add dry cake mix over the top. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">2. Pour soda slowly over cake mix. DO NOT stir the cake mix and the pop - this will give you a 'crust'. If you stir the two, you will have a cake-like topping.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">3. Bake 350 for 45-50 min.</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;">Okay, this recipe was good, but a little strange. As I am sure you could figure out, the recipe is supposed to be a berry cobbler substitute for the weight-challenged. I honestly just wanted to try it because it had three ingredients in it, and I am all for easy these days. Be forewarned: if you try this, you will be left with strange chunks of unbaked cake mix on top of the cobbler. It's still good, especially if you COVER it in rich, vanilla ice cream like we did (I am SURE that's not how the blogger intended for us to eat it), but it's really weird to bite into the cobbler, and have a white dust puff up into your face.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #211922; line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #211922; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 17.545482635498047px;">Recipe #74: Easy-Peasy Skillet </span></span><span style="color: #211922;"><span style="line-height: 17.53333282470703px;">Lasagna</span></span><span style="color: #211922; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 17.545482635498047px;"> (as found on </span></span></span><a href="http://nutritionfor.us/">http://nutritionfor.us</a>. I don't know HOW I keep finding these "cooking-that's-good-for-you-websites," really I was just craving a pan of my mom's lasagna, but wanted an easier recipe for it)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_aKK2XDTOp8Twnyrud5ZoYNOJ7N1X1HtxKU6R1CwNIl_5e0bPscN92hn3uvAZ1cDyUZcQaPRDuvy820IPnmjREEL9A1x0E8GRXa6dEbouEi9mIbHk8Zc7cNzuCG2gwhyvW0YFlOwajc/s1600/2814818487415400_s4qIRU9L_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_aKK2XDTOp8Twnyrud5ZoYNOJ7N1X1HtxKU6R1CwNIl_5e0bPscN92hn3uvAZ1cDyUZcQaPRDuvy820IPnmjREEL9A1x0E8GRXa6dEbouEi9mIbHk8Zc7cNzuCG2gwhyvW0YFlOwajc/s320/2814818487415400_s4qIRU9L_f.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">1 1/2 tablespoons extra</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span>virgin olive oil<br /><span style="line-height: 19px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">1 large onion, chopped (Stephen and I don't like onion that much, so we used half an onion)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">1 cup mushrooms, chopped</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">2 garlic cloves, minced (... we opted to use about four tablespoons of garlic powder, because it's what I had on hand. I just sort of added it to the pan until it tasted good)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">2 (14.5 oz) cans Italian diced tomatoes, drained</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">1/4 cup tomato sauce</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">3 basil leaves, chopped (... AGAIN, this translated to 3 tablespoons of dried basil, because it's what we had)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">1/4 teaspoon black pepper</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">1 teaspoon sea salt (Sea salt is for rich people. We used regular table salt)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">1/2 cup skim ricotta cheese</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">About 6 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into thirds & <u>fully cooked</u> (you'll understand in a second why I underlined that for you all)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">2 tablespoons parsley (dried or <strike>fresh</strike>)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">** This was a vegetarian dish to begin with. We added some ground beef.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">Directions:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">- This is when we also cooked the ground beef. Which Stephen did for me, because I am still scared of cooking meat by myself. After it was cooked off, he drained the grease, and then I got to work.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">2. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until garlic is fragrant, about one minute. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, salt and pepper. Cook mixture until it thickens up a bit, around 5 minutes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">3. Add noodles to skillet and stir into the mixture well. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">- Okay, I gotta stop you here. So, it was at THIS point I realized that the recipe called for COOKED noodles, and there I stood with hard, uncooked noodles in my hands. MAKE SURE YOU COOK THE NOODLES FIRST. I had to put the skillet of meat and Italian goodness on low until I had cooked the noodles, which took FOR-EV-ER!)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">4. Add scoops of ricotta cheese over the noodles; add in mozzarella and Parmesan. Stir in parsley. Cook about 2 more minutes, or until mixture is thick.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">5. Serve immediately with additional basil or parsley.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">- Or dump an additional cup of </span></span><span style="line-height: 19px;">mozzarella</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> cheese on top, like I did. Whoops.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">THIS WAS SO GOOD, and the hubby had lunch and dinner covered for the next day. Yes, that is what I call stretching my dollar. Uh-thank-you.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">*FINALLY, drum roll please... #75: Andes Mint Cookies (as found on </span></span></span><a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/">http://www.sixsistersstuff.com</a>... LOVE those women!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QY3O_W0zoTn4cKNOwcfLWq0EC3GCBTbagN15Kihq0-aPO7pNDt62KRy_BjdQPVUVZ6x4peqc3d32gi41dN8HVweJRmDDfQOgpZcckpOX1k5xhGDQl0qiFxAptz0lpnQHMFWmYNdfuno/s1600/andes+mint+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QY3O_W0zoTn4cKNOwcfLWq0EC3GCBTbagN15Kihq0-aPO7pNDt62KRy_BjdQPVUVZ6x4peqc3d32gi41dN8HVweJRmDDfQOgpZcckpOX1k5xhGDQl0qiFxAptz0lpnQHMFWmYNdfuno/s320/andes+mint+cookies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1 Devil's Food Cake Mix</span><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;">1/2 cup oil</span><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;">2 eggs</span><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;">1 package of Andes Mints</span></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Directions:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1. Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs together. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">- Thank goodness I got not one, but TWO cookie scoops from the wedding. What would I do without good friends? ... NOT have uniformly shaped cookies, that's what!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">2. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-9 minutes. Don't cook any longer than that! You don't want them to be overdone!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;">3. Take sheet out of oven and while the cookies are still very hot, place an Andes Mint on top of each cookie. In about 5 minutes, the mint will be melted. Take a spoon and smooth out each mint like frosting.</span></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">- I kinda squished the Andes Mint into the cookie, so it would set. And yes, it does spread JUST like frosting once it's melted. AND, believe it or not, these cookies are even better if you put them in the fridge over night like we did. Seriously. Try it. NOW.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 18px;">So, we really were trying to do a good thing in baking these cookies. The mother of one of my co-workers got into a car wreck last week, so I wanted to bring cookies for him to give to her... unfortunately, he never showed up again to work after the accident, so Stephen and I were forced to eat them while watching the O.C.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 18px;">Yep.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 18px;">ANYWAYS, miss you all. Sending my love from the Great Salt Lake Valley. Don't miss me too much.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 18px;">XOXO.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-21239173059697984432012-07-13T09:02:00.000-07:002012-07-13T09:02:31.542-07:00Recipe #71 and the FINAL Countdown...OHMYHECK. You cannot believe the last week I've had. It's been thoroughly positive (other than budget matters, which we won't get into because NOBODY likes to hear other people's money woes!)- I have had two separate interviews for a position with a company in Provo [that's right, I said COMPANY. I might be a teacher without a classroom for a while, but I'll keep you posted], I have been up to my eyeballs in not only correspondence with my wedding planner in Hawaii, but also my various reception planners in Washington [Friday, August 3rd is the date, I'll fill most of you in later], my favorite and I can finally *KISS* long distance goodbye as I am picking him up for the FINAL time from the airport today [yes, we realize we'll probably occasionally travel apart, but don't rain on my parade- my two years of long distance is FINALLY over!], and I've been to the gym practically everyday in my attempts to shed the pre-wedding pounds- SEE! I told you it's been primarily positive.<br />
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Checking in on the diet, I am OFFICIALLY the smallest I have been since high school [I know I keep saying that, but I keep shedding the weight!], and it feels AWESOME. I've definitely toned quite a bit, I can actually see definition in my arms and even my ABS [yes, I still have a little tummy jiggle... but it's better than it was], and I am now 131.6 POUNDS! Ahhhhh!! I haven't seen that on the scale in practically 10 years!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Weight starting my "new" leg of dieting- 135.0 pounds</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Weight as of today- 131.6 pounds</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Weight loss- 3.4 pounds</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Days until my wedding- 11 days</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">NOW, for the part I know you've all actually checked in for- recipe #71. Yep, I snuck another one in. And yes, I indulged quite a bit. This recipe was actually a super interesting one- it was another Sunday that I had volunteered to bake with Momma Midge, and I had been on the hunt for something summery. I don't know if you've heard, but for the last week or so the Tri-Cities has been </span></span><span style="line-height: 20px;">inundated</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> with HEAT- like, over 100 degrees everyday kind of heat. As stupid as I was for volunteering to hang out in a hot kitchen in that kind of sweltering heat, I found a really fun, but VERY interesting cookie. Tell me what you think-</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">#71: Cherry Lemonade Sugar Cookies (as adapted from </span></span><a href="http://confectionsofadomesticgoddess.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white;">http://confectionsofadomesticgoddess.blogspot.com</a>)<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup sugar</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup icing sugar (... powdered sugar. I had to look it up)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 eggs</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 teaspoons vanilla</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 packs cherry Kool-aid ( unsweetened )</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5 cups flour</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 teaspoons baking powder</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon salt</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Again, fair warning, I doubled the recipe again just because I knew we were delivering quite a few cookies that night, and wanted to be on the safe side.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. In stand mixer combine butter and sugars. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Beat until light and fluffy. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Add Kool-aid and eggs. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Mix well then add flour, baking powder and salt. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Mix until all combined.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Divide dough into four 8 x 2 inch logs. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - This is where this recipe got a little messy for me, so let me make it easier for YOU. What I did was I made four sections in my dough, and took one section of dough out of the bowl at a time, placing that section down on a well-floured cutting board. I put flour on my hands, and kneaded the dough into as close to a 8x2 inch log as I could. I then wrapped the dough in plastic wrap, and placed it into a baking dish. After repeating this process with the three other sections of dough, I placed the dish into the freezer, and kept it there for about four hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 350 F. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Line cookie sheet with parchment. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Remove cookie logs from refrigerator.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cut into 1/2 inch slices. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Remove from oven and cool on cookie rack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - Since I had made my dough in the morning at my house, what I ended up doing was collecting my dough from my freezer, and placing it in the Baird's fridge for about an hour while we ate dinner. Afterwards, I grabbed a cookie sheet, and didn't grease it or line with parchment. Instead I just cut the dough into 1/2 inch slices, arranged about 12 cookies on a sheet, and then baked them off for 13 minutes. They didn't stick to the sheet at all!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCN3HuXtU8HLkB0Fup6LXqCE60g4bo-WzeghBmwyUqshdcLumA8pol3BT3hMr8Iqd1aiNyw3NBBMcjkg-kbuP5Vw0jnzJIlldiZ9LejSr708GCexPwDPYZVAJAhK1KMosr9kxIEOqpfw/s1600/photo+(21).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCN3HuXtU8HLkB0Fup6LXqCE60g4bo-WzeghBmwyUqshdcLumA8pol3BT3hMr8Iqd1aiNyw3NBBMcjkg-kbuP5Vw0jnzJIlldiZ9LejSr708GCexPwDPYZVAJAhK1KMosr9kxIEOqpfw/s320/photo+(21).JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay, yeah, they're kinda strange looking cookies. Slicing them off the logs I felt like I was slicing Spam...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients for frosting:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*Disclaimer- this recipe is actually called "Cherry LIMEADE Sugar Cookies," but unfortunately Albertson's didn't have any lime Kool-aid, so I had to use lemonade. If someone tries the lime, can you tell me how it turned out?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup unsalted butter</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5 cups icing sugar</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 pack lemonade Kool-aid</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3-4 tablespoon milk</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">maraschino cherries with stems</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">1. Beat butter, icing sugar, kool-aid and milk </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">together until frosting is fluffy. Adding more </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">milk if needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - I think I only used four cups of the powdered sugar, and a little less than a full packet of Kool-aid, since the lemonade mix was a little overwhelming. But delicious, with just enough "bite."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">2. Frost cooled cookies using a piping bag or just spread </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">frosting on top of cookies. Complete with</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">cherries on top </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">of each cookie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - I HATE maraschino cherries, so I opted out, and instead topped the cookies with pink sprinkles. They turned out adorable!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGyZ5V1b7choIKc2oIRLTXgFWqv4g0ooW1aMMs2KMIqy98TOBTAhazKM7DRxhTxwjOY2egFdHn9_H_7u6SQgkdKebsEdBKhpc2UeweRhCOC3-nwTXvZRQdzEYMWtl3-e-TwPuRnTyhZI/s1600/photo+(22).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGyZ5V1b7choIKc2oIRLTXgFWqv4g0ooW1aMMs2KMIqy98TOBTAhazKM7DRxhTxwjOY2egFdHn9_H_7u6SQgkdKebsEdBKhpc2UeweRhCOC3-nwTXvZRQdzEYMWtl3-e-TwPuRnTyhZI/s320/photo+(22).JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello, little mouth sparklers!!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There you have it. They actually very closely resemble the strawberry cream cheese cookies I made earlier this year, but they have a very distinct flavor. They're very "bright" tasting, for lack of a better word, but very good. These would be adorable at a summer baby shower or birthday party if you ask me... TRY THEM. </span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-27089319991887263332012-07-07T18:32:00.000-07:002012-07-07T18:32:03.082-07:00#69 and #70I can't stay away from baking for long, and although I am on a diet, I have been GRACIOUS enough to cook/bake for the people I love around me.<br />
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... okay, I enjoyed these treats a little, too. Luckily my weight, although it bounces a little from day to day due to the usual "female-water-weight-issues," has stayed down. I feel more fit than I have in a long time! And to be even more fair to myself, I think I made these two recipes over the span of three weeks, so it definitely wasn't like I was sitting and overindulging constantly.<br />
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All right, there is my reasoning. Now enjoy these little tasties I found off of, *what else*, Pinterest. OH, and I am proud to announce, as of this week, I pinned my 1,000th pin! ... I think it might be time for an intervention. Or maybe a PINtervention! (oh, that was CLEVER!)<br />
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#69: Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake (as found on <a href="http://www.savingmoneylivinglife.com/">www.savingmoneylivinglife.com</a>)<br />
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Stephen and I were tired of spending money going out for food. So we decided to pull on our big-kid pants, and make dinner ourselves. After sitting for an hour, debating about each of the dinner pins on my recipe board, we finally settled on this, and it did NOT disappoint. This recipe does make quite a bit of food, so be forewarned- DO NOT eat as much Italian bread as I did prior to eating this dish, because you will be too full to enjoy it. Luckily, Stephen and Amy told me it was delish, and that's all the validation I need.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">8 oz uncooked rigatoni (which was like half a box)</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">1 T olive oil</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">1 c chopped onion</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">1 (10 oz) pack frozen spinach, thawed</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">3 c cubed, cooked chicken breasts</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">1 (14 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">1 (8 oz) container Philadelphia chive & onion cream cheese</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">½ t salt, ½ t pepper</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">1½ c shredded mozzarella cheese</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Directions:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px; orphans: 4;">1. Prepare rigatoni according to package directions. Spread oil on bottom of 11×7 in baking dish; add onion in a single layer. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or just until tender. Transfer onion to large bowl, set aside.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px; orphans: 4;"> - P.S. make your future husband chop the onion like I did. Other wise, it'll sting your eyes (I guess I'm going to have to go without onion on those nights Stephen isn't home...)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Drain chopped spinach well, pressing between paper towels (or dish towel... like I had to. Eww) Stir in rigatoni, spinach, chicken, & next 4 ingredients into onion in bowl. Spoon mixture into dish & sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes; uncover & bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.</span></div>
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That's it! It was awesome... and of course, I DIDN'T take a picture. However, mine looked JUST like the photo from the website, so I will use her's.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fkbS4Zh-t_2kvaXWhewvsmD_M6OoIbTTa6KUPYL6HcdbvdGh84_X1oh0rkjjmOCGQ07fLqnko5YmOn3mE-HXeUoRDnABYAvf9Q8W4ixn1z3hJZqcuctlXoWgmqA5IoUmmoxWy69arnA/s1600/img_1808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fkbS4Zh-t_2kvaXWhewvsmD_M6OoIbTTa6KUPYL6HcdbvdGh84_X1oh0rkjjmOCGQ07fLqnko5YmOn3mE-HXeUoRDnABYAvf9Q8W4ixn1z3hJZqcuctlXoWgmqA5IoUmmoxWy69arnA/s320/img_1808.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bubbly, cheesy goodness. Yum.</td></tr>
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#70: Orange Creamsicle Cookies (as found on <a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/" style="background-color: white;">www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com</a>... she is quickly becoming one of my favorites!)</div>
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Momma Midge needed cookies for the ward- I came to the rescue. With these. AND THEY ARE AWESOME. I have to admit, a big reason I agreed to help was because I am on a diet and I miss baking, A LOT. Of course I jumped at the chance to put the old apron on and stick my fingers in over 2 cups of creamy, delicious butter. </div>
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But seriously, make these. Before the summer is over. And share them with everyone you know.</div>
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Ingredients (this is a DOUBLED recipe, since I knew I had to make A LOT of cookies, and I think it made at least 96 cookies, no fooling):</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">5 cups all purpose flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup firmly packed brown sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 eggs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The zest of 3 large oranges</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 cups white chocolate chips</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In another bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Gradually add the flour mixture until combined. Stir in the orange zest and white chocolate chips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto ungreased cookie sheets. Make sure to not flatten the cookies, it will make them dry! Bake 11 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. The cookies will be plump. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets. Store in an airtight container.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">And again, forgot to take a picture. So... here you go!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-69409991900003441522012-06-30T09:42:00.000-07:002012-06-30T09:42:25.128-07:00"OH, for the Love of..."I saw a cute challenge a couple of days ago, one I knew I needed to share with all of you. I was stumbling along some of my favorite blogs when I came across the sweetest letter. It was one that a man had written for his fiance that included some questions that her maid of honor had asked him to complete. The letter was read to the bride at her bridal shower, and upon reading it, she was completely overwhelmed with how much love she really did feel towards her soon-to-be-husband. Now, it's come to my attention that as of recently, I have been very caught up in the... "bachelorette" sense of marriage... meaning I am all "wound-up" and "ready to get this party started"... if you catch what I'm throwin' at ya. It wasn't until tonight with my phone call to Stephen that made me realize, I've lost sight of just WHAT is coming up, and what marriage is going to truly entail, so I went ahead and decided to tackle this challenge myself.<br />
<br />
So, Stephen... here is my letter to you. And in no way are you pressured to complete the same for me... *ahem*<br />
<br />
<b>1. Tell everyone about your first date:</b><br />
It truly was a date that was never meant to actually happen. Throughout the summer at Partners 'N Pals, Stephen and I had these harmless crushes towards one another that we both thought would NEVER go anywhere. Considering just how attracted I really was to him, I kept coming up with silly excuses for our camp counselors to get together after work that really had NOTHING to do with work... again, just admiring Stephen from afar.<br />
<br />
One night, however, our boss and friend had mentioned that she thought the three of us should get together for dinner. Although she eventually backed out due to an important commitment, Stephen and I both decided we'd go ahead with the plan and grab a casual dinner by ourselves. Although it was never explicitly stated, I was all nerves, realizing that even though we hadn't called it one by name, we were kind of going on a date (because the WHOLE camp knew at this time that we were both attracted to one another).<br />
<br />
I tried to dress casually, but still attractively, and we showed up separately. He was a gentleman the entire time, opening doors for me, insisting I sit before him. We also NEVER ran out of conversation... I think we showed up for dinner around 7 and we closed the place down. There were no awkward pauses, no need to feel like I had to go out of my way to impress him, and the food was AWESOME. I seriously had never had a smoother first date. It was like we had been friends for years, and I was so comfortable just sitting and getting to know him.<br />
<br />
There was no awkward good night kiss, just a hug, and a little mystery as to where we'd be going from there. I was hooked.<br />
<br />
<b>2. If Stephen had one hour to himself, what would he do?</b><br />
I want to say, spend it with me. But if he truly was by himself, it would be doing something outdoorsy- skiing, wakeboarding, fishing, anything active really. I WISH I had Stephen's natural ability to try something and be good at it.<br />
<br />
<b>3. What first attracted you to Stephen?</b><br />
I physically thought Stephen was very cute at first. He had a great smile, he was so friendly to everyone around him, very talkative, and very outgoing. He just had a personality that I found most people seemed drawn to. What was REALLY the kicker though was how AMAZING he was with children- I had never seen anyone more patient and loving. Plus, he really did seem to love spending time and playing with his camper. Just how attentive and caring he was, I KNEW he was going to make an amazing father and husband one day, and that was VERY attractive.<br />
<br />
<b>4. What does he love most about you?</b><br />
Well, I kind of hate talking FOR him, but when we have discussed this before, I think we've both said that it's how it feels like we have known each other for years- we are TRULY each other's counterpart, exactly what we need from another person to be complete.<br />
<br />
<b>5. What do you love most about him?</b><br />
Aside from what I said above, it's his personality. I have never met a man that people genuinely seem to love being around as much as people seem to enjoy being around Stephen. Everyone that knows him has SUCH wonderful things to say about him. He is the kindest person I know.<br />
<br />
Oh... and that smile, mixed with his happy eyes and freckles. Sigh.<br />
<br />
<b>6. What is each of your favorite restaurants?</b><br />
Oh geesh... we love food. I'd have to say though, he is my SUSHI partner, the one person who seems to be down for it any time I am. So... HAPPY SUMO!<br />
<br />
<b>7. What is Stephen's favorite season and why?</b><br />
Ha ha, we've talked about this before! Summer and winter! I know that seems like a cop out, but he always said that the thing he loves about summer is JUUUUUST as he's getting tired of it, it's suddenly skiing season, and just as he's tired of the snow, it's almost time for boating! Such an easy-going guy!<br />
<br />
<b>8. When did you first know you loved him?</b><br />
Very quickly. We were sitting at a mutual friend's house and he was playing guitar, and I was just sitting and watching him, and I knew at that very moment, that I was going to marry him. I didn't know how it could happen, I didn't know WHEN, I just knew he was in my life for a reason, and I COULD NOT lose him. Talk about overwhelming!<br />
<br />
<b>9. What has been your favorite date?</b><br />
Oh my goodness, we have had a lot of good ones. There was a really fun one last summer, where we went to sushi, then picked up goods for smores and headed up into the canyons outside of Provo. We were completely unprepared, with no flashlight or folding chairs, and as we were watching the fire, a raccoon scurried onto our picnic table behind us, and we both screamed bloody murder... so we spent the rest of the night on a blanket on the hood of his car watching the meteor shower. So fun!<br />
<br />
<b>10. What is your favorite vacation spot? Together?</b><br />
We have gone on so many fun trips to visit friends and family, THIS is a tough one... I think TOGETHER we'd probably say our California trip last May. I never wanted to leave, AND I think I convinced Stephen we need to spend AT LEAST A LITTLE of our married life living down there. Plus, Disneyland, beach cruisers, breakfast sandwiches, Aunt Nan, AND the famous Jeni Baird? How could you NOT love California?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>11. If you could go to one place in the world where would you go?</b></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Hawaii. Let's get this show on the road! No, but seriously, I am so excited to show Stephen around. For so long it's been "my place"... now I want it to be OURS.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>12. Why do you want to marry Stephen?</b></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Stephen is my best friend. I have never felt more comfortable, safe, or cared for than when I have been with him. He is everything I am not. He is the first person I want to see in the morning, and the last person I want to say good-night to. I fit perfectly in his arms. He accepts that I am not perfect, and yet always treats me like I am. When we are together, I know without a doubt, I am the only woman he sees in a room. I have never trusted a person more whole-heartedly than I do Stephen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I know he will care for and provide for our family. He will be the greatest role model for my sons, and show my daughters how a man should treat them. I am proud to call him my future husband. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Thanks for always putting things into perspective for me, babe. I owe you. And to everyone else, sorry for the mush.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-14935106206149776042012-06-29T08:50:00.000-07:002012-06-29T08:50:01.683-07:00How Low Can You Go...Well, time for a milestone update, for those of you keeping track, or have any slight interest in my weight loss- I have OFFICIALLY hit my lowest weight since beginning my diet WAY back in December. This would mean I am my lowest weight since I was a senior in high school. Yeow! ... unfortunately, I do not remember being this JIGGLY as a senior in high school, but I guess that's what time, gravity, and poor eating habits in college will do to you.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, I hate dieting. Everything I have pinned on Pinterest within this last week has practically been food because I MISS FOOD. I miss walking into the kitchen and not even have a momentary lapse of judgement when it comes to what I am putting in my mouth. Seriously, every piece of food I put in my mouth these days comes with a little guilt. I repeat my mantra in my head, "Do you REALLY need that cookie?", because dangit, I DESERVE to be jaw-droppingly hot on my wedding night... and be able to zip my wedding dress on, yaknowwaddamean? I just don't know how many of these going-to-the-gym-twice-a-day moments I am going to be able to handle...<br />
<br />
Oh, but I did find a recipe worth trying on Pinterest- apparently if you take grapes and roll them in Watermelon Jell-o powder, it tastes like Sour Patch Kids. Anyone try this? Tell me if it's any good...<br />
<br />
Let's look at the stats-<br />
<br />
Weight starting my "new" leg of dieting- 135.0 pounds<br />
Weight as of today- 132.8 pounds<br />
Weight loss- 2.2 pounds<br />
Days until my wedding- 25 days<br />
<br />
Eeep. Better get to RIPPED. Much love.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-56280278353436306002012-06-23T12:00:00.000-07:002012-06-23T12:00:33.498-07:00Here We Go Again...If I didn't know any better, I'd swear I just posted a nearly identical post to this one just a few months ago. It's true- I have completely fallen off the dieting, and heck, even the working out bandwagon. It's not that I've gotten lazy. It's just so hard to begin your diet 6 months before your wedding and expect to STAY on that diet for that long... one can only enjoy protein, vegetables, and fruits alone for so long, na'mean?<br />
<br />
I blame Stephen. Which is a great route to begin our marriage on, I know. But seriously, every time the boy comes home for an extended period of time, my workouts and diet go to pot. We just enjoy food WAY TOO MUCH, and between the cleaning and packing of my classroom, the in-laws being in town, celebrations, and road trips to Utah, I've managed to pack on about 2 and a half pounds since he's been home. I know that doesn't sound like much, and I didn't think it was either, but let me share an eye-opening story with you:<br />
<br />
I don't know which of you ladies are familiar with wedding dress alterations, but this week, I was finally on my LAST one (Meaning, my seamstress had already made the changes I had wanted on the dress, now I just had to step into it and see how it all fit). After slipping the dress on, I stepped out of the dressing room, requesting help with the zipper. After Stephen tried unsuccessfully, we called over our favorite Chinese seamstress to see if she could carefully zip me up. Needless to say, what resulted was painful, embarrassing, and shameful- both she and Stephen had to stand there, holding my dress together, while she pulled at the zipper, proclaiming "Oooooh, YOU FAT! Ha ha ha!"<br />
<br />
Now, according to Stephen, this is just the "Asian way." They are BRUTALLY honest, and will stereotypically tell you things without really any consideration to your feelings. Prior to this moment, I didn't think I was FAT... sure, I had put a little weight back on, but nothing that would make me morbidly obese! I wanted to backhand her though. To make matters worse, the rest of the time she was cinching my dress back up, she kept repeating "You LOSE WEIGHT! You go on diet! Eat soup!" Talk about a blow to my ego. I HAVE lost weight... but this woman is telling me it's not enough!<br />
<br />
If it wasn't for the fact that I couldn't breathe in my dress when all was said and done, I would've laughed her comments off. Now though, I gotta take this diet seriously. I am DETERMINED to be the smallest I can by my wedding, or so help me! Talk about embarrassing if I am BIGGER at my wedding than I was when I first bought my dress. You all are going to have to hold me accountable. No sweets, no excess carbs, no creamy sauces, no fast food... I have to make this work. So here we go again...<br />
<br />
Weight as of today- 135.0 pounds<br />
Weight loss goal- 130.0 pounds<br />
Weight gain since I was my smallest- +1.8 pounds<br />
<br />
LET'S DO THIS.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-71575362862088376492012-06-16T11:00:00.000-07:002012-06-16T11:00:51.602-07:00Home is Wherever I am With YouI'd like to spend a moment thanking [most] of you- thank you for your understanding, thank you for not questioning our decisions (at least, not to our faces), thank you for the support, and of course, thank you to our Utah friends who have made us feel so cared for. I'd also like to ask that no matter your opinion of our choice, you use this post to better understand our situation, rather than pass judgement.<br />
<br />
The decision Stephen and I made to move to Orem, Utah has been a long time in the making. Since we have started dating, Stephen has hinted [or flat out begged, let's be honest here] for me to consider packing up my life, dropping my job, and moving down to be closer to him. Although long distance hasn't always been the easiest, I was steadfastly against the idea of Utah- what would my family say? My friends? How angry would my co-workers and my boss be? I couldn't imagine giving up my life, my CAREER, that I have worked so hard to earn and achieve. That would be submissive of me, I'd be falling right into what I (and quite frankly, A LOT of people) view to be the "Mormon way" of the woman giving up her needs to her husband (boyfriend at this time... but you know what I mean).<br />
<br />
Following our engagement, the idea of moving to the Provo area was still mentioned, and I still held on to my hopes of keeping my position at Finley Elementary. It started to become clear though that life wasn't quite shaping up the way Stephen and I originally imagined. As a pre-med student, Stephen's priorities were no longer on school. In order to stay competitive in the medical school candidate pool, his GPA would need a little work, and he'd have to keep cramming for the MCAT, but suddenly planning our life AFTER med school seemed more important. We kept pushing all of our focus away from our current circumstances, and we began to build a life in the Tri-Cities, even so much as to go and put down deposits on not ONE, but TWO separate apartments (that was a comical series of events). Each time we put down a deposit, something would come up that would prevent us from moving to those particular apartments, and neither one of us could figure out why so many things were working against us.<br />
<br />
Stephen and I began to argue more often. I became angry with his under-grad choices, yelling at him about studying skills and lack of focus, and all the things that he could no longer control. I became angrier at school, more on edge with my family, and generally just a very introverted individual. The straw that broke the camel's back, however, came when Stephen let his parents know that in good conscious, he could no longer graduate on time if he hoped to be competitive... he would have to go back and raise his GPA.<br />
<br />
[Disclaimer: Stephen's GPA isn't HORRIBLE, I promise you. I don't want you to get the wrong impression. Medical school is just SO TOUGH to get into these days that he wants to make sure his GPA stands out from the crowd, get it?]<br />
<br />
Suddenly, we were all fighting. Stephen and I began to try to work out what could be done to save our situation, and it wasn't looking good. In order to go back to school, Stephen would need to reapply to WSU Tri-Cities, which didn't ensure that all of his credit hours would transfer from BYU. The cost of tuition at even the Tri-Cities campus has gone up substantially, and in order to qualify for student loans and grants, Stephen would need to take a lot of completely unnecessary classes in order to boost his number of credit hours, or face paying out of pocket. Although many people pay out of pocket, and make it work, we were nervous about paying for rent, two car payments (and with the possibility of needing to buy a new car within the next year), car insurance, cell phone bills, utilities, groceries, heat, etc., as well as EXPENSIVE tuition on a teacher's salary. My contract accounted for no pay raise (even though I was moving up the pay scale as a third year teacher), and on top of that, staying with my job at Finley Elementary would require me to begin to pursue my ProCert (I don't want to explain THAT mess, but my teacher friends know what's up), which would be another payment completely out of pocket. To make matters even worse, the job market in the Tri-Cities isn't looking too hot, as the area continues to make cuts, thereby making the candidate pool for well paying jobs across the area even more deep. The possibility of Stephen getting a good job, while also attending classes, wasn't looking great.<br />
<br />
Naturally though, at this time, Stephen and I did the math, and realized that the tuition at BYU was MUCH cheaper. On top of that, Stephen already knew he qualified for great grants and loans, plus he was receiving tips about decent, if not VERY well, paying jobs from his friends on the inside around the Lehi-Orem-Provo area in Utah. I of course, was stubborn. My old mentality about being a strong, independent woman was getting in the way of seeing that moving would provide us with a much more secure future. I couldn't imgaine giving up "me." My career, my friends, my family, my LIFE. The only way I could describe how I felt was stuck- I literally felt like someone had dropped me into a twenty foot hole, and the only way I would even try to get out was by digging even further down. I even went so far as to question Stephen whether getting married at this time was the right choice, whether we needed another year apart to better ourselves before we settled down together.<br />
<br />
It was about this time though that the statements I was actually making hit me. I truly believe there is never a "right time" to be married. If Stephen and I held out for a "perfect" time, we'd be pushing this marriage back for years. Our marriage won't be about taking the easiest route, but it will be two people coming together, from two very different lives and backgrounds, trying to find a way to blend our craziness together into one. And at that time, I wasn't willing to budge. Even when I saw there was no way to find a good middle ground for us, I REFUSED to acknowledge that it might be my time to give in a little.<br />
<br />
Another disclaimer for you less spiritual individuals- I can't even tell you how often how hard I began to pray at this time. Over the last few years, I have found that in my darkest times, I tend to get the strongest answers to prayer. So needless to say, when I began to ask the right questions- "What is it you want us to do? What plans do you have for us? Do you want us to pack up and move to Utah?"- I felt peace that I hadn't felt in months. As scared as I was, and as stubborn as I felt, I knew there was a reason I felt so calm when I asked these questions.<br />
<br />
Stephen and I are meant to be, I know this without any doubt in my mind. Our circumstances have lead us to find one another when we both needed a person in our lives that provide what we provide to one another. He brings out the absolute best in me, and has changed my life in ways that I never imagined possible. We need each other, and it was time that I finally faced the fact that I knew, for months even, that moving to Utah was truly what was, and is, best for us.<br />
<br />
Before you jump on my back, let me explain. I know I am giving up a teaching job when people are begging for jobs. I know I probably seem ungrateful to some people who worked so hard to help me land my position, and I promise, I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunities I was given. I met some amazing people, worked harder than I ever thought I would, and put SO MUCH work into that DREAM fourth grade position (seriously, in a way, I was spoiled. Working alongside my master teacher in the school I student taught in, pretty primo), it is very hard to walk away from it. The reasons I want to keep my job at Finley though were pretty selfish. I was worried what it would look like to others, I was worried I was letting people down, I was worried about all of my hard work being for nothing. I am lucky enough to be in a field of work that, yes, although you and EVERY OTHER PERSON I HAVE TALKED TO assures me that the candidate pool in the Utah is completely saturated and half the women down there are teachers, I know I will get a job when the time is right. Whether it is for a position next year, or whether I am subbing, or whether I have to wait until Stephen and I are in a more permanent spot in our lives, I have faith that I am supposed to be a teacher, and I am a good one, and the perfect job will come when I am ready. I will find work, and I will help support Stephen and I, and it doesn't matter if it's in Finley or at another district. What does matter is that I am doing what will most help my family, including my future children, in the long run. We all know I will NOT be making the money in the family- teachers get paid SQUAT. Getting into this marriage, I knew that Stephen would need a lot of support getting to his goal of being a doctor. I also know that if he can get there, my family and I will be taken care of. It is just a matter of having faith knowing that although our lives might not be picture perfect for a few years, we will be taken care of.<br />
<br />
So with that being said, my current situation is this- as of today, I have applied for 16 teaching positions. I am holding a preliminary Utah license, as my credit hours and teaching experience has been verified by the USOE (like our OSPI), now I am just waiting for the fingerprinting to clear for my official, paper license. Stephen and I have found a wonderful apartment in Orem, and if I wasn't so frightened of stalkers, I would totally show you pictures of the grounds on this blog (text or message me on Facebook, and I'll show you!). The apartments were built in the late 90's, but are in the middle of a remodel. They have vaulted ceilings, two-toned paint, a separate dining room and kitchen, large patio with storage, separate laundry room, pantry, a HUGE walk in closet, and a roman style bathtub in our bathroom (seriously cannot wait to decorate this place!). And, the biggest perk? We are right down the street from Krispy Kreme! Ha ha ha.<br />
<br />
Stephen is waiting to hear back from a few companies he applied and interviewed for positions for, but I promise, even if these don't work out, he and I have come up with quite a few back-up plans (we have talked this out A LOT, promise). He is currently on track to take the MCAT and begin applying to med schools this fall (let's cross our fingers that we'll end up in Arizona or Southern California for a while!!). Tomorrow we are leaving to spend the week in Utah getting apartment needs together, clean out his current, "singles" apartment, and be fitted for our wedding garb. Oh yeah, and we're getting married in 38 days!<br />
<br />
Our lives might not be perfect. We might disappoint people. We might be judged by people who don't understand. We are happy though, and we both feel very good about our situation. And I have learned that although change is scary, we're going to be fine, because according to Pinterest...
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fpbtcJM0axVBq43jkOwoXQifBV3SVzDRqKX_F32bowerfBGj025z60E5zIqbcy2cmIA-39OyTqPBBaUDD9QMTt_Qk_h5ceSelR7tR6vlXjQTSCRHvKuy3jKI89zXjXrOhcU4zjzb1tc/s1600/75505731222753736_zWuc0iYR_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fpbtcJM0axVBq43jkOwoXQifBV3SVzDRqKX_F32bowerfBGj025z60E5zIqbcy2cmIA-39OyTqPBBaUDD9QMTt_Qk_h5ceSelR7tR6vlXjQTSCRHvKuy3jKI89zXjXrOhcU4zjzb1tc/s320/75505731222753736_zWuc0iYR_f.jpg" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home is wherever I am with you!</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-52298604598274962012012-05-30T17:11:00.002-07:002012-05-30T17:12:17.640-07:00UTAH- This is the Place!This last weekend my family finally made the flight to Utah with me, just to see what the fuss is all about. We were actually there to get some wedding/married life business straightened out and taken care of, but of course, as Peters we managed to learn a lot about each other AND the great state of Utah along the way. For instance:<br />
<br />
1. You can, and you will, get lost in the Salt Lake Valley. I don't care HOW many of you constantly tell me, "It's a grid system, it's SO EASY to figure out!" Also, Utah traffic heading down to Provo on a Friday night is atrocious, and Utahans... you cannot drive. So yes, driving in Utah is ALWAYS a pleasant experience.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg664uyyxzs6iAsUzmRhnqi9UV0o3kjcOMgKkojyqsH-MnWAZhD2T0MlndXZADD6_drNECxDVhkIzhRcN6gweV056mRITpEwIcHrk4uVtYRkB2c640zYjH5eaUhi7aZUBZFSkYdfyvfxkk/s1600/map2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg664uyyxzs6iAsUzmRhnqi9UV0o3kjcOMgKkojyqsH-MnWAZhD2T0MlndXZADD6_drNECxDVhkIzhRcN6gweV056mRITpEwIcHrk4uVtYRkB2c640zYjH5eaUhi7aZUBZFSkYdfyvfxkk/s400/map2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where are you going? Well... wouldn't YOU like to know?! And don't even get me started on Utah below the point of the mountain...</td></tr>
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2. You could probably go an entire year, once a day to The Cheesecake Factory, and never try EVERYTHING on the menu, it's that huge... And, no matter how full you are, there is ALWAYS room for key lime mango cheesecake. It's tradition.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByS9uTRtAKOtNnbhExzXSxYsX14tlYe_O4Pteypl1U66SrmVmG66RUbWMUFtmQNQM8WhBUtYyCqhM4ue3EozBetpBqJQJQ_pE6DOACu-UtPf1JYLInT9JE0wMGz-6a06NWIjkEfcsWcQ/s1600/thumb_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByS9uTRtAKOtNnbhExzXSxYsX14tlYe_O4Pteypl1U66SrmVmG66RUbWMUFtmQNQM8WhBUtYyCqhM4ue3EozBetpBqJQJQ_pE6DOACu-UtPf1JYLInT9JE0wMGz-6a06NWIjkEfcsWcQ/s400/thumb_600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I normally don't stray from my Dulce de Leche cheesecake... but for you? I'll make an exception.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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3. It WILL snow in Utah the last weekend in May, and you better be ready for it. And if you're going up to Park City to sight-see on the aforementioned snowy May weekend, you should bring a coat, because people WILL get upset if you refuse to get out of the car.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2U-Fmwrws-kRb965g0U3Owetw39UwXkIJu4hV4rYhilJbPMAzDwdAqo_x-D0jo9sj2EWPvXBZZgV50OPUeepb7eTg2qAFHhFUKoVBzQuv-5ADBCkyjpGAq_T1eNqbTBwWyN12xrqPmdk/s1600/parkcityutah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2U-Fmwrws-kRb965g0U3Owetw39UwXkIJu4hV4rYhilJbPMAzDwdAqo_x-D0jo9sj2EWPvXBZZgV50OPUeepb7eTg2qAFHhFUKoVBzQuv-5ADBCkyjpGAq_T1eNqbTBwWyN12xrqPmdk/s400/parkcityutah.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay... maybe this is an exaggeration of the weather...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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4. Joe's Crab Shack= obnoxious on Saturday nights. We had the rudest server EVER, and on top of that, at around 8 o'clock the girls tried to dance like they were contestants at Coyote Ugly... only a lot less graceful [if Coyote Ugly has any grace]. But I did get a SWEET T-shirt.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplru8bM_3NGfBN-MRebzPivPjysRvruHXmhtH9J2b8ZV9mTNtZQh1kXd6EKj2dlsuB8-1LKeYOvV9ID8fJ9u1YTqfcFDpdNGmCfnw5_z0mBxz0syA178toWy229TD2C2vFVWKSh6L21I/s1600/154558.IMG_0888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplru8bM_3NGfBN-MRebzPivPjysRvruHXmhtH9J2b8ZV9mTNtZQh1kXd6EKj2dlsuB8-1LKeYOvV9ID8fJ9u1YTqfcFDpdNGmCfnw5_z0mBxz0syA178toWy229TD2C2vFVWKSh6L21I/s400/154558.IMG_0888.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You feel awkward just looking at this, DON'T YOU?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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5. IKEA cinnamon rolls will bring families together... and that store has everything. Want a dancing carrot doll? Done!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQcfrdjj2z3sDttyjUaRosF96n4tUOJWtQeK5OfcyYQZEIsPjgAqFSIhAqsRs-SQ8qyP4NrvQrMTPWu2OTYSafhfQmTP0Tton9Ew5tnB0eEG-vnV4AhK-G-It6TtDssuVyipK0G7nKOM/s1600/IMG_0865_16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQcfrdjj2z3sDttyjUaRosF96n4tUOJWtQeK5OfcyYQZEIsPjgAqFSIhAqsRs-SQ8qyP4NrvQrMTPWu2OTYSafhfQmTP0Tton9Ew5tnB0eEG-vnV4AhK-G-It6TtDssuVyipK0G7nKOM/s400/IMG_0865_16.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I finally saw the nutrition information on these. I still eat'em.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2kwLYFzjBtuHIbQ8-PPy8YaglEAWViJzYJsNsT6O34AqRv7nvh-0t0-0464dfzFl4eHa92SAHNweUBYLMWQBnUCxmPQuIrCZa7TrHgX0dP86o9dt3YvamAwBm_xBEe_ovG0v1aqiI_0/s1600/ikea_plus_toy_veggies_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2kwLYFzjBtuHIbQ8-PPy8YaglEAWViJzYJsNsT6O34AqRv7nvh-0t0-0464dfzFl4eHa92SAHNweUBYLMWQBnUCxmPQuIrCZa7TrHgX0dP86o9dt3YvamAwBm_xBEe_ovG0v1aqiI_0/s400/ikea_plus_toy_veggies_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrot= Matt; Strawberry= Me; Broccoli= Stephen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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6. City Creek Center is closed on Sundays. Fashion Place is not. Deal with it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWMQa-rxmJgSGVsGYGOD0SE-24YRrJCBnnmeqHL9wJyxu4SI8GfarlkY4qOXF4vTbb42uPG0Z3SN4oI5_35YjXKfd7B2WVRkIaXUqzj-rqhflS7xQ-_6zdOH96I_1M0NmbkrLuljYbsc/s1600/city-creek-center-1-e1334164988466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWMQa-rxmJgSGVsGYGOD0SE-24YRrJCBnnmeqHL9wJyxu4SI8GfarlkY4qOXF4vTbb42uPG0Z3SN4oI5_35YjXKfd7B2WVRkIaXUqzj-rqhflS7xQ-_6zdOH96I_1M0NmbkrLuljYbsc/s400/city-creek-center-1-e1334164988466.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
All in all, it's always hard to say goodbye to Utah. No matter what you all might think about the place... it certainly makes for an eventful trip!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-37402130725675926152012-05-05T17:43:00.000-07:002012-05-05T17:43:05.069-07:00Musings of a Fourth Grade TeacherLike I've said before- there are some BIG changes coming. Changes that have caused a lot of struggles, arguments, and flat out second guessing. I've been praying more with much more fervor recently, trying to find a reason for all these changes, looking for guidance, comfort, and just trying to make sense of it all. I've even begun to wonder if I am in the wrong profession.<br />
<br />
I've been a lot more angry recently, too. I've been blaming my problems on everyone but myself, even going so far as being resentful towards my students for all the problems educators are facing these days. I can't tell you how many times I have gone to school in the morning and beat myself up over the fact that most of my students don't seem to be able to retain anything. In my head I am screaming, "WHY can't you care? WHY don't you turn in your work? WHY do you talk so much?," but until these last few weeks I've kept that anger away from the kids. With the M.S.P. rearing it's ugly head though, my private thoughts have become vocalized. I've begun to find myself scowling at my students, thinking angry thoughts, turning them away from my desk when they've had questions ("I JUST explained that two minutes ago, you can't tell me you've ALREADY forgotten it!"), quieting them when they've tried to tell me about their weekend. I've yelled at them, pointed fingers, saying "IT'S UP TO YOU TO CARE AND TRY YOUR BEST! I'VE DONE MY PART!," shaming them in front of their entire class.<br />
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I've gone from waking up, excited to try to open my kids' minds to just how amazing the world around them really is, trying my best to inspire them to learn, to flat out wondering if I am any good as an instructor. The news at school is continually bad- state budget cuts are hurting us, our test scores are failing, our state standards are being dropped for national standards. I barely have the money to purchase pencils for my classroom. I've felt hopeless, trampled on, silenced, and discouraged.<br />
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I continued to pray though. The world around me was starting to open up opportunities that might allow me to actually step away from education... but is that really what I wanted? Spiritually, I have had reassurance in the past that teaching is my path, but it just didn't seem that way anymore. Why had things gotten so bad? Why wasn't I receiving any guidance?<br />
<br />
Yesterday, I woke up, and told myself I would try harder. If not for my sanity, but for my kids. I had gone home on Thursday night completely defeated- nauseous, sick with worry about the writing M.S.P. they had taken that day, disgusted with their behavior after the test, discouraged by their apathy towards the test. So on Friday morning, I put on my pink, sparkly Toms, and resolved to be my old self.<br />
<br />
I pledged to my class- the old Miss Peters will be here today. They all cheered, I'M NOT KIDDING. A few of my outspoken students raised their hand and told me they hated how cranky I had been- I told them I hated it too.<br />
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Following their departure to P.E., I had to make a few parent phone calls. I saw the name of one of the parents I had to call, and I froze. She is, to date, one of the most difficult mothers I have ever had to work with, and Friday proved to be no different. Upon calling to let her know I had suspicion to believe that her student had forged her signature on their mid-trimester report, this mother unleashed Hell. She began using our phone call as a platform to state her grievances- how much she hates the block scheduling, how her student "bloomed" in their third grade class, how that student had become a liar and a thief, how her student hasn't formed a bond with any of her instructors, how she hates the administration in the district, and how she like to see her student pulled from our school for fifth grade. I was dumbfounded. The old me would've crawled into a corner, started crying, and started blaming this phone call on the student, but then the mother said something that hurt even more than what she was saying about my school-<br />
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"I give up. I wish I would've never adopted [this student]."<br />
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Talk about a kick to the gut. I literally almost dropped the phone because I couldn't believe what I had heard. To give up on a TEN YEAR OLD... and then it hit me: I had given up on 75 ten year olds. My behavior was just as revolting as this mother's. I myself had thrown up my hands and had said the very same thing, "I GIVE UP." After making apology after apology, and promising everything I could to help this student, I hung up. As angry as I was with that mother, her phone call had awakened something in me that had been dormant for too long- these kids need me.<br />
<br />
I was put on planet earth to be an advocate. Not for something fruity like union involvement or gun control laws [oh no, I am TOO Republican for that business], but for children. The climate at my school is what it is because of the society we live in. Family structure has been torn apart, children are not disciplined, but most of all... children are not shown the love they need. I can't tell you some of the other comments I have heard from parents AND students these last two years I have worked in a public school. There are children in my classes literally BEGGING for attention, for someone to say "I love you enough to not only be here for you, but to also provide you with a safe place where you feel comfortable, to show you and teach you about the world around you, but to also give you enough structure to succeed." Some of my kids (not all, I also know some AWESOME parents!) never feel this way at home... and somehow, along these last couple of years, I have forgotten that I may very well be the only adult who gives them this.<br />
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Needless to say, before the kids left that day, I pulled this student aside and said- "I wanted to let you know, I called your mother. She knows you forged her signature. I also want to say that, no matter what happens at home, just know I do care about you, so much. I want to help you. Let me help you." I gave this student a big hug, and although they pulled away from me looking puzzled, if not slightly apathetic, I hope they remember what I said, not only now, but for years to come. I really do love my students. I love my job. I love the opportunity it gives me to impact so many people, and I know THIS is what I meant to do.<br />
<br />
Thank you for showing me that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-90090019141185458582012-04-29T21:27:00.002-07:002012-04-29T21:27:50.300-07:00Reflecting on a YearWhat? My time is up?<div>
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... you mean to tell me that my challenge is OVER?! </div>
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I don't know HOW it snuck up on me, but I realized that as of today, my baking blog is DONE! </div>
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And I didn't meet my goal. Not even close. If I were to put on my teacher hat and actually SCORE myself on my goal, I would receive a solid 68%... we're talkin' a D+ at best people. </div>
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I have a pile of excuses, but I'll spare you the details. What I can tell you is, I LEARNED TO BAKE. And I learned to bake well. Not every recipe was one for the ages, but I found some real winners. I have a new goal of creating a family cookbook out of some of the recipes featured in the blog... when I've got the time... someday...</div>
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Reflecting back on this year, I can tell you, my life has CHANGED. Some for the better, some for the worse... </div>
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1) I've made friends in all different states</div>
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2) I've visited cities I'd never dreamed I'd see (shout out to Phoenix)</div>
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3) I've acquired a taste for sushi</div>
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4) I've dropped the pounds</div>
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5) The gym has become my anti-drug</div>
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6) I've lived in Utah... and LIKED IT</div>
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7) I've stopped drinking</div>
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8) I've been to IKEA</div>
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9) I've been attacked by a raccoon</div>
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10) I've shot a hole in one at mini golf</div>
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11) I've been tricked into going on a roller coaster</div>
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12) I've jumped in a two foot deep rain puddle (thank you Provo flash floods!)</div>
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13) I've had a surprise party</div>
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14) I became engaged to the love of my life</div>
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15) I've planned a wedding in Hawaii</div>
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16) I received a proper kiss at midnight on New Year's Eve</div>
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17) I learned how to walk in heels</div>
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18) I've watched the snow fall with the one I love</div>
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19) I've developed a nail polish addiction</div>
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20) I've suddenly become a "science/social studies specialist"</div>
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I've also realized: a whole new chapter of my life starts soon. Very soon. I am soon to be a wife, a companion to a man whom I love more than anything. I'm going to be the start of a whole new family... talk about pressure. And potential for being the BEST blog ever!</div>
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Will I continue to blog about my baking treats? OF COURSE! I'm no failure, I've got to hit 100 recipes EVENTUALLY. I will, however, be taking a new twist on things. </div>
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Get ready: I'll be bringing you the triumphs and challenges from the NEW Bairds. Our lives are about to go through some BIG changes... so why not write about them?</div>
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... love you guys. Thanks for caring about my misadventures. </div>
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- Kristen</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-24080423643466709192012-04-13T20:36:00.000-07:002012-04-13T20:36:51.672-07:00Love and Birthdays: #67 and #68Meet my fiance.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIiwTAXaBIM57CHg7H8YRdjfbmUcTFRxZMwouKoFjLqiicv8osxfggzru42pDZ_8Xzb-KG-lfxvIs1KDS9mvRUfA-mzTaDcqtiOTFXSgN6T4wSZFoSUyLN5PaYU-ScgQbyHr4jiFX-UM/s1600/_MG_0560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIiwTAXaBIM57CHg7H8YRdjfbmUcTFRxZMwouKoFjLqiicv8osxfggzru42pDZ_8Xzb-KG-lfxvIs1KDS9mvRUfA-mzTaDcqtiOTFXSgN6T4wSZFoSUyLN5PaYU-ScgQbyHr4jiFX-UM/s320/_MG_0560.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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He's the most wonderful person I have ever met, and I don't think I tell him that often enough.<br />
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His birthday falls during my spring break, and I always try to devote a good weekend or so to trying to make him feel as loved as he always makes me feel. I kind of hate feeling like I'll never be able to "repay" him for how much he has changed my life for the good, but I can certainly try... with pastry. That's what I do, right?<br />
<br />
... I actually feel kind of tacky seguing this particular blog entry into a recipe list. I feel like I should instead just try to put into words my feelings for this man. How I can't wait to spend Christmas mornings with him and our little family, make Sunday breakfasts and read the paper, go to bed at 9 and be that 'old, married couple' we get teased for being, raise children with, and grow old and gray with. How he can change my day with just a phone call (or sometimes, with a hug). How he still is as exciting to me as a "high school crush" after nearly two years of dating. How everyone always has such wonderful things to say about him (yeeeeeeah, he's mine).<br />
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There is no one I would rather drive down the highway screaming Katy Perry with. Eat "experimental" sushi with. Cry with. Laugh with. People watch with. Awkwardly slow dance in a living room with. Cook with. Smile stupidly with while he plays his guitar (love guitar players).<br />
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There is no one more patient. How many times have you held me while I've cried, listened while I've complained, and feigned interest with while I've tried to explain which of Nicki Minaj's alter-egos is singing during a particular song?<br />
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There is no one more loving. Caring. Giving.<br />
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I love ya, Stephen. And I always will.<br />
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And now I have to share your recipes I made for you, okay? <3<br />
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#67: Lemon Raspberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (AKA Stephen's 25th birthday cake. Best served following dinner with friends at P.F. Chang's, and finished with a spoon and a frown following my departure back to Washington)<br />
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As found on <a href="http://angieriver.com/">http://angieriver.com</a><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Cake Bar Ingredients</b></span></span><br />1 lemon cake mix<br />1/4 c. oil<br />1 egg<br />1/2 c. heavy whipping cream<br />1/3 c. milk<br />1 tsp vanilla<br />1 1/2 c. frozen raspberries or fresh raspberries</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Frosting Ingredients</b></span><br />2 oz. cream cheese<br />1/2 c. powdered sugar<br />1/2 c. heavy whipping cream (whipped)<br />1/2 tsp lemon extract or fresh lemon juice (optional)</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) Mix together cake mix, milk, whipping cream, vanilla and egg.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) Fold in raspberries until just combined.</span></div>
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-Like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CPRs_XmiA3TFmcm5797U9dYDAhjnGfSJ_GIysTsgRGQeMeeok1KfM7orfF1wRsQ_pN1X99lwC2Kb-QraNpsTcqWEIbldBA5RNA4j0-r-cXyELNihA49XNLsUdcUtXqHM66v5sDm2giM/s1600/photo+(19).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CPRs_XmiA3TFmcm5797U9dYDAhjnGfSJ_GIysTsgRGQeMeeok1KfM7orfF1wRsQ_pN1X99lwC2Kb-QraNpsTcqWEIbldBA5RNA4j0-r-cXyELNihA49XNLsUdcUtXqHM66v5sDm2giM/s320/photo+(19).JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) Bake in 8x8 greased.baking pan for 25-30 minutes minutes at 350º.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Yeah, that easy. So good though. Seriously, it took everything in me not to just eat the batter prior to baking... but I suppose I am always pretty guilty of that. One thing to note, I had to keep my cake in the oven for 45 minutes, because the center wasn't rising the way it should have. It still never did, but I had to take it out after 45 because the top was browning too much. And then of course, the middle sunk after I took it out of the oven. I just spread the frosting evenly over the cake, so it wasn't AS noticeable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Frosting Instructions:</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />1) In a small bowl whip heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer for a couple minutes until it thickens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) In a separate bowl mix together cream cheese and powdered sugar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) Add heavy whipping cream to cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth and thick. Place in refrigerator until bars cool completely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> -Notice she also forgot to mention the lemon juice? I didn't add it either. The cake itself is pretty lemony, so I didn't feel like it needed it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4) Frost bars and serve (or refrigerate until serving).</span></div>
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I also woke up early on Friday and popped this in the oven for breakfast. </div>
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#68: Overnight Blueberry French Toast (as found on <a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/">http://www.sixsistersstuff.com</a>)</div>
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Following the success of my first overnight french toast casserole, and per Stephen's request, I made this bad boy. I wasn't as impressed with it as I was with the delicious, cinnamony one I made a week earlier for his family, but he really enjoyed this.</div>
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Ingredients: </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">French Toast: </b><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">12 slices bread, cut into cubes (french or Texas toast work well)</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut in cubes</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">12 large eggs</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">1/3 cup maple syrup</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">2 cups milk (I use 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream)</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Syrup: </b><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">1 cup sugar</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">1 cup water</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">2 Tablespoons cornstarch</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">1 Tablespoon butter </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">1. Arrange 1/2 of the bread cubes in a greased 9 x 13 pan. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Sprinkle cream cheese cubes and blueberries evenly over the bread cubes.</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: inherit;">Top with remaining bread cubes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">2. Mix together eggs, milk, and syrup. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Pour over bread cubes and cover pan with foil. Let chill in refrigerator overnight.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> - This, ladies and gentlemen, is what 12 eggs looks like. Cracked. And it all went in this recipe. Bleck.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">3. Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until fluffy and golden. Top with sauce. Serves 8. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - Yeah, we didn't have any foil, so I opted without it. I wish I wouldn't have. Since the top browned pretty quickly, I had to take the pan out of the oven so the bread wouldn't burn, but the bottom was still pretty eggy. Definitely could've been prevented if I had followed the recipe. I think I was only able to keep it in for about 40 minutes uncovered. Lesson learned.<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">4. Syrup: Cook water, sugar, and cornstarch until thickened. Stir in blueberries and simmer for 10 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Serve over the french toast.</span></span>
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There you go. Make this for someone you love. From us, to you.</div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-92127089949958932882012-04-09T19:37:00.000-07:002012-04-09T19:37:37.249-07:00The Most Important Meal of the Day: #65 and #66Anyone who knows me well knows my love for breakfast. Seriously. I could eat waffles, pancakes, scrambled eggs, muffins, smoothies, sausage links, and french toast for every meal for days on end and never tire of it. I also love when an opportunity arises for me to SHARE breakfast with someone, because let's be honest- breakfast most mornings means grabbing a bowl of oatmeal, cold cereal, or a Slim Fast bar on your way out the door... and that is a shame. A CRYING SHAME. Food this delicious is meant to be shared, and there it nothing I love more than getting to show up at a friend's door, still in my sweats, hair a mess, holding onto a delicious breakfast baked good we're going to share over cocoa and gossip. Ugh, SQUEAL! I die.<div>
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This blog contains not one, but TWO delish treats I made a couple of weekends ago (My friends and family are spoiled). The first was a cupcake my friend recommended to me about two months prior to me actually making them. I had been struggling trying to find something fun to bring to Nichelle's house, and had settled on a sticky bun recipe in a cookbook she had bought me as a gift (<a href="http://www.ourbestbites.com/">http://www.ourbestbites.com/</a>... that is their website. I'd type the name of the actual book, but I wouldn't want any of you jumping down my throat for the wrong reasons). ANYWAYS, long story short, upon heading to the grocery store I quickly realized that in order to obtain 18 of the Rhodes rolls mentioned in the sticky bun recipe, I'd either have to buy 3 6-packs of rolls... which was RIDICULOUSLY expensive... or one 36 roll pack... which was unnecessary. Cut to me rolling my eyes, and quickly pulling up my Pinterest, where I had remembered my friend Gabby had found a recipe for a, GET THIS</div>
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*CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH CUPCAKE*</div>
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... YEAH, so mind-blowing it got center billing.</div>
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Okay, so... maybe cupcakes aren't traditional breakfast fare, but Cinnamon Toast Crunch is, and considering this particular weekend was also Gabby's last at a certain coffee conglomerate (... which shall remain nameless; however, I myself used to wear their GREEN, UNFLATTERING apron), I knew her recipe would be a perfect excuse to visit her, drop off some num-nums, and congratulate her on a job well done. Yes. Perfect recipe.</div>
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#65: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes (as found on <a href="http://www.yourcupofcake.com/">http://www.yourcupofcake.com</a>... apparently my fiance knows the woman running this blog, so shout-out to Lizzy!)</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Cinnamon Cake:</span></div>
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<div class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-1" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">3 eggs</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">1/3 cup oil</span></div>
<div class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-3" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">¾ cup buttermilk</span></div>
<div class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-4" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></div>
<div class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-5" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">¾ cup sour cream</span></div>
<div class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-6" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Vanilla Cake Mix (not white cake mix)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;">Cinnamon Toast Crunch Buttercream:</span></div>
<div class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-12" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">8 oz cream cheese, softened</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">½ cup butter, softened</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon vanilla</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">3 cups powdered sugar</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">2/3 cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch powder</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">(Crush the cereal in a bag and then sift out 2/3 cup)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Directions:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with 20-22 cupcake liners.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> In a large bowl, gently combine eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Mix in sour cream.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> - I know what you're thinking, and yes, I had a minor panic attack putting both buttermilk and sour cream in this batter. Two of my greatest baking fears, COMBINED. They are completely necessary though- I have NEVER had such a fluffy, soft homemade cupcake before.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">2. Add cake mix and cinnamon and mix until smooth. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">3. While the cupcakes are baking, make the buttercream frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add Cinnamon Toast Crunch powder. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Adjust the consistency using milk if it is too thick.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> - I usually stray from putting as much powdered sugar as called for in my frosting recipes, just because I prefer the other flavors in the frosting to shine, but this recipe has JUST ENOUGH cream cheese that you can still taste it even with all that sugar. The scary part, however, was putting the cereal in the frosting. I hadn't noticed it said to SIFT the cereal after crushing (WHOOPS), so my frosting ended up having chunks of cereal in it. Weird at first, but delicious once the cupcakes had sat in the freezer for the night. The cereal softened up just enough to where it wasn't crunchy- I don't know HOW, but it just worked!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">8. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and top with cinnamon sugar and Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> - I actually DID the piping using a plastic bag technique I learned off of Pinterest, and it worked WONDERFULLY! And my cupcakes actually didn't look half bad- of course, I forgot to take pictures, but here is the picture from Lizzy's site:</span></div>
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The next project was for, who else, the BAIRDS! I was heading over to their house early Sunday morning for some brunch, and I thought I'd bring over a little treat, because I.LOVE.FRENCH.TOAST.</div>
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#66: Overnight French Toast Casserole (as found on <a href="http://quick-dish.tablespoon.com/">http://quick-dish.tablespoon.com</a>)</div>
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Whoever invented overnight casseroles deserve a big-old-medal for it. Seriously, genius! ... I am becoming such a housewife...</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1/4 cup butter, melted</div>
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3/4 cup packed light brown sugar</div>
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1 loaf Texas Toast bread (the blog recommended brioche or challah, but people, I AM FROM THE TRI-CITIES. We don't have that kind of selection at Albertson's... French bread would also work well)</div>
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8 eggs, slightly beaten</div>
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1 cup milk</div>
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract</div>
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</div>
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1/4 teaspoon ground ginger</div>
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1/2 cup chopped pecans</div>
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1/8 teaspoon salt</div>
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maple syrup and powdered sugar for topping</div>
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Directions:</div>
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1. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and melted butter and pour on the bottom on a 9x13 baking dish.</div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> - Pour? Huh... my mixture was super thick, and I ended up spreading it all over the bottom of the pan with a spoon, and it had a texture similar to that sugar scrub you put on your skin to exfoliate it. I guess I didn't melt the butter enough?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">2. Arrange pieces of bread in the baking dish, overlapping if necessary.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">3. Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl and pour evenly over bread slices. Sprinkle chopped pecans over bread slices. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4-12 hours.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> - Sprinkle? Shoot, I pulled back the bread and STUFFED those pecans between the slices. Every bite had a little nut... that's how we do! OH, and a side note: when I made this, our fridge was stuffed, so I ended up putting the casserole dish in the freezer. I thought it was a genius move at the time, but looking back on it, I think the dish cooled so rapidly that the egg wasn't able to completely soak into the bread, and instead just kind of stayed at the bottom of the pan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">4. In the morning, take the casserole out of the fridge for at least 10 minutes while you are preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Bake casserole for 30-35 minutes. If it starts browning too quickly, place a foil loosely over the top of the casserole for the last 10 minutes or so. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> - Good advice on the last part. My bread browned really nicely during the first 35 minutes, but the bottom was still eggy... so I covered it and set it back in the over for another 10 minutes and it worked beautifully.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">5. Remove casserole from oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">This was good. Too good. I may never make traditional french toast again. The best part was the brown sugar at the bottom of the pan that got all crusty and warm at the bottom of the toast. Ugh. SO GOOD!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">... I forgot pictures again. So here is this to tide you over:</span></span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-74099834281979728672012-03-31T23:50:00.000-07:002012-03-31T23:50:49.053-07:00Cray-cray for Nutella: #63 and #64So, this is more or less a blog I've been "guilt-stricken" into writing, if that makes any sense. My diet hasn't been good, at all. Thankfully, my gym habits have been keeping off the weight (I LOVE FREE WEIGHTS!). I just haven't felt compelled to do anything... pretty much everything in my responsibility has fallen to the wayside, whether it be blogging, correcting papers, or genuinely wanting to be at school. But due to the fact that I realized the end of my one year challenge is drawing upon us (Spring already??), the necessity of this post really kind of smacked me upside the head.<br />
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Much like life itself is doing these days. Sigh.<br />
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ANYWAYS, long story short, last week I needed to bake. NEEDED TO. And I knew I NEEDED to bake with Nutella. I had found a great Nutella cookie recipe that I hadn't used yet, and I was just chomping at the bit to try it, especially considering the people I was baking for had no known peanut allergies (sorry little A, Auntie Kristen will make it up to you!). Now, the trouble began when I went to the store to pick up the necessary ingredients. Albertson's evidently was having a sale on Nutella, which should be a total *WOOT! SCORE ONE FOR KRISTEN!* kind of moment, but what it really meant was the store was out of the typical sized Nutella jars. What I had to purchase instead? I'd like to introduce you to...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1SzPDApzY259t3hkbprcy1lldt66mAXGhEurII8q6vJyxBQm7VMcTLjEqNBg6y2k7DXgVhlqCZStnhu_w2NTPU2qW5eVfjO7bOWkysyGzk8PlUJyfLaZiVU5Kpzx0JXulY2TUozg8iI/s1600/photo+(17).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1SzPDApzY259t3hkbprcy1lldt66mAXGhEurII8q6vJyxBQm7VMcTLjEqNBg6y2k7DXgVhlqCZStnhu_w2NTPU2qW5eVfjO7bOWkysyGzk8PlUJyfLaZiVU5Kpzx0JXulY2TUozg8iI/s320/photo+(17).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="hps" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-size: 24px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">*La</span><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-size: 24px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span class="hps" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-size: 24px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">avellana</span><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-size: 24px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span class="hps" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-size: 24px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">grande!*</span></span><br />
<span class="hps" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 24px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
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<span class="hps" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; text-align: -webkit-auto;">... which evidently translates to THE BIG HAZELNUT in English, via Google Translator</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: #333333;">Actually, this picture DOESN'T do the jar justice. This baby was big. Upon seeing the aforementioned jar, my mother pointed at it and yelled "YOU GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!" because she understands the power of Nutella spread and the damages it can cause to an Ideal Protein Diet. </span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: #333333;">Anyways, long story short, I had enough Nutella to feed a small army, so I decided to do what any other normal human being would do with it- bake not ONE, but TWO treats. And here they be:</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: #333333;">#63: Peanut Butter and Nutella Swirl Cookies (as found on </span><a href="http://delightfulbitefuls.blogspot.com/" style="text-align: center;">http://delightfulbitefuls.blogspot.com</a>)</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Ingredients: </div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">3/4 cup smooth peanut butter</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">1/2 cup white sugar</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">1/2 cup packed brown sugar</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">1 egg</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">3/4 teaspoon baking soda</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Approx. 1/4 cup Nutella</span></span> </div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Directions:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">1. Preheat oven to 350° F.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">2. Combine butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well blended.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">3. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Drizzle Nutella on top of the dough then swirl it through the dough with a butter knife. </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">4. Chill dough 15 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll into balls by hand. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Using a fork, press down the balls to flatten slightly. Bake until edges are very lightly browned (about 7 to 10 minutes). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That's it! Easy, and actually pretty good. Although to be forewarned, working with the Nutella in this batter was kind of a pain in the rear. It didn't want to blend very well with the peanut butter dough, so I ended up making these nice round balls with smears of Nutella almost hanging off of them. Definitely not a pretty cookie, but delicious all the same.</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Now, the next cookies were obviously a result of my panicked, "What am I going to do with all of this Nutella?" state of mind. I found this recipe on Pinterest, and the recipe SOUNDED better than it actually was... I tempted to write the owner of that blog to let them know they should rename these cookies "Cowpie cookies," because that's what they look like. </div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">#64: Nutella Cookies (AKA: Kristen's Cowpies... as found on <a href="http://tastykitchen.com/">http://tastykitchen.com</a>)</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Ingredients:</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">1 cup</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> </span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Nutella</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">½ cups</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> </span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Sugar</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">1 cup</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> </span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">All-purpose Flour</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">1 whole</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> </span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Egg</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.125em; padding-right: 0.125em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Directions:</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #5f6161; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Preheat oven to 350 F.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">2. Blend all </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">ingredients</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> together well. Form into 1″ balls. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Place on a cookie sheet. Press down firmly with the bottom of a glass. Bake 7-8 minutes or until set. Cool.</span></span></div><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Okay, I'm sorry, but my cookies, when smushed onto the cookie sheet using the bottom of the glass, didn't turn out like the perfectly round ones shown on the websites picture. Instead, mine literally looked like smashed cow pies... not exactly appetizing. They also had a really gritty texture, so needless to say, I am Nutella-ed out!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPV-0gqK0U5-myUARG35fUptdPuvE_NgOC7VSX3mcV9ch2qXKi8HHlzqDbDaK3HCATqnKx15qTfPuTbI1U3RV3i75TM24Uy0OB0T2XgX7WPFpdSAGsoBGZ__srUGulqG2Et7LkK1HdNQ/s1600/photo+(18).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPV-0gqK0U5-myUARG35fUptdPuvE_NgOC7VSX3mcV9ch2qXKi8HHlzqDbDaK3HCATqnKx15qTfPuTbI1U3RV3i75TM24Uy0OB0T2XgX7WPFpdSAGsoBGZ__srUGulqG2Et7LkK1HdNQ/s320/photo+(18).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">What did I tell you? NOT very pretty.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-62197056983652894262012-03-12T16:46:00.000-07:002012-03-12T16:46:01.500-07:00#62... and a little diet update...Well, I did it. I've managed to hit my lowest weight thus far. I don't know HOW I did it? My diet, again, took a major backseat this week. Having come down with strep throat last weekend, I took a solid 8 days off from my workout regime, and was forced instead to take a truly awful antibiotic that ruined me. TRULY RUINED ME. Evidently, I have a much more sensitive tummy than I thought because that pill tore me up... I literally couldn't 1) swallow solid food, much less liquid for a solid two days thanks to my strep throat and 2) couldn't keep solid food DOWN for the following two days thanks to the vomiting the antibiotic induced (awesome discussion for a food blog, yeah?).<br />
<br />
ANYWAYS, long story short, you think with my lack of food I would've LOST a ton of weight, right? WRONG, I actually gained enough to be back up to about 136.6 over the course of being sick, which was cruel and unusual punishment on top of everything else. Thankfully after discovering my issues with the first antibiotic, the doctor put me on something a little less strong, and I celebrated being able to eat like a normal person by not only getting DELICIOUS sushi on Wednesday night with Jenna, but also helping myself to both a pineapple mango smoothie and a sausage McMuffin at McDonald's on Thursday morning before parent/teacher conferences because I deserved it. Conferences are HORRIBLE so I NEEDED a treat, and how often are you up early enough to get McDonald's for breakfast, honestly?<br />
<br />
So after all of that... I lost weight. I don't understand my body, I probably never will.<br />
<br />
Weight on 12/29/2011- 146.6 pounds<br />
Weight as of 3/10/2012- 133.6 pounds<br />
Total weight loss- 13 pounds<br />
Weight to go until goal #2- 3.6 pounds (if I want to hit 130... gosh, who knows anymore, LOL)<br />
<br />
The biggest reason I wanted to write this blog though was because I baked. For no real good reason. Well, maybe there was a reason. I came across the most girly, pink cookies, and I needed to make them. NEEDED TO. I have been doing so much chocolate lately, I needed a little break, plus pink is just so springy, it's exactly what we need on this dreary, rainy, windy Sunday morning in the Tri-Cities. Plus, I am hoping it influences some of my future sister-in-laws to make me some more nieces, because this world needs more adorable little girls... or that's what I've decided after seeing WAY TOO MANY adorable little girl items on Pinterest lately. It wouldn't be too premature for me to create a board on Pinterest for baby items, would it? Yes? Dang...<br />
<br />
#62: Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (as found on <a href="http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/">http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com</a>)<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
For the cookies:<br />
1/2 cup of butter, softened<br />
2 large eggs<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla<br />
One 18.25 oz. box of strawberry cake mix (I used Pillsbury, because I've found it's the cheapest usually, and it makes the fluffiest baked goods. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it)<br />
<br />
For the frosting:<br />
1/2 cup of butter, softened<br />
3/4 cup of cream cheese, softened<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla<br />
3 cups of powdered sugar<br />
<br />
Directions:<br />
<br />
Just a heads up, I improvised a lot because I saw the recipe turning out badly if I followed it verbatim, so if you check the original recipe, you'll see many tweaks!<br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease cookie sheet with cooking spray.<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> <span style="line-height: 20px;">In a mixing bowl combine the softened butter, eggs, vanilla and stir by hand or with a mixer until combined. Add the cake mix and stir until smooth. If the dough seems too wet to be cookie dough, add a bit more cake mix, one tablespoon at a time, until it’s less wet. Conversely, if the dough seems dry and it’s not combining, add a tablespoon or two of water.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> - Blah, blah, blah- yeah, I went ahead and just dumped all the </span></span><span style="line-height: 20px;">ingredients</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> into a bowl, mixed them with my hand mixer until the batter was nice and smooth. I didn't need to add and additional cake mix or water, promise.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> * PS- love her use of the word "conversely" in a food blog. Big-ups to SAT words!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">2. Chill dough in freezer for 15-20 minutes, as chilled dough seems to spread less while baking. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> - Just do it, trust me.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">3. Take the dough out of the freezer, and roll into 1-inch round balls (I just used a tablespoon measure, scooped out my batter, rolled it in my hands, and plopped it on the cookie sheet. BOOM! Perfect). Stick cookies in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are just turning brown along the edges. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They may look a bit loose and jiggly after only 8 to 10 minutes, but they will continue to cook on the sheets after you remove the from the oven and will firm up as they cool. Do not over bake. Allow the cookies to cool well (on the cookie sheets is fine) before attempting to move them.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - I actually kept mine in for 12 minutes, and it worked out beautifully. Check these bad boys out.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkB3aNdQPEugFKevKj4tldp1acBhNNzNBZl4kLXf6kQBXsW3eQBl8kOmqETlHFyAiUbbKPuMd4BWaMqA8-YVLQJDjChXgjKq1et8nnnaWxaeN2DCtFdvnp44dIQ9zIevBGzdqJwuXy7I/s1600/photo+(14).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkB3aNdQPEugFKevKj4tldp1acBhNNzNBZl4kLXf6kQBXsW3eQBl8kOmqETlHFyAiUbbKPuMd4BWaMqA8-YVLQJDjChXgjKq1et8nnnaWxaeN2DCtFdvnp44dIQ9zIevBGzdqJwuXy7I/s320/photo+(14).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So cute, and pink, and tasty!... just don't tell anyone I was eating raw dough again...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. While the cookies are baking, combine the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in a bowl. Once this mixture is smooth, add the three cups of powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and forms stiff peaks.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - I used a hand mixer for the wet stuff, and then a spoon to mix in the sugar, because if there is one thing I have learned, powdered sugar will fly EVERYWHERE if you let it! Here's my AWESOME stiff peaks. Seriously, this is the best luck I have ever had with homemade frosting.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkYGgTGsCfoky9HBk7k4_ogcZLMlvDO6lcxxjjZBdBQc78rmRNW-zfL8mXJopScuTmXiOeRaFDufkLc8lgLEuWhw4Xo8Qrzk4m0PiTq1bG7fAtYnCD3-YeuvWybGWUKlSAKPQU7xve_Q/s1600/photo+(15).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkYGgTGsCfoky9HBk7k4_ogcZLMlvDO6lcxxjjZBdBQc78rmRNW-zfL8mXJopScuTmXiOeRaFDufkLc8lgLEuWhw4Xo8Qrzk4m0PiTq1bG7fAtYnCD3-YeuvWybGWUKlSAKPQU7xve_Q/s320/photo+(15).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Allow the cookies to cool completely prior to frosting. Cover with sprinkles as desired.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - And desired I did.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopasnpXne_Sm0u7D-e4P-injBNt-xeUfcRkDln1EGhjUrFNxjzYBILutOXEnmQLFIQmC3I4Grw1yLxjvYuh04BoO5MaKMiORBP4tu-rFaGSMOM-ipBv9cA3HpLrPTkjwpUaSHf86liHs/s1600/photo+(16).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopasnpXne_Sm0u7D-e4P-injBNt-xeUfcRkDln1EGhjUrFNxjzYBILutOXEnmQLFIQmC3I4Grw1yLxjvYuh04BoO5MaKMiORBP4tu-rFaGSMOM-ipBv9cA3HpLrPTkjwpUaSHf86liHs/s320/photo+(16).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So adorably delicious! I know, I know, I know... I have gotten pretty lazy with the cake mix cookies. I promise the next treat I make will require a little more work, scout's honor!</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-83988329330876990272012-03-05T18:13:00.000-08:002012-03-05T18:13:02.972-08:00#60 and #61...Is it bad my diet has taken a back seat? I still watch what I eat, limit my intake of dairy and grains, and exercise on a very regular basis, but I'm just not letting it control my life anymore. I don't constantly crave the horrible foods I used to miss because I'm not constantly thinking about when my next meal is, nor am I not allowing myself certain foods. I just don't eat a lot of junk, but when I do, I don't feel bad about it because I feel much healthier than I used to.<br />
<br />
My weight fluctuates slightly these days: I'm usually hanging in the balance between 134 and 136, which isn't bad. It's actually a weight I hope to maintain until the wedding and then some. What I'm focusing on more or less these days is just my work outs- I want to build muscle, and tone! Plus, going to my gym 3,4,5 times a week is doing WONDERS for my stress levels. I feel MUCH more calm this year than I did last year around this time. My clothes fit much more loosely, I just feel like a happier person.<br />
<br />
That is, UNTIL I came down with strep throat this weekend. Which is giving me ample time in bed, and therefore lots of time to blog. Hmph.<br />
<br />
Oh well. Here's my last two recipes...<br />
<br />
The first came to be because I was finding all of these awesome cake mix cookie recipes that only require like, four to five ingredients each AND they are super easy to whip up. I really wanted an excuse to try one of these recipes, and usually I would unleash them on the Bairds, but since Ava is allergic to peanuts, I've been trying to find other people who'd be willing to try my treats. Who better than my kiddos at school? I'd already done the research- there are NO fourth graders with known peanut allergies, PLUS I had just promised a few groups of them lunch with me one Wednesday since they had earned the most group points for good behavior.<br />
<br />
#60: Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies (or as I call them "Kiddo Silencers"- honestly, I gave each of the kids who had lunch with me that afternoon two of these, turned on an episode of Scooby Doo, and they were quiet the entire time- as found on <a href="http://cookiesandcups.com/">http://cookiesandcups.com</a>)<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1 (18.25 oz) box chocolate cake mix</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">2 eggs</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1 8 oz bag Reese's Minis</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">Directions:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1. Preheat oven to 350°. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">With your mixer, beat together cake mix, oil and eggs until combined. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">Pour in entire bag of Reese's Minis. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">Mix on low until Reese's are evenly incorporated.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> - All right, a couple of things to note: I went ahead and mixed up the dough a couple of hours prior to baking it off and kept it in the freezer until AFTER Zumba (</span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">priorities</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> people!). On top of that, I couldn't find a bag of the mini Reese's, so I went ahead and bought a 12 oz bag of those Reese's </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">miniature</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> cups that you have to unwrap out of the foil. I just had to slice them in half, and then incorporate them into the batter, and it worked out great.</span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd_iLCKbueVTaUPfFl6QsyPtEsBWVaDl9PuCf18AlmTpcuXt39UtNHgqN5cloooxk6x8rlq3yxdb19A8NM-NjqFEt6d_LM7AcDuh5DusV4iFX0LyQ4d5jzkkyEVmmxGM7WFwCWCc-lq4/s1600/photo+(12).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd_iLCKbueVTaUPfFl6QsyPtEsBWVaDl9PuCf18AlmTpcuXt39UtNHgqN5cloooxk6x8rlq3yxdb19A8NM-NjqFEt6d_LM7AcDuh5DusV4iFX0LyQ4d5jzkkyEVmmxGM7WFwCWCc-lq4/s320/photo+(12).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">2. Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls and place n a parchment lined baking sheet about 2" apart. Cookies will spread. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">Bake for 8-9 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;"> - Naturally, no parchment paper for this girl, so I lightly greased my cookie sheets with a little PAM prior to baking them. Worked out just fine!</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 24px;">These were delicious, and dangerous. Highly addictive. I ate quite a few more than I meant to, SO WORTH IT though!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkvoidPg-_vofxeq9a53t117tRr9goQ4yB43MQDDZGQ6nInA9mmhb1aCjm5V0LhhwRQVJHR0vqxT-utC_LJDCNu0FI7AwbaUfo3lzk2jaKV4zvokmJgJjj2mTRExCb4vBU3t12d5fpys/s1600/photo+(13).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkvoidPg-_vofxeq9a53t117tRr9goQ4yB43MQDDZGQ6nInA9mmhb1aCjm5V0LhhwRQVJHR0vqxT-utC_LJDCNu0FI7AwbaUfo3lzk2jaKV4zvokmJgJjj2mTRExCb4vBU3t12d5fpys/s320/photo+(13).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br />
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<span style="line-height: 24px;">The next recipe, I devoted hours to really scouring Pinterest for the PERFECT recipe- it was NICHELLE'S birthday! Considering I hadn't spent time with her for about TWO MONTHS prior to this last Friday, I really wanted to bake something fun in honor of her favorite day! It was a toss up between the following recipe, and another one called "Slutty Brownies," because to be honest, I knew Nichelle was one of the only people in my inner circle who could appreciate the names of either of these treats. Instead, I baked something called "Knock You Naked Brownies"... prepare to start a'</span><span style="line-height: 24px;">drooling, peeps.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 24px;">#61: Knock You Naked Brownies (which could also be called "Knock You Silent Brownies," since they had the same affect, and it might be a little strange if I had kicked off my pants at Nichelle's place, if you know what I mean?- as found on <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/">thepioneerwoman.com</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 24px;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
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<span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">1 box</span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> (18.5 Ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix (I Used Duncan Hines)</span><br />
<span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">1 cup</span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> Finely Chopped Pecans</span><br />
<span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">1/3 cup</span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> Evaporated Milk</span><br />
<span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">1/2 cup</span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> Evaporated Milk (additional)</span><span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">1/2 cup</span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> Butter, Melted</span><br />
<span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">60 whole</span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> Caramels, Unwrapped</span><br />
<span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">1/3 cup</span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips</span><br />
<span itemprop="amount" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">1/4 cup</span><span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> Powdered Sugar</span><br />
<span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</span><br />
<span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Directions:</span><br />
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<span itemprop="name" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. <span style="font-family: inherit;">In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be very thick</span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - They aren't kidding. This mixture was literally like Play-doh. Clay you can EAT!! Oh, and I opted out of using the chopped pecans because Nichelle believes desserts are NO place for nuts. </span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Press half the mixture into a well-greased 9 x 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - Don't be dumb like me and stick the spoon with scalding caramel immediately into your mouth. You will get a major burn on your tongue. You think I'd learn my lesson- isn't this the third time I've severely burnt my tongue in this blog?</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - I TRIED doing this. I got impatient and instead ended up just spreading the rest of the dough over the top of the caramel and chocolate chip mixture. It ended up becoming like a crumble you might put on top of a cobbler though... delicious, but kind of weird.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into either nine or twelve helpings, and carefully remove from the pan.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - Several hours? Try ten minutes, tee hee. Nichelle and I spooned this out (which held up like a crumble, not a brownie) into a bowl, and then topped it with this AWESOME caramel cheesecake ice cream I found on sale at Albertson's. Be forewarned though, this is SUPER rich. We turned on Modern Family, and I couldn't finish the small portion I put into my bowl... it was WAY TOO rich. Good, but holy cow. Make sure you have milk on hand, a lot of it.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Check out these pictures from the Pioneer Woman herself... because I was too busy eating and catching up to take pictures (tee hee).</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-46822432324051404802012-02-21T21:13:00.000-08:002012-02-21T21:13:29.930-08:00Day 53 and Recipe[S] #58 and #59...Oops. I did it again. This whole dieting thing is really difficult whenever Stephen comes into town. To top it all off, I am apparently not as amazing as I think I am when it comes to weight loss. Saturday morning, I reweighed myself after BOASTING on my blog about my amazing feats of dieting, and it turns out I had gained back nearly TWO pounds. Luckily, I had already resolved to eat whatever I wanted in moderation this weekend, and somehow, don't even ask me HOW this all works out, but I have ended up losing nearly all of those two pounds again even while eating pizza, frozen yogurt, root beer floats, and this amazing meal I am about to share with all of you. I don't know how eating a tortilla on Friday night caused me to GAIN weight, but eating anything I wanted caused me to LOSE weight. Ugh, whatever.<br />
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ANYWAYS, long story short, this entry is more about sharing a pretty epic meal I prepared for the Bairds on Sunday night. I love Sunday dinners. I also love treats after Sunday dinners, and although I know the first recipe I am going to share with you isn't necessary a BAKED good, it's worth mentioning. Ladies and gents, I bring you Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta and Cookies-n-Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies.<br />
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Recipe #58: Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta (as found on <a href="http://amysnewkitchen.blogspot.com/">http://amysnewkitchen.blogspot.com</a>... SHOUT OUT to a wonderful fellow blogger)<br />
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All right, this recipe came to be because I knew I had wanted to make something for the in-laws this weekend as a way of celebrating Stephen coming to visit us all. As I sat in his parent's kitchen on Saturday morning, his mother mentioned that for Valentine's Day, she and Dave had been treated to a meal of Chicken Cordon Bleu with some sort of sauce on it, and she could not stop raving. As luck would have it, at that precise moment, I remembered I had just posted a chicken cordon bleu recipe I had really been wanting to try on my Pinterest, one that I knew Stephen would really enjoy. I had to make a few adjustments to the recipe since I was feeding a larger crowd than the recipe called for, but it worked out beautifully... other than overheating the broiler, Dave putting the oven rack too close to it, a fire erupting on top of the bread crumbs, Ava screaming bloody murder when the fire alarm went off, and Stephen burning his hands on the cookie sheet we set the garlic bread on... all in a matter of five minutes. Well played, Bairds.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><b><i>Serves 6</i></b></span></span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><i><br />
</i></span><span style="background-color: white;">1 lb. Pasta (I actually used a pound and a half of penne pasta, since there were actually eight of us, plus one 2-year old)<br />
1 cup Chicken Breasts, cooked and cubed (I doubled it to 2 cups of chicken breasts. Luckily for us, Stephen and I found these strips of chicken that were called "stir fried strips" that worked perfectly!)<br />
1 cup Ham, cooked and cubed (Again, we up-ed it to 2 cups)<br />
1 1/2 cups Milk<br />
8 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)<br />
2 Tbsp. Dried Minced Onion<br />
2 cups Swiss Cheese, shredded<br />
Salt<br />
Pepper</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Cayenne Pepper<br />
1 cup Panko Crumbs<br />
1/2 cup Butter, melted </span></span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Directions:</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over med-high heat. Salt it and add the pasta; cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pot. Add in the chicken and ham and toss to combine.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> - The blog said to let it cook for 11 minutes. I think I kept mine on for 15 all together, because at 11 it wasn't done.<br style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">2. Preheat the broiler. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream cheese and minced onion over low-medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until it becomes a smooth texture (about 5 minutes). </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> - A word of caution: set your broiler to LOW. LOW people. On top of that, at this point, Ava had come into the kitchen and was DEMANDING to eat pieces of cubed ham... so while I was holding her, Stephen took over. I was preoccupied, so when he started asking questions about what to do, I accidentally told him to combine the </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Swiss</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> cheese and this point. DON'T DO THAT. He ended up having to scoop the shredded cheese out... way more work than needed. Sorry, love.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">3. Stir into the pasta mixture. Stir in the Swiss cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> - We also added immense amounts of </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Cayenne</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> pepper at this time because the dish needed a kick. Luckily, the pepper did the trick. It gave the dish a nice back burn, which sounds weird, but it's what was needed, otherwise I think it would be too bland. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">4. Transfer pasta to a baking dish and top with Panko crumbs. Pour melted butter over crumbs and broil until browned (I gave it 4 minutes). </span></span> <br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"> - HA HA, this is when all heck broke loose. We also forgot the butter, but I don't think it's needed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">This ended up making two relatively large pans of pasta, PERFECT!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">Next up, brownies! I am always scouring the internet for brownie recipes (because brownies are my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE treat!), and this one looked too fun to pass up- chocolate, ice cream, hot fudge, and Oreos? SIGN ME UP.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">#59: Cookies N' Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies (as found on </span></span><a href="http://www.kevinandamanda.com/">http://www.kevinandamanda.com</a>)<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">1 box Brownie Mix (I used Ghirardelli's double chocolate brownies, with chocolate chips in the batter)</span><br style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">eggs & oil (with the Ghirardelli mix, it ended up being 1/3 a cup oil and one egg, I believe)</span><br style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">1 heaping half cup (6 oz) Cookies & Cream ice cream (they were out of cookies and cream [at least, the kind on sale], so we opted for mint chocolate chip. MY FAVORITE!)</span><br style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">1/4 Cup hot fudge topping (chilled or room temp)</span><span style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />Oreo Cookies (Double Stuff babes...)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Directions:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven & spray an 8×8 baking dish generously with cooking spray. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - In my case, the box of brownie mix called for a 325 degree oven... and I couldn't find an 8x8 pan, so I ended up using a 9x13... probably not the greatest decision, I'll explain later.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil as directed on the back of the box, but do not add the water. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - OOPS, I added the water. Mistake #2.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Add ice cream and hot fudge to the brownie batter and stir to combine.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">4. Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking dish, layer with Oreos, then top with remaining batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes or as directed on the back of the box.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> - I ended up keeping mine in for about 60 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">All right, so, these brownies were GREAT... they just turned out looking a little less than perfect. When Stephen and I tried spooning them out, they were surprisingly very crumbly. On top of that, the sides ended up getting very crisp and dry, while the inside pieces were perfect. Sigh. We ended up piling tons of the ice cream and hot fudge on top of the brownies, and no one seemed to notice. They were stinkin' delicious all the same!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GhfnxkoGxicF3sGZgavtjmY58CN_PDkxJ5b40VdQEVrTwdDdkJVkOHp5H07WIOc9qaM5w0T_JyhZ7kgbIczl_LKS4NM3PAKoYGlr3KPLeqwecad-RrtLeUvpkq3xLRGsB7s-49jjN1A/s1600/cookies-and-cream-oreo-fudge-brownies-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GhfnxkoGxicF3sGZgavtjmY58CN_PDkxJ5b40VdQEVrTwdDdkJVkOHp5H07WIOc9qaM5w0T_JyhZ7kgbIczl_LKS4NM3PAKoYGlr3KPLeqwecad-RrtLeUvpkq3xLRGsB7s-49jjN1A/s320/cookies-and-cream-oreo-fudge-brownies-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br />
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</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-90199247924486359022012-02-17T22:09:00.000-08:002012-02-17T22:09:37.069-08:00Day 50 and Recipe #57...Just a quick post to let you all know- I'm amazing. Despite eating like C-R-A-P all week, consuming one too many cookies at my kids' Valentine's Day party, and even sprinkling a little cheese on my scrambled eggs (Eeep!), I LOST WEIGHT! Wahoo! As of this morning, I am a flat 134 pounds. I'm attributing this to my INTENSE workouts this week, as well as what I am assuming is my increased metabolism. I tried kickboxing and hot yoga for the first time, and I gotta tell you, they kicked my rear! For some reason, even though I can SLIGHTLY keep a beat and stay up to pace with the rest of my Zumba class, I have NO coordination when it comes to kickboxing. Seriously. I'm not sure if it's just because all the movements are harsh and... JABBY... but I couldn't keep up! Yoga was very relaxing, until those silly high school girls behind us started giggling uncontrollably (I was convinced something must have been poking out of the back of my pants, and became WAY too self conscious) and answering their phones. I'm sorry, cell phones shouldn't be allowed in yoga, case closed.<br />
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ANYWAYS, let's look at my goals-<br />
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Weight as of December 29th, 2011- 146.6 pounds<br />
Weight as of today- 134 pounds<br />
Total weight loss- 12.6 pounds<br />
Weight loss to go until goal #2- 4 pounds<br />
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Yay! I also managed to make a super simple recipe for the blog. Tuesday was Valentine's Day (my least favorite holiday... ugh), and I decided to make treats for my kiddos. I wanted a super easy, no-brainer recipe that I could make a large batch of, and luckily I saw this particular recipe pinned ALL OVER Pinterest. It's good... but unfortunately for all of you, I was in such a hurry to chug these snacks out, that they didn't LOOK as good as they tasted. I'll just show you the pin, whattya say?<br />
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Recipe #57: Chocolate Pretzel Buttons (as found on <a href="http://www.musesofmegret.com/">http://www.musesofmegret.com</a>)<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; line-height: 22px;">2 bags Hershey’s Kisses or Hugs (nut-free), or a combination of both (I used one bag of original Hershey's Hugs and another bag of caramel Kisses)</span><br style="background-color: #f8f8f8; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; line-height: 22px;">1 large bag M&M candies (All of the stores I went to at the time were out of plain Valentine's M&M's, so I used peanut butter, with delicious results)</span><br style="background-color: #f8f8f8; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; line-height: 22px;">1 bag pretzel rounds or squares</span></span><br />
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Directions: <br style="background-color: #f8f8f8; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">1. Unwrap the kisses and hugs. Place tin foil over the cookie sheets to help prevent sticking. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> - Tin foil is pretty necessary. My kisses ended up over melting, and got ALL OVER the cookie sheet.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">2. Place one kiss on top of each of the pretzel squares. Place the cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 2 and a half to three minutes until the kisses soften and start to melt. Remove from oven and immediately press one M&M into the center of each kiss. Cool slightly, and then transfer sheets to the refrigerator for a few minutes to set.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> - All right, I slightly improvised on this step. The first batch I kept in for only two and a half minutes, and they were a mess. The candy over-melted, so when I placed a M&M in the center, the kiss collapsed and melted all over the cookie sheet. To try to avoid another situation like that, I went ahead and brought the time down to a minute and a half, and then I went and stuck the treats in the freezer over night to REALLY set them up. That worked much better; however, I kept them in my fridge at school that day to avoid having them melt. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">That's it. So deliciously poppable and addicting. Make these. Preferably in pastels for Easter. DO IT.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVKFaAQ65OgXz5s_B8zY0_EQu0kyKu1h9xOLrdFur8R7EwjnvbMTT-jfRb8UvaI8mg0c8OayYqIjrNGF_OFhah93qMA1X_vQ-NyZS5mH1o2REdGFPhPr22FqnMMzCONUJ6iPXLt9go2o/s1600/3274034269_f60c2ac5fd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVKFaAQ65OgXz5s_B8zY0_EQu0kyKu1h9xOLrdFur8R7EwjnvbMTT-jfRb8UvaI8mg0c8OayYqIjrNGF_OFhah93qMA1X_vQ-NyZS5mH1o2REdGFPhPr22FqnMMzCONUJ6iPXLt9go2o/s320/3274034269_f60c2ac5fd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br />
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</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-88744466311422338322012-02-13T17:14:00.000-08:002012-02-13T17:14:32.420-08:00Day 43 and Recipe #56...It was a pastry EMERGENCY! I needed to make a batch of cookies fast for a deserving young lady... so I found a VERY easy cookie recipe that took NO time to whip up, only used four ingredients, and was SUPER tasty. Oh my goodness. Don't take MY word for it, meet my brother:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_SiUPXO_ShZ2nU1XsIpdH-YQ5OW8dvvy6d3b7hi0kD51VBgrUjgW84rISRCjLSn6oR1KG1No1eQzDpH-YC9P_AUduwXRUPlIuEINp0j2bb__o1RMhGpo6rHCCaqYA3Xm-3SFiZJVuaik/s1600/IMG_0014.MOV" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fv9.nonxt4.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D2a860b05101bdeec%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1329131726%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3DA89D363AC76A306CD62D6970C3368B53D1B8466C.D22B03FBA7217C7D9639696C869C24158E76FA48%26key%3Dlh1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fv9.nonxt4.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D2a860b05101bdeec%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1329131726%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3DA89D363AC76A306CD62D6970C3368B53D1B8466C.D22B03FBA7217C7D9639696C869C24158E76FA48%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I kinda feel like this was one of those segments that they used to put at the end of "Reading Rainbow" where the kids would recommend certain books appropriate to the theme of the episode, and they'd close with "But don't take my word for it!" and cheesy 80's segue music would come on. Anyone else feel that way? Just me?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">ANYWAYS, as for my weight loss, I have been naughty. Naughty naughty naughty. And it shows. I'm up slightly from my lightest, and I am sure it's going to sky rocket some more with Valentine's Day this week. I am trying to stay positive in that even though I have been eating like C-R-A-P, I really have stayed relatively stable... which doesn't make it okay. But my muscles are getting stronger and I can stay on the treadmill for MUCH longer, so that's saying something right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Recipe #56: Rolo Cookies (as found on sixsistersstuff.com)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ingredients:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1 pkg. Rolo's</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1 box Devils Food Cake mix</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">2 eggs </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1/3 c. oil</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions:</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1. Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs. Take a small ball of dough and form a ball around the rolo. (Only use enough dough to cover the rolo so it can spread through the cookie.)</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - Fun! Seriously, don't go nuts though, or you will run out of dough. This recipe made JUST enough for three batches... this is what mine looked like.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF-k5VI62c52rMVM7ir6Pk3qn2p-3bzwd9lMe_l_VOSppZpSr2iOuApdyXZ3EXg9fM6nGcZSzIz68jjJjw15rwYbDdaGQ-vDoN5EFNddLBfe90oAtWx09LAEPumwZKVRfC8DOKVg7XNk/s1600/photo+(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF-k5VI62c52rMVM7ir6Pk3qn2p-3bzwd9lMe_l_VOSppZpSr2iOuApdyXZ3EXg9fM6nGcZSzIz68jjJjw15rwYbDdaGQ-vDoN5EFNddLBfe90oAtWx09LAEPumwZKVRfC8DOKVg7XNk/s320/photo+(10).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">2. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes. Yields about 3 dozen.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /> - Here's the goodie-goodness:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6a7tY6CuuidDrtI5tohhaO41Uh_01uifp5Gn4Hzn71UR1AjW2-9l1Dq7hpwSerf6OaOOEYE6QJ8kU0fkgjI1scp2RYkbRpehr6vYGpigPpKdnrB7c9Kgyg2y377xjeFZ2cF-KKu58jk/s1600/photo+(11).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6a7tY6CuuidDrtI5tohhaO41Uh_01uifp5Gn4Hzn71UR1AjW2-9l1Dq7hpwSerf6OaOOEYE6QJ8kU0fkgjI1scp2RYkbRpehr6vYGpigPpKdnrB7c9Kgyg2y377xjeFZ2cF-KKu58jk/s320/photo+(11).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">3. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.</span></span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> - I did desire, and it made them all so pretty.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">THAT'S IT, and they are awesome! Unfortunately, the girl I baked them for is DIABETIC... but luckily the Maxfield's enjoyed them. Thank you for taking MOST of them off my hands (again, I haven't been the greatest. I'll be good after Valentine's Day, I swear!)</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-74790160010785823902012-02-05T10:59:00.000-08:002012-02-05T10:59:22.100-08:00Day 38 and Recipe #55I have had a crappy week. My current science unit at school is sucking the life out of me. I have had no social life. I am trying not to make passive-aggressive comments about people in my life who are irritating the snot out of me. And on top of that, I miss my fiance more than he will ever know. With that being said, I needed to bake. So I did. And that's really all the explaining I need to make for this post.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>A quick play-by-play of where I am goal wise:</div><div><br />
</div><div>Starting weight- 146.6 pounds</div><div>Current weight- 134.4 pounds</div><div>Total weight loss since 12/29/2011- 12.2 pounds</div><div>Weight loss left- 4.4 pounds (until goal #2)</div><div><br />
</div><div>My Super Bowl Sunday/Valentine's Day treat:</div><div><br />
</div><div>#55: Marbled Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies (as found on <a href="http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/">http://www.thenovicechefblog.com</a>)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Ingredients:</div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Red Velvet Layer:<br />
3 1/4 cups flour<br />
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar<br />
3 tablespoons cocoa powder<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
3 large eggs<br />
1 cup vegetable oil<br />
1 tablespoon vanilla extract<br />
1 tablespoon red food coloring<br />
2 teaspoons white vinegar<br />
2 tablespoons milk</span></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cheesecake Layer:<br />
2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened<br />
3/4 cup granulated sugar<br />
2 large eggs<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla</span></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Directions:</div><div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 18 jelly roll pan with butter or spray with Baker's Joy. (I didn't have a jelly roll pan that large; I did, however, have a 10 X 15, which I used with this particular recipe, and it turned out just fine. I did have to adjust the baking time, which I'll get to later. Promise. I also made sure to not only cover the pan with foil, but coat the foil with cooking spray as well. I am NOT taking my chances.)</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, red food coloring, and white vinegar. (My mom saw me pouring the vinegar into the batter and was slightly turned off by it. I don't blame her- vinegar should only be used in dressings and dyeing Easter eggs.)</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Combine the dry and wet ingredients, until completely combined. The batter will be a really thick, almost moldable texture...but don't worry, that's what you want. (P.S.- we're talking super thick, like, Play-Doh thick. The batter kept clogging the mixer up, so after scrapping the dough off of it for the third time, I used my hands to knead all of the wet and dry ingredients together. Worked like a charm.)</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Remove 3/4 cup of the batter and place it in a medium bowl. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons of milk (into the 3/4 cup of batter you just took out). Set aside the 3/4 cup batter.</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Pour the remaining batter into the prepared jelly roll pan. Using a spatula, smooth out the batter to reach all the edges.</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">6. Now, in your stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until combined and there are no lumps. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the red velvet layer and smooth mixture till it reaches all the edges.</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">7. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining red velvet batter (that you mixed with milk) onto the top of the cheesecake layer. Drag the tip of a knife through the red velvet and the cheesecake layers to create swirls.</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating half way through, or just until the center is set and it no longer jiggles. Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. Use a medium sized heart cookie cutter to create the perfect Valentine's Day treat! (I ended up leaving mine in for a total of 45 minutes, because I am always afraid of killing someone off with undercooked cheesecake. On top of that, I was lazy, and didn't feel like using a cookie cutter, so I just cut bars. I think ended up getting 24 out of the pan. Perfect!)</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">These are good- soft, cheese-cakey, and rich. And yes, I allowed myself two, because DANGIT, I had a bad week and I've met my FIRST weight loss goal. Be forewarned though- yesterday morning, prior to baking, I was 133.4... I gained a pound in a day, and I am blaming these bars.</div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Here is a picture of the bars from the blog, because my pictures didn't do it justice...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxZ1XPK6LnXKMNN-iccgX57uoVs6DN_amCuBmjaMf-3aXv4nEEPuFPwyS__gTG01ChCQdu0gEp_S5A-TfNlmwPvxJ3KBl_UvtyoqmtlyRLpOvOg3hmDQS3aVPXuYsNYZQucJcMqk97UI/s1600/Red-Velvet-Cheesecake-Bites-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxZ1XPK6LnXKMNN-iccgX57uoVs6DN_amCuBmjaMf-3aXv4nEEPuFPwyS__gTG01ChCQdu0gEp_S5A-TfNlmwPvxJ3KBl_UvtyoqmtlyRLpOvOg3hmDQS3aVPXuYsNYZQucJcMqk97UI/s320/Red-Velvet-Cheesecake-Bites-sm.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">And here are gratuitous shots of my wedding dress... because people wanted to see it... and I want to run around the house in it. And Stephen helped me pick it out, so don't stress about that tradition of the groom accidentally running into these pictures. When am I ever traditional?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwl0gWrikMaH7ocSnHYxfdsHTN_rohSsk5Vx0MTwUjaWgPTEapeiLeKhe1O_UCN-gHRpvfsDEMJVhMrLfXadugM9R1wPJFYJA2cPxE7n2QO_sKafKGU8XH_f3M3Gp8_iAmO4fvZYxbRDU/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwl0gWrikMaH7ocSnHYxfdsHTN_rohSsk5Vx0MTwUjaWgPTEapeiLeKhe1O_UCN-gHRpvfsDEMJVhMrLfXadugM9R1wPJFYJA2cPxE7n2QO_sKafKGU8XH_f3M3Gp8_iAmO4fvZYxbRDU/s320/020.JPG" width="179" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEz36QS0xcbFFNT6F0Tu4_38DKeCNNTrKhNmN1JJAu2KtkvJJSeXloBD8ZJkQRUM2aBt4x-aRYZtrVZgHPX8SvULi-Xiol-6wSeemUZEfDeup0RgyPdZEzku-WBKsb4BQJvdYfLRctzE4/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEz36QS0xcbFFNT6F0Tu4_38DKeCNNTrKhNmN1JJAu2KtkvJJSeXloBD8ZJkQRUM2aBt4x-aRYZtrVZgHPX8SvULi-Xiol-6wSeemUZEfDeup0RgyPdZEzku-WBKsb4BQJvdYfLRctzE4/s320/022.JPG" width="179" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496857507704673865.post-83092855948448193242012-02-02T22:58:00.000-08:002012-02-02T22:58:19.400-08:00Day 35: 135!!Just a quick post to tell you... I DID IT! Goal #1 has been accomplished! This morning the scale read 135 and it felt FANTASTIC. I haven't been that small since my days before WSU, so at least over 6 or 7 years ago. My pants all hang off of me, I am swimming in my shirts... and I couldn't be any stinkin' happier about it.<br />
<br />
So here's how it's going from here on out- although I have met the initial goal, I'm not going to start the next phase of the Dukan without Stephen meeting his weight goal (luckily he's close). The next phase would entail the two of us still eating lean protein and vegetables, but we can also incorporate all of the fruit we want, as well as two servings of whole grain bread a day and two carbs, plus one serving of low fat cheese. As AMAZING as a piece of nine grain toast sounds right now, I'm holding off. I am, however, starting to eat a little fruit again, just to allow my body to adjust a little. Today I had a half a ruby red grapefruit and a honeycrisp apple and let me tell you what, they were the best, most juicy pieces of fruit I have ever consumed. That good. I cried a little over the grapefruit at lunch (it's the little things!).<br />
<br />
ANYWAYS, this means I am forging ahead with goal #2- drop to 130 pounds. Now, considering how much my weight loss has slowed over the last couple of weeks, I am giving myself plenty of time to do this. Also, I have revised my plans for treats. With the fear of plateauing, as well as beating myself up over not losing as much as quickly as I was, I will be rewarding myself at both 132.5 and 130 pounds. I deserve it. Much as I deserved those lime green and white bikinis I bought myself today!<br />
<br />
Starting weight: 146.6 pounds<br />
Current weight: 135 pounds<br />
Total weight loss: 11.6 pounds<br />
Weight until goal #2: 5 pounds<br />
<br />
LET'S DO THIS.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0