Healthy Cooking for a Picky Husband

Creamy Grilled Chicken Piccata

2012-11-09T12:29:00.000-05:00

I'm back! Wow, a lot has changed since my last post. The biggest thing is that Hunter Edwin Tutterrow was born on June 12th! He has been such a blessing to our lives these past four months.

My blog has always had a personal touch to it, but it is going to increase. I want to document, for my own sake, this ever changing little boy! So if you are here just for the recipes, feel free to scroll on down.

Hunter weighed 7lbs 11 oz and was 21 inches long. At four months, he is 17 lbs. 3 oz. and 26 1/2 inches long! He is absolutely precious in our eyes. We love every minute with him! I get to spend a lot of time with this growing boy as I have decided to stay home as my full time job. I will still be doing PRN (as needed) work in my field of Physical Therapy occasionally.

Here is a look at my growing angel!

Creamy Grilled Chicken Piccata
Source: Modified from the Plain Chicken blog http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/08/creamy-grilled-chicken-piccata.html

Ingredients:

Chicken

Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
2 chicken breasts

Pasta

2 cups of penne pasta (I used GF macaroni noodles)
2 Tbsp. butter
Juice of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup of half and half or heavy cream
2 tsp. dried basil
2 Tbsp. capers (I omitted because my picky husband doesn't like them:))
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Combine the first 6 ingredients. Place in a ziplock bag with the chicken and marinate all day or overnight. When you are ready to prepare dinner, grill chicken until cooked.

While the chicken is grilling prepare the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Melt butter over medium heat in the same pan you cooked the pasta. Whisk in garlic and lemon juice. Pour in half and half or cream and cook until hot. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Next, add the cheese, basil, and capers. Heat until cheese is melted.

Toss in pasta and top with grilled chicken and Parmesan. Enjoy!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

2012-05-13T21:21:00.000-04:00

The label and container above were from my previous detergent. I just saved the container to use for the homemade mixture.

***UPDATE: We are about to use our last cap full of this homemade mixture this week. This one batch has lasted us almost exactly one year to the day! Well worth the 30 minutes and <$10 start of fee***

Don't you worry, we are not going all granola on you. Just thought you might be interested in my newest endeavor that could save you a penny or two.

This is not hard so don't be scared!

I had an awesome patient who's wife brought me a bag with all the ingredients to make a batch of liquid laundry detergent. I decided I would give it a try after I ran out of my current kind.

I was also amazed when I got home and saw how cheap it is to do it yourself! Once you buy a box of Borax and Arm and Hammer Washing Soda you only have to buy one bar of soap each time you make a bucket. So your total start up costs are under $10 and under $2 for each additional bucket made. We aren't talking about just making one container, but a 5 gallon bucket of concentrated laundry detergent. When you mix it with one part water to use in your laundry you ultimately have 10 gallons of laundry detergent.

We filled up an old laundry detergent container and barely made a dent in the bucket. This is going to last us well over a year!

Here is how it is done:

Ingredients:

1 bar of Zote soap or Fels-Naptha which I found at my local Publix on the shelf right above the washing soda.

1 cup of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda, but washing soda)

1/2 cup of Borax

5 gallon bucket

Directions:

Use a grater to grate the soap in a large heat safe bowl. While grating soap, bring a pot of water to a boil. Once soap is grated pour boiling water over soap and cover. Let sit for a few minutes. Remove cover and stir. Add more water until soap is melted.

All grated and ready for boiling water

The soap sitting in boiling water with a plate as a cover to keep all the heat in. Wooden spoon ready to stir (most of my soap melted with two batches of hot water).

While soap is melting, pour borax and washing soda into the 5 gallon bucket. Add 2 gallons (approximately) of hot tap water to bucket, stir until dissolved.

Use a thin strainer to pour the melted soap through into the 5 gallon bucket. If a lot of soap is still unmelted (or caught in the strainer) then repeat the first step and then add it to the bucket. Stir well.

Fill the remaining part of the bucket with cold water (we took this project outside and used the hose). Stir well.

When you are ready to use mix 1 part of this solution with 1 part water in a smaller container. (I saved my last store bought container to use in the laundry room. We store the 5 gallon bucket in the garage.)

When doing laundry use 5/8 cup with each normal load. For me this came out to a full cap that is on the container.

This has a very neutral smell. If you like more fragrance then you can add an essential oil to the mix. We put 30 drops of lavender oil in the 5 gallon bucket. Use any flavor that you would like!

See you are all done in under 30 minutes.

Roasted chicken breast and veggies

2012-05-08T18:13:00.000-04:00

Here are some LONG overdue pictures from the holidays:

My sweet husband took me to the mountains for a weekend away!

View of our cabin.

We got some apple cider at The Apple Barn after dinner...yum!

Neighborhood we stayed in.

Co-workers

Hubby and me before my 10 year HS reunion!

This is my SIL helping to decorate our Christmas tree

This is less of a recipe and more of an inspiration for all you guys who throw out all those unused veggies at the end of the week. I threw this together when I looked in our fridge and had a ton of left overs. Be creative and use whatever you have!

Roasted Chicken Breast and Veggies

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
4 carrots
1 zucchini
2.5 lbs. red potatoes
1/2 red onion
Olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
salt
pepper
all purpose seasoning
garlic powder

Bake at 375-400. Cut all your veggies and coat in olive oil. Spread out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, all purpose seasoning, and garlic powder to your liking. Top with chicken breasts that are also covered in olive and oil and the same seasonings. Finally sprinkle fresh garlic on top of it all. Bake until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Quinoa Burger

2012-05-07T21:32:00.000-04:00

Here are a few more pics from Mexico! Wish I was there now!

Lakeside High School Girls

(Ali, Maureen, Ashley, Me, and Molly)

My best friend and I are pregnant at the same time! She literally found out the Sunday before we left for the trip!

My five month pic. I thought I was so big then:) HA!

LOVE these girls!!!!

These "burgers" were awesome! Yet another great addition to meatless Monday. My picky husband loved them, even though he had doubts while I was cooking. This was my first time cooking with quinoa and I am sold! Here is a little clip about the nutritional value that I found on Wikipedia.

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance bymaize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (18%). Nutritional evaluations of quinoa indicate that it is a source of complete protein.^[14]^[15] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high inmagnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied spaceflights.^[16]

So there you go! You can find it at your local grocery store! Enjoy!

Quinoa Burger
Source: Modified from http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com

Ingredients:

1 cup of uncooked quinoa
2 cups of water
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup of shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese
1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry
3 eggs
3 Tbsp. corn starch (original called for flour)
2 green onions chopped including the white parts
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
olive oil for frying
Top with: Tzatziki sauce, avocado, tomato, and shredded white cheddar cheese

Tzatziki sauce:

3/4 cup thick plain Greek-style yogurt such as Fage’
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated – squeezed of excess water
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried or 2 tablespoon fresh dill weed
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

In a small mixing bowl blend together the yogurt, sour cream, grated cucumber, garlic powder, sugar, dill weed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill. This is best if made a couple hours in advance.

Bring the 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil in a medium sauce pan over high heat. Add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 18-20 mins or until water is absorbed.

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, zucchini, eggs, corn starch, green onions, sugar, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Mixture will be slightly sticky, so using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and lightly flatten to 1/2 inch thick. Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Makes approx. 10 burgers.

Spaghetti Squash

2012-04-01T20:15:00.000-04:00

At the end of February I had the pleasure of going on vacation to Mexico with some of my best friends from high school. We went to celebrate the wedding of Ali and Jamil! I was honored to be a bridesmaid for one of my oldest childhood friends. It was a beautiful wedding! Oh, and the relaxing was nice as well!

Ashley, Molly, and I on the train at the airport

We finally made it!

Can't beat that view!

Jamil and Ali

Ashley, Molly, Ali, Maureen, and I (High school friends)

Beautiful bride!

This is a great low carb and healthy dinner! It can be your new meatless Monday dish. Did I mention it is super easy too! This is more of a meal suggestion then a true recipe post. I was intimidated by spaghetti squash for a while, wondering if it could possibly taste good and how do you really cook it. Play with this and make it your own in regards to sauces, toppings, etc just like you would with normal noodles. And yes, it does taste great! Even my picky husband likes it!

Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash
Jar of spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese
Ground beef (optional)
Veggies (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Cut spaghetti squash in half (I have my amazingly strong husband do this task because uncooked squash is tough). Scrape out the seeds and pulp. Place each half on a baking sheet with the rind side up. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

While squash is baking, heat sauce in pan on stove. Cook ground beef or saute any veggies you might be adding to your sauce. Allow to simmer while squash is cooking.

After squash is finished, hold one half, with an oven mit on, vertically and use a fork to scrape the inside with long strokes going from top to bottom. Short strokes will leave you with little strands. Continue this until you have removed all squash. You will see the strands look just like spaghetti. Repeat with other half.

Serve with sauce and other toppings! Enjoy!

Ratatouille

2012-03-14T20:07:00.001-04:00

Who participates in meatless Monday's??? While I have attempted a few times, we have not been successful. Even if you are a meat lover, I think you will find this recipe fulfilling. I know my picky husband did!

I served this with brown basmati rice.

Ratatouille
Source: Southern Living Magazine- January 2012
Ingredients:

1 green bell pepper (I omitted because I don't like peppers)
1 red bell pepper (I omitted because I don't like peppers)
1/2 pound zucchini
1/2 pound yellow squash
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
3 Tbps. olive oil
2-14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 small eggplant (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. of dried basil (what I used)
Cooked Brown Rice

Directions:

1. Cut first 5 ingredients into 1-inch pieces.
2. Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes or just until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes and next 2 ingredients, and sauté 8 to 10 minutes or just until eggplant begins to soften. Stir in bell peppers, zucchini, and squash; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid is slightly reduced. Stir in basil. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and sauté 3 minutes.

Serve over or with brown rice.

Berry Cobbler

2012-01-25T17:54:00.000-05:00

Here is a little peek at my baby bump at 4 months (16 weeks)!

This recipe is about as healthy as you can get when it comes to making cobbler. I originally received this one from Katherine and it was for peach cobbler, but my picky husband wouldn't dare touch that! I thought that maybe he would eat cobbler with berries, but he still turned it down. Who would have known he was raised in the south?!?!

I made this with fresh ground wheat and honey granules from Bread Beckers. Honey is a much healthier sweetener then white sugar. You still have some nutrients in honey where as white sugar has been bleached and processed to death. You can substitute honey granules for any recipe calling for white sugar.

Honey granules

Whole wheat before it is ground into flour

I hope you enjoy!

Berry Cobbler

Ingredients:

5 cups of mixed berries (fresh or frozen-I used frozen)
1 cup honey sucanat (granules)
1 cup of wheat flour (I used fresh ground flour; make your own at your local Whole Foods)
1 egg, beaten (or alternative if you are dairy free)
3/4 stick butter, melted (or alternative if you are dairy free)
Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place berries in a square dish (~2qt.).

Combine sucanat and flour in a separate bowl. Beat egg and add to dry ingredients. Using a fork (or your hand) combine until mixture is crumbly.

Spread mixture on top of berries with your hands. Drizzle melted butter all over and bake for 40 mins or until golden.

Serve with ice cream...a MUST!

Pre-baking

Baked Oatmeal

2011-12-28T20:03:00.000-05:00

"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" I LOVE Christmas! There is so much joy, happiness, and excitement in the air. I love knowing I will get to see all my family, especially those I don't see enough throughout the year.

The other fun part of this time of year is everyone announcing they are having babies...including US! Alex and I are expecting our first child around June 28, 2012! We are beyond excited. We feel so blessed that things happened so quickly for us after the miscarriage.

With the celebration of babies coming we have also been celebrating those who have recently been born. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Andrew Thompson Heller and his mommy, Holly.

Precious quilt that Molly made for Mr. Andrew!

I wanted to bring something healthy and different from all the dinner casseroles most bring. I found this great breakfast recipe that can be eaten any time of day. Holly is health conscious anyways, but even more so after the baby so this was perfect for her and her new family! I hope you enjoy!

Caledon Baked Oatmeal
Source: The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 cups of old fashioned oats
2 cups low fat or skim milk or soy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit of your choice
1 large unpeeled Macintosh apple, grated
4 Tbsp. maple syrup
cooking spray
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 3 quart casserole dish or baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. If you are preparing this the night before don't add the liquid ingredients such as milk or grated apple until morning.

Place mixture in a casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. (My oven cooks quick so this was too long, just keep an eye on it!)

Layered Taco Dip

2011-11-28T13:40:00.000-05:00

I love furniture! My favorite thing is to go to antique stores and consignment stores to find old furniture that has character. Preferably the cheap kind! I see the value in old expensive furniture, but our budget just doesn't quite match up. I had been looking for a corner cabinet to go in our dinning room. My mother in law found this one which was perfect! It just needed a little touching up to update it.

Before: ugly wood and silver hardware.

Close up of silver hardware.

I painted the inside with the same color as our dinning room walls and spray painted the hardware with oil rubbed bronze (my new favorite can of spray paint)!

The finished product before it was staged.

Spay painted with ORB

Close up

This is a typical layered dip. It fulfills my Mexican cravings quite well. Just try it for yourself and make it your own!

Layered Taco Dip

Ingredients:

1 can of Frito's bean dip
Guacamole
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 packet of taco seasoning
Shredded cheese (I prefer white cheddar)
Salsa
Pickled Jalapenos
Optional layers: diced tomatoes, black olives, green onions
Serve with tortilla chips

Layer dip in ~8X8 dish. Layer bean dip, guac, mix together next three ingredients in a separate bowl (mayo, sour cream, and taco seasoning) and add on top of guac, shredded cheese, salsa, and pickled jalapenos. Enjoy!

Polenta Stack with Black Bean and Chickpea Salad

2011-11-27T20:52:00.000-05:00

A few months back, we had the pleasure of adopting a sweet goldendoodle named Hank. He was previously a clients dog and due to unfortunately circumstances he needed a new home. I fell in love immediately! How could you not love that face!

Hank & Alex

Hank is an amazing dog. He looks awesome, everyone loves him, and he has the best personality.

Love him!

Alex loves using him at his shows because there is no need to worry about him biting anyone. He loves adults and kids!

I had to babysit Hank in the van at one event after we discovered that he DOES NOT like gunfire! The police did a demonstration with police dogs that involved gunfire and he freaked out. It might be his ONLY flaw.

Most of all, Hank is making a difference in the lives of others. Alex brings him up to my work frequently to do therapy with my patients. Those who are in the memory care clinic especially love him. I think even when the rest of the world can't understand you, there is an unspoken bond between a person and a dog. It makes my heart smile to see him light up their faces. Even though they forget who he is with each visit, they are just as happy to be re-introduced the next session. It is such a blessing to have this sweet dog in our lives. Now he is living with my in-laws due to the lack of space for another dog at our house. We make frequent stops to see him throughout the week and take him with us whenever time permits. He is just a love!

I know grilling season is coming to an end, but we have still had some great warm evenings. I found this recipe on my friend Tracy's blog. It was my first time cooking polenta and I loved it. It comes in a tube and is the consistency of grits. This is a great vegetarian dish that is still a well balanced meal. Enjoy!

Polenta Stack with Black Bean and Chickpea Salad

Source: http://kitchenambition.blogspot.com/

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup basil, chopped
1 1/2 cup feta cheese
1 tube prepared polenta, cut into slices
1 zucchini, cut into slices
1/2 bottle roasted red peppers, drained (I omitted this since I don't like peppers)

Directions:

Heat grill. Coat the inside of four 18" pieces of tin foil with cooking spray. Combine the beans, tomatoes, basil, and half of the feta in a bowl. Place 1/4 of the bean mixture in each piece of foil. Add the sliced zucchini, then polenta, then roasted red peppers, and finally the remaining feta cheese. Grill on a slow cooker grill for about 30 minutes, or on a gas grill for 10-15. Serve and enjoy!

Roasted Garlic Hummus

2011-10-19T20:46:00.000-04:00

Sadly, I took horrible pictures of this hummus dip. So you will just have to use your imagination and know that it was awesome if you are a garlic lover, which I am!

I feel like I have been struggling with my food photography lately. I think I am either in a hurry or super hungry. I just assume one will turn out good, and lately they have not.

Enough complaining!

Our small group had an outing at the shooting range the other week. Yes, I actually enjoy to shoot my husbands guns. He has always loved this hobby. I have always been terrified by guns! I hate that they are all over our house. I feel like they are an accident waiting to happen...until recently. I finally went with him one afternoon to the range. After getting acquainted with the gun and over my fear, I loved it! My husband was so excited that we could finally go shooting together and have a really good time.

Trying my best to not look afraid.

Old pro right here

He looks good in action!

SMALL GROUP PICTURES

Beth shooting Alex's AR15

Jordan with his new gun. I love that I caught the "fire" in this shot.

Mark and Mary showing off the cool gear we got to wear. Safety first:)

My hot husband showing off again.

Lauren patiently taking instructions from Jon

And she is off!

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

2 heads of garlic, intact
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup water
6 tbsp. tahini
14 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Remove the papery outer skins of the garlic heads, leaving them otherwise intact. Chop off the top quarter of the head so that all of the cloves are exposed. Wrap the garlic in foil and bake until very tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the cooking oil. Set aside. Once the roasted garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves from their skins (you should have about ¼ cup).

In a small prep bowl, combine the lemon juice and water. In another bowl, whisk together the reserved garlic cooking oil and the tahini. In the bowl of a food processor, process the chickpeas, the roasted garlic puree, the remaining clove of garlic, salt and cayenne until the mixture is finely ground, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the machine running, add the lemon juice-water mixture through the feed tube in a steady stream. Scrape down the bowl and process for an additional minute. With the machine running, add the oil-tahini mixture through the feed tube in a steady stream. Scrape down the bowl and continue to process until the hummus is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, top with toasted garlic slices and minced fresh parsley, if desired.

Thai Chili Sauce

2011-10-13T11:12:00.000-04:00

This is not my finest photography! I promise it taste good!

I know I talk about my small group A LOT, but they are just such an awesome group of people! We never get tired of hanging out with these smiling faces.

In the beginning of August, Mark and Mary rented a lake house on Lake Burton for all of us to enjoy for a long weekend. We had so much fun! You can't beat being on the water for a whole weekend. We cooked at home, ate some great meals at resturants on the lake (taking the boat to dinner might be the coolest part), playing games (this got a little interesting:)), riding in the boat, skiing and wake boarding, and just floating in the lake with good friends. Can we go back, please?!

The view from the upper deck

My handsome hubby about to wake board

He's up

Showing off his skills

Skills that I do not have!

All the girls in the boat ready for dinner

I could go to dinner like this each night

Hostess with the mostest, Mark and Mary

Jordan and Tara

My favorite person in the world, my husband!

Jon and Lauren

Speaking of Mrs. Lauren...definitely check out her blog. She is doing an awesome blog link up with photos each week.

I couldn't resist this one of my sweet dog, Jackson.

I hosted a little get together last month. The menu consisted of a Mexican dip (it wasn't exactly healthy so I haven't posted it yet:)), roasted garlic hummus (recipe coming soon), sweet thai chili sauce over baked chicken, and a few other things that I have already forgotten. This sauce was easy to make and gave a great kick to the baked chicken.

Enjoy!

Sweet Thai Chili Sauce

Source: She Simmers

Ingredients

3 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 red jalapeno or serrano peppers (I deseeded mine and they still had a lot of heat, but the more seeds you leave the hotter it gets)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. cornstarch or potato starch
2 tbsp. water

Directions:

Puree all the ingredients, except the last two, in a blender.

Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower to medium and simmer until sauce thickens, ~3 minutes.

Combine last two ingredients. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture until well blended and simmer for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and place into glass container. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Vanilla Pudding

2011-10-12T17:20:00.001-04:00

Last month we went to a wedding reception for my sweet friend Beth. She and I met in Physical Therapy school. It was so fun to see these girls! It has been way too long! We missed you, Ashley Peevy and Lindsey!

Nicole, Lauren, Beth, Me, Ashley, and Blythe

I love vanilla pudding! It is easy to make and is the perfect little treat after dinner! I doubled this recipe for our small group and still had left overs. Hope you enjoy!

Classic Vanilla Pudding with Vanilla Honey Whipped Cream

Source: Food Everyday Magazine

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
2 tbps. unsalted butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Optional: Vanilla Honey Whipped Cream and fresh fruit (I highly recommend both!)

Directions:

Place a fine-mesh sieve (fine strainer) over a medium heatproof bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream and egg yolks; add to saucepan.

Whisking constantly, cook over medium-high until mixture thickens and is bubbling, 8-12 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking, 1 minute.

Remove pan from heat and pour mixture through sieve into bowl. Stir in butter and vanilla until combined.

Press plastic wrap directly against surface of pudding to prevent skin from forming and refrigerate 3 hours ( or up to 3 days). To serve, whisk until smooth and divide among four small bowls. Top with fresh fruit and whipped cream!

Spinach Lasagna

2011-10-01T11:13:00.000-04:00

Last month we had a lot of things to cook for. Our sweet friends, Scott and Katie, had their little boy Mason, a dear friend lost his mom, and I was going out of town and the hubby needed to be fed. So I figured I would go ahead and pre-make three spinach lasagnas. It was super easy to throw them together and pop them in the freezer until I was ready to cook them.

Overall this is a great time saver. If you are making a dish for a friend, go ahead and cook one for yourself too!

Little Mason is so sweet and precious. I was grateful for all the time we got to spend with him and his wonderful family!

My hubby looks like a natural

Big yawn!

Mason says, "Oh dear, another admirer."

"I'm tired."

Proud dad, Scott!

This recipe is from my wonderful mother-in-law. I tried one batch with gluten free noodles. Not good! Maybe I will try a different brand next time. My picky husband was a trooper and ate maybe two servings of it, but decided he really didn't like the gluten free noodles either. The regular noodles got great reviews by everyone who tried it!

Spinach Lasagna

Source: My mother-in law

Ingredients:

1 box of oven ready lasagna noodles
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 15 oz. container of Ricotta cheese
Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 boxes frozen cream spinach (cooked to package instructions-I did it in the microwave)

Directions:

In a 9x13 pan layer with sauce on the bottom, noodles, ricotta cheese, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and continue with the layers until you run out of ingredients or fill up your pan. Top with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes. Let sit 10-15 minutes.

Chicken Salad

2011-09-30T10:34:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of going to the beach with my mom, Aunt Georgiana, and her two kids, Grayson and Mackenzie, over Labor Day weekend.

Georgiana, Grayson, Mackenzie, Me, Mom

It was nice to catch up with family members that you don't get to see as often as you like. I learned that my little cousins have some awesome dance moves, not something that runs in our side of the family!

Kenzie and Grayson about to show off their dance skills on the beach at night

Love these two!

Brother & sister love :)

We were down there for a total of 6 days and 5 nights. We had three great days of sun and then a tropical storm started to make things rainy and cloudy. We weren't able to get into the ocean because of the double red flags.

These guys decided to stop for a drink of water

My awesome Mom!

We were all on a budget so we made some yummy chicken salad to take down to the pool/beach each day. It was easy to throw on some bread or crackers. I found this from Paula Deen, but I have to say it is very basic. I followed the recipe, but next time will probably add in a few more things for a kick, like grapes. Make it your own or if you like it plain then this will be perfect as is.

By the way, head over to, my dear friend, Lauren's blog for an awesome giveaway that ends today!

Almond Chicken Salad
Source: Paula Deen

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups of diced cooked chicken (make it as chunky as you like)
1 cup finely diced celery
1/3 slivered almonds

Mix together and serve with bread, crackers, or on lettuce. Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2011-09-04T14:02:00.000-04:00

Topped with all the good stuff!

Alex and I are blessed to have the best married small group ever! We meet on Tuesday nights and enjoy growing stronger in our faith with these amazing people! They are such a great support group, especially with all we have been through. I love that we have found a group where the guys and girls equally enjoy each others company. You know what I mean? It seems like up to this point it was always a group of "Alex's friends" or "my friends", but these are definitely "our friends"!

Small group girls: Mary, Tara, Lauren, Beth, and Me in the Roswell Square after dinner at Ceviche (highly recommend)

We had the group over for a cook out a few weeks ago. The weather was AWESOME! It was like a small sneak peak into fall, my favorite time of year.

Brody was just chillin' in the grass...

Grace wanted to see what was so fun...

Such a sweetie pie!

Scott and Alex vs. Jordan and Jon

The Musselman family...love them!

I know I have posted a few different taquito recipes, but I do believe this is by far my favorite! Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup salsa

1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. onion powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1-2 green onions, chopped

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

10-12 corn tortillas

Cooking spray

Kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, spices, cilantro, green onions, chicken and shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Briefly heat the tortillas in the microwave to make them soft enough to roll easily, about 20-30 seconds.

Place a tortilla on a work surface. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture down the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, spacing the assembled taquitos evenly on the baking sheet. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and salsa, if desired.

Trials

2011-09-01T22:19:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying that this post is going to be all over the place. There is no perfect way to organize my thoughts and I just need to get it down on paper. Excuse the grammar and spelling errors that may be present.

As children I feel like we look at the world as our fun playground. One day we wake up to find that life is tough. Although there are good times, we have bad ones too. Life isn't always easy. You may even go through an entire season of life that presents itself as a challenge. For everyone this can be discouraging, but as hard as it is I am so grateful for our Savior. Until I became a Christian, these trials seemed to consume me and my life. Circumstances would swallow me until resolved, whether that was a day, week, month, or year. Knowing that God has a plan is all the comfort that I need these days. I am grateful during this season to have Christ!

I know my blog is primarily about food, with a little bit of my life added in for fun, but I felt that our most recent trial can help someone else realize they are not alone.

I found out on July 14th that I was pregnant with our first child. Although we had been trying for three months, I was still in shock that it was real! I walked around for the first day thinking that someone was going to tell me that this was a mean trick. By day two it was settling in that indeed I was pregnant and we were expecting a sweet baby on March 20, 2012. I am blessed to have a best friend who is also a midwife. She got me in early to do some blood work to make sure everything looked good, which it did. At 7 weeks I went in for my first ultrasound. The baby's heartbeat looked good and we walked out with our first snap shot of our little sweet pea. The following Sunday I began to have some minor complications that worried me enough to head back in at 8 weeks for another ultrasound. There we found out that the baby was still with us, but not growing at the rate they would like. With some activity modifications, I was back home and moving forward. The next Sunday is when I began to have a miscarriage. I knew right away that something was not right. I wanted to badly to believe that everything was going to be okay, but my gut just told me it wasn't. At 9 weeks I went in for another ultrasound which showed that our little sweet pea no longer had a heart beat. Although I thought I had prepared myself for the worse, the emotions I felt in that instant were horrific. I wanted the whole thing to be a bad dream. After 3 hours of sitting at the doctors office, we were headed home to prepare for the procedure I had to get done the next day. It is amazing how with one small pink plus sign you find out in an instant that you have created life, and with one small ultrasound unit you find out, just as quickly, that that life has been taken away.

My grieving process had already begun on Sunday night, but was in full swing Monday. As this began I thanked the Lord for my personal relationship with Him. Life would have felt so hopeless if I didn't have purpose that only He can give. I know that God has a plan for me, Alex, and our family. I know that His plan is so much bigger than anything I can comprehend. I may never know why this miscarriage happened to us, but I do know that out of any tragic situation we can glorify Him. I prayed everyday for a healthy, happy, and strong baby. Our God answered my prayers. That answer didn't look the way I wanted it to, but God knew that baby was not healthy.

I feel hopeful for many reasons. We were able to get pregnant once and I hope that means we can do it again. If not, there are other options. I know that God's plan is far better than mine and one day I will sit back and think this was worth the wait!

We have been blessed beyond belief with support from family and friends. Before my miscarriage, I didn't know anyone who had personally experienced this same situation. I was instantly comforted by phone calls, emails, and messages telling me stories about their same experience with miscarriages. The real blessing is that all of those stories had a happy ending. They were all blessed with healthy children at some point.

This week I am at the beach with some of my family. I love to read and was given a book called "Heaven is for Real". I dove right into it not knowing that it would change me forever. Up to this point I feel like I dealt with this loss knowing that I will never meet that child. In this book the little boy goes to heaven while being operated on. Years after his experience (which by this point his parents are aware of) he told his mom one day that he had two sisters (he only had one). She couldn't understand what he was saying until finally he said, "the one that died in your tummy, Mommy". She then realized that he was able to meet the baby she miscarried in heaven (whom she didn't even know was a girl). I don't want to give away this segment of the book if you plan on reading it, but it was such an amazing message and reminder that I will get to meet this baby one day! I have had one child and we pray that we can get pregnant with number two sooner than later if it be God's will.

Thank you for those who have been such an amazing support system for us. Your prayers, reminder of scripture, and words of encouragement have meant so much. We feel so blessed that you are all in our lives!

Alex and I have been very open with our pregnancy and miscarriage from the beginning. As soon as I found out that we lost our child all I could think of was that I didn't know anyone who could relate to what I was experiencing. I quickly found out I was wrong, but this has lead me to be transparent with our story. I pray that God can use it to comfort someone and remind them that His plan is perfect even in this time of trial.

Outside-In Burgers

2011-08-24T18:18:00.000-04:00

After the Peachtree Road Race, Alex and I had some close friends over for some fun in the sun and a cookout. Our pool time was cut short by a rain shower, but we still had a great day celebrating.

The Johnson Family

Mary and Mark

Brody playing in the puddle after the rain

"Yum! Cupcake!"

"That's good!"

"What?"

"Alex, I am tired and don't want to play games."

These burgers were easy to make and are now my favorite! Don't pass on making this fun ketchup. It adds a great kick!

Outside-In Burgers with Adobo Ketchup

Source: Adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

Adobo Ketchup:

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 cups ketchup

Burgers:

1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1 cup diced red onion
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 egg, lightly beaten
buns

Directions

Adobo Ketchup:

Mix all ingredients together and set aside.

Burgers:

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

In a bowl, combine the cheddar cheese and onions. Set aside until ready to use.

Mix together the ground beef, pepper, salt, garlic, oregano, cumin and egg until thoroughly combined, but not overworked. Form into 4 equal-sized balls. Flatten out each ball to 1/4-inch thick and put two tablespoons of the onion and Cheddar mixture in the middle. Fold the burger meat over the onion and Cheddar, Enclosing it securely in the middle of the meat and form it back into a ball. Flatten into 3/4-inch thick burger patties. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes turning only once.

Toast the buns on the grill over indirect heat. Add the burgers to the buns and serve with the ketchup.

Shrimp Pasta

2011-08-19T15:56:00.000-04:00

Alex and I ran the Peachtree Road Race for the second time this year, along with the Johnson's. We are always motivated at the beginning of spring to run. The temperature is great and we are looking to get in shape for the summer. As you know, living in Georgia, spring does not last long. Before you know it the humidity and high temperatures have set in. Last year, this caused us to slack on our training. I didn't have any lofty goals, just to finish!

Lauren and I, almost at the finish line!

Jon, Lauren, Me, and Alex 2010

The Peachtree is a sentimental race for our family. Alex's father passed away from a heart attack while running it in 1993. He collapsed in front of Shepherd Spinal Center from sudden cardiac arrest. Alex wears a bandanna each year that he leaves as a memorial to his dad in front of Shepherd.

We were so proud of finishing our first 10K.

This year, I wanted to beat last years time. If you knew my time you would realize that should not be too hard. In an attempt to train better I had to turn to the dreaded treadmill. It was just too hot to train outside.

As much as I dreaded the treadmill initially, I became quite fond of it by the end. I found that I could change up my pace which made the time fly by. I also had plenty of other gym attendees to keep me distracted. Plus, there is nothing like my amazing husband on the treadmill beside me to keep me going. (I am just a "little" bit competitive.)

It definitely helped me improve my time by 9 minutes.

The crew again in 2011

Luckily, we were able to start in an earlier wave this year. I hope as our times get better each year so will our waves. It made a huge difference to start earlier. The sun was out of control by the end of the race.

All by myself this year

Sadly, Alex and I never get a picture together. That should be our goal next year.

Our pre-race dinner was delicious! It was super easy to make. I found this one on Betsy's blog. Enjoy!

Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:

· 1 pound shrimp, peeled & deveined

· 2 teaspoons Emeril's essence seasoning

· 1/2 box linguine (I think I used a whole box because I used regular spaghetti noodles, it is hard to find gluten free linguine noodles)

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 2 tablespoons butter

· 3 cloves minced garlic

· 1/2 cup dry white wine

· Juice of 1 lemon

· salt & pepper to taste

· 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

· 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

· shredded parmesan for topping

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl, toss shrimp with Emeril's essence seasoning & set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil & cook pasta per instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet on medium heat add 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter. Melt butter. Add shrimp and cook for approx. 5 minutes, or until pink throughout. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add wine and lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes. Season shrimp with salt and pepper per taste.

When pasta is cooked to al dente, drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Add pasta, cooking water, and crushed red pepper to shrimp. Toss and cook for 2 minutes on low heat.

Toss with chopped parsley, top with shredded Parmesan.

Greek Salad

2011-07-13T14:15:00.000-04:00

Workouts

I have a new love for Jillian Michaels' workouts. I have been a fan of her 30 day shred because it is a quick (~25 minute) full body work out with three different levels. Recently I discovered her iPhone app, Slim Down, which has two full workouts. Each workout contains five circuits which have 4+ workouts in each circuit. It took me about 45 minutes to do it one time through. I did my first one on Monday and it was awesome! I love being sore the next day and this has left me sore for two days now. I plan on buying her Making the Cut book which has 30 days worth of these work outs. I love variety so that would be a great option for me. If you are bored with your current routine I highly suggest this option.

Around the House

The dog beds have always been an eye sore in our house. It is so hard to find cute ones that are not really expensive. I am always scoping out the dog section of Home Goods and finally hit the jack pot on Saturday. I found TWO affordable beds that matched our bedroom decor! I was thrilled! Apparently, our four legged friends are quite fond of them too!

Tucker claimed the big bed immediately

Tini was fine with the smaller one

"Who needs a dog bed? Tough dogs sleep on hard floors." Jackson

Jackson is so loyal to Alex that he even lays outside the shower waiting for him

MTV

I have to laugh at Alex because he loves MTV, especially the Rob and Big show. Does anyone watch MTV anymore? I might have seen it a few times over the past few years for an episode of the Hills, when I was really bored. Alex still watches music videos in the morning (yes, they do actually still have something to do with music). He is definitely a dedicated fan.

Alex's parents had us over for dinner Saturday. Dakin made some great grilled chicken and veggies with a sweet potato for a side. I made this Greek salad to go along with all the other fresh veggies. Plus, I had a lot of tomatoes and cucumbers that needed to be used. This is a great light salad to add to any summer dish.

Greek Salad
Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients

4 whole or 8 roma Ripe Tomatoes, Cut Into Six Wedges Each, Then Each Wedge Cut In Half
2 whole (large) Cucumber Cut Into Fourths Lengthwise, And Diced Into Large Chunks
½ whole Red Onion, Sliced Very Thin
30 whole Pitted Kalamata Olives, Cut In Half Lengthwise
6 ounces, weight Crumbled Feta Cheese
¼ cups Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Sugar (more To Taste)
1 clove Garlic, Minced
6 whole Kalamata Olives (extra), Chopped Fine
¼ teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 whole Lemon, For Squeezing

Directions:

Add tomato wedges, cucumber chunks, onion slices, halved Kalamata olives, and half the feta to a large bowl.

Combine olive oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, and chopped olives in a bowl. Whisk together until combined.

Pour dressing over salad ingredients, then add salt and pepper. Toss with tongs or clean hands. Just before serving, top with additional feta and squeeze a little lemon juice over the top.

Fresh Salsa

2011-07-12T10:23:00.001-04:00

Alex is my lovely hand model here

Goats

Alex and I had a impromptu date night a few weeks ago. We went to dinner at Party Chic, one of my favorites. I love their chicken salad!

One of our favorite hobbies is driving around looking at homes that we will never be able to afford. Alex had recently trained a client in a part of Roswell that I have never been to. On our way we found these cute little guys. Who says Roswell doesn't have "country" like aspects.

"Feed me!"

Alex letting them nibble his hand.

"Really, you just wasted my time because you have no food."

We had so much fun petting them through the fence. They quickly decided we were no fun since we did not have any food for them.

Alex and I have always wanted goats. We think they are so entertaining when they ram each other. One day we will need a farm for our dogs, goats, and the chickens Alex wants for their eggs.

Do you guys have any random things you do with your husbands, like our house hunting? What animal would you like to have that isn't a practical house pet?

I made this salsa for our small group along with the caramel popcorn. It was fresh and made a ton! I still think the other salsa is my personal favorite, but this one is a little milder.

Fresh Salsa
Source: I can't remember where I found this one:)

Ingredients

2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and very coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, halved
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes
1 (28 0z.) can diced tomatoes (drained or not, depending on how much liquid you want in your salsa)
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. cumin
1/2 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
juice of one lime

Directions:

In the food processor, combine the jalapenos and garlic. Process until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add all other ingredients to the food processor. Pulse in very brief pulses until the vegetables have reached the size you desire (it does not take many pulses so don’t overdo it). Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Caramel Popcorn

2011-07-11T19:21:00.000-04:00

I am thrilled to announce that yet another one of my best friend's from high school, Ashley Broughman, is engaged!

Ashley and I met in 9th grade at Lakeside High School. She quickly became one of my closest friends. We saw each other through many ups and downs from 9-12 grade. We created so many memories over those four years: senior high school pranks, spring breaks, and girls nights.

We went on to University of Georgia for undergrad. She joined Delta Zeta our freshman year, while I dropped out of rush because I was so confused with what I expected from a sorority. The next year, I attempted rush again and joined her as a DZ sister! College was a blast, but our paths did not cross as much as they did in high school.

After graduation, Ashley went off to Augusta, GA to the Medical College of Georgia to get her Masters degree in Nursing while I got married and started graduate school at North Georgia College and State University for my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Again, we didn't get to see each other as much as we would have liked. After Ashley graduated she moved back to the Buckhead area. This allowed us to start doing girls dinners again now that she was only an hour away from me.

It has been so great to really reconnect these past few years. We never lost touch, but we both lead very busy lives and just didn't have adequate time to catch up. I have watched Ashley find herself as an accomplished nurse, Young Life leader, and a woman of faith. Seth is one lucky man!

Congratulations, Ashley! I can't wait to celebrate this special time with you!

Celebration dinner at Party Chic. Ashley, Me, and Ali

The next three pictures are from Molly's wedding.

Ashley, Molly, Ali, and Me at Molly's bridesmaid luncheon

Ali, Me, Molly, and Ashley at the rehearsal dinner

Karina, Ashley, Maureen, Molly, Me, Ali, and Sandi our Lakeside crew at Molly's wedding

I made this awesome popcorn for our small group when we had snack night. It was a big hit and super easy to make. This is not very healthy, but a little indulgence can't hurt!

Easy Caramel Popcorn
Source: Breadbeckers

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter
3/4 cup honey
8 cups popped popcorn (I think it took about 3 bags for me)
1/2-1 cup peanuts (I used 1/2 cup)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pop popcorn and place in a large bowl.

Melt butter and honey together over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let boil for about 1 minute stirring constantly. Pour over popcorn and peanuts and mix thoroughly to coat.

Spread parchment paper over baking sheet. Pour caramel popcorn on to baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Stir and bake for 5 more minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Herb Turkey Burgers

2011-07-10T09:45:00.000-04:00

I love being able to pick tomatoes fresh out of the garden.

Every year we have three trips we go on with our InsideOut students. The biggest one is The Walk. We went down to Panama City Beach with 1,700 people! I personally had 11 girls in my Sophomore small group. Alex had 15 guys. It is a five day trip (leave Saturday morning and come home Wednesday evening).

Last year, our trip was great, but this year was amazing! This year I actually know all of my girls really well, where as last year we had all just met two weekends before. My girls were so laid back and easy to get along with. The overall theme of the week was "Back in the Day". They took us back to the Old Testament to show us the history of where we came from. It makes since to start at the beginning and not just jump into our story with God right in the middle.

The girls grew so much over this week. They really understand now how big God's love is for them, they learned that each person is MADE in God's image including ourselves, and what an important job it is to value others and not break them down.

These were all messages that I wish I could have heard when I was 15. I can't wait to watch these girls grow over the next three years of high school.

We also got to participate in the coolest Flash Mob. Hope you enjoy!

They dressed up for "Back in the Day".

Katie

Abby and Peyton

Abby Sheldon, Marie, and Simone

Katie and Me

Peyton and Abby Sheldon

Katie and McKinley (She just graduated from Milton HS and came down to help me with the group. She was involved in IO all through high school. She was a huge help!)

Deja and Abby

Krista, Dani, and Simone

Simone's face makes me laugh

All of my beautiful girls!

All of the girls + me

Katie and Amanda

Can't wait for The Walk '12!

I made these turkey burgers right before we left for our trip. They were easy to throw in for lunch that week at work. I served them with sauteed squash and onion.

Herb Turkey Burgers

Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. minced fresh sage
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

Heat the grill to medium-high. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes longer, until the onion is tender. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl; let cool.

Once the onion mixture has cooled, add the ground turkey, salt, pepper and herbs to the bowl. Mix well so everything is evenly blended. Mix in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Form the mixture into 8 equal sized patties. When you are ready to grill, oil the grates of the grill with additional olive oil or vegetable oil. Cook until evenly browned and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per side. Serve with toasted buns, lettuce, tomatoes, and condiments as desired.

Migas

2011-07-07T09:29:00.000-04:00

This is my Father's Day blog. (Finally.)

I am so grateful to have an amazing father and father-in-law.

My dad has always been the person to give me words of encouragement when I am down. He is my biggest fan in any new task I choose to accomplish. He has a golden heart. He always looks for the best in everyone and will lend a helping hand whenever physically possible.

We have had a few health scares with him over the past few years which makes this day even more special for me. I never take for granted the time I have with him.

Dad, Cari (step-mom), Me, and Alex

Being introduced at the reception

Singing to me at the Father-Daughter dance

Dakin, my father-in-law, has been in my life for 10 years now (Alex and I started dating 10 years ago yesterday!!!) He has been an amazing role model of patience, kindness, and support. He has shown us unconditional love even when we are making crazy decisions. I feel so blessed to have him as part of my family now!

Dakin, Me, Alex, and Susan

Susan and Dakin being introduced at the reception

So, this one is for you, dad and Dakin, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Hope you had the best one yet!

I am sure you were dying to know what I made for Father's day:) We settled on doing brunch which consisted for Migas, fresh fruit, and zucchini muffins. It was a crowd pleaser!

Migas are a tex-mex dish that takes your traditional scrambled eggs to the next level. You add some corn tortillas, cilantro, and other yummy ingredients.

Migas
Source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients:

1 medium onion
1 red bell pepper (I omitted because I don't like peppers)
1 green bell pepper (above)
4 tomatoes
1 or 2 jalapenos (I did two since I didn't use bell peppers)
10 to 12 large eggs (we used 12)
1/4 cup half and half
salt and pepper to taste
4 corn tortillas
canola oil for frying tortillas
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
2 cups grated Mexican cotija, Monterrey jack, or pepper jack cheese (we used pepper jack)
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Roughly chop the onion, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Finely dice the fresh jalapeno, removing the white membranes and seeds (this is where the heat is).

In a bowl lightly beat (with a mixer) the eggs and half and half. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small skillet, fry the corn tortillas in canola oil until they are barely crisp. Remove from pan onto a paper towel to drain oil. Cut tortillas into strips then large squares. Set aside.

In a skillet over medium high heat, cook the onion and bell peppers in the olive oil and butter until they begin browning (you don't want then soggy and soft).

Next, add the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.

Add tortilla squares and jalapenos. Stir and reduce the heat to low.

Next pour in the egg mixture. With a spatula, very gently fold the mixture together, allowing the eggs to cook slowly. Do not stir the mixture; just turn it lightly.

When the eggs are cooked, throw in the cheese and chopped cilantro.

Add more cheese, salt, and pepper to taste. Top with sour cream and serve with fresh fruit.

Zucchini Bread or Muffins

2011-07-03T20:50:00.000-04:00

Hello? Are you still there? I am so sorry for my prolonged absence in the blogging world. I have noticed a trend, when we are going out of town I stop blogging. I think the stresses of traveling take over my brain!

I am hoping to get you all caught up on the happenings of The Tutterrow's over this next week.

Going back to a a few weekends ago, I had the honor of celebrating the engagement of one of my best friend's, Ali and Jamil. I have known Ali since 5th grade when she transferred to my elementary school, Immaculate Heart of Mary. We became quick friends, but our friendship truly grew in high school at Lakeside. Ali went on to college at Georgia Southern while I attended University of Georgia. Our friendship has stayed strong and I am grateful to be living so much closer to my dear friend.

Ali and Jamil met in preschool, but did not start dating until high school. With only a short period of time apart in college, they have been falling in love over the past 10+ years. We were so thrilled when he FINALLY popped the question! I look forward to February when I will be standing next to Ali on her wedding day on the beautiful beaches of Mexico! Yes, I will be headed back to the same resort that we stayed in back in March.

Here are a few pictures of us on my wedding day, April 22, 2006.

Ali always knows how to make me laugh

Love her!

Here is a peak at the super fun engagement party!

Ali and Jamil

Molly with Ali's new niece, Ryan

Isn't she adorable! Lauren had a cutie!

Ali and her sweet mom, Lynn

Ali and her sweet friend, Sara, from Georgia Southern

Kendra, a childhood friend, and Ali

Grandma with her sweet new grandchild

I was kinda obsessed with Ryan!

Me, Molly, and Sandi, high school best friends!

They had a mariachi band!

The Lakeside crew

Jamil and Ali with her parents

Ali with her family

Love, love, love these amazing girls!

Most of the bridesmaids

Come on Mexico!

With my garden growing like crazy, I decided to branch out and make something other then sauteed zucchini. I found this recipe in my Bread Beckers recipe book. Super easy and yummy!

My picky husband told me he wouldn't eat them because they had zucchini in them. After a little coaxing, he was chowing down on one of his new favs!

If you are a new follower, you can see my opinion on using freshly ground wheat with a gluten sensitivity.

Zucchini Bread or Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together with electric mixer, oil and honey. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in grated zucchini. Combine dry ingredients and add to liquid mixture. Stir in raisins. Pour into greased 1 1/2 lb. loaf pan or muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes for loaf pan or 12-15 for muffins.