Special Treats

A "Graceful" Day

2012-01-29T07:39:00.000-08:00

My sister in law and mother and father in law came up from NC to stay with us Friday night. Saturday morning we all drove up to Northern VA to meet our newest family member...Grace Elizabeth. Grace was born on Tuesday the 24th of January. She is so tiny and has a full head of beautiful hair! We had such a wonderful day holding her, staring at her and spending time with Grace's Mom and Dad. Grace is a beauty and is so blessed to have such wonderful, loving parents. We had a great day of visiting and it was hard to leave! I brought them a Cinnamon-Streusel Coffeecake that you must try. The only changes I made was to substitute greek yogurt for the sour cream. It was delish!

Coffee Cake

Lots of snuggling was done today :)

Their dog, Brin, checking out her new sister with Aunt Elise

I love this picture!

Grace and her Daddy...in love!

Uncle Dan holding his neice

We love Grace!

Tee tiny feet :)

Love

It was a "Graceful" day! Looking forward to seeing her again soon and watching her grow. We love you Gracie!

Do not...

2012-01-21T08:04:00.000-08:00

Always good to hear...

Have a great weekend!

Buffalo Chicken Pasta and a delicious Crockpot Stew

2012-01-16T07:25:00.000-08:00

I haven't been into blogging lately, but I have still so much enjoyed reading others blogs. :) Here are a couple recipes that I have made recently.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta from How Sweet It Is. Yet again, we were not disappointed with her recipe! This dish was soooooooo good. Will def. be making it again.

I also made a super easy and delicious recipe that I got from my friend, Lynn's blog. Lynn has a true talent with photography, but she also dabbles in the kitchen from time to time. She always makes yummy sounding dishes, but when I saw this crock pot dish, I knew I had to make it ASAP. Nothing beats coming home after a hard day of work to a warm crock pot meal. Check out the pictures of her Cuban Style Pork and Sweet Potatoes. Below is the recipe as well with a couple of my slight changes:

Ingredients:

1 pound(s) uncooked sweet potato(es), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I kept the peel on)

1 pound(s) uncooked lean only pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces

14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, with green chiles

1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced

1/4 cup(s) unsweetened orange juice (I used reg. OJ)

2 medium uncooked scallion(s), chopped (green parts only)

1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp Durkee ground cumin, or other brand, or to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped

**I added the following extra ingredients:

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
Large red onion, chopped
Chili pepper flakes
Brown rice, prepared in rice cooker

Instructions:

Place potatoes, pork, tomatoes, garlic, orange juice, scallions, salt, cumin and pepper in a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker; cover and cook on low setting for 7 hours.
Stir in lime juice and cilantro; cover slow cooker and cook for 5 minutes more. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving (including some cooking liquid).

*I have today off and I am so happy about it...I love Monday's off!!!! I hope everyone has a great week :)

23.5 Hours

2012-01-12T06:31:00.000-08:00

Hello! I have a few yummy recipes to add here, but have had NO time to do it. I will get on that this weekend. :) In the meantime, I found this video that is amazing. You must take time to watch it...it is SO true and well, I could go on and on. Watch it.

Happy 2012!

2012-01-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! Daniel and I aren't huge on going out on New Years, so we enjoyed a nice quiet evening at home in our sweats. Yeah, we're 30 going on 90, haha. ;)

I wanted to make something special and different for this morning's New Years Day breakfast because we typically eat cereal or homemade waffles on rare occasion (yum!). I found a recipe for a breakfast casserole and whipped it up last night. Then, this morning I just had to pop it in the oven and let it bake for an hour. It was delish! I paired the casserole with fresh fruit and these delicious Brie and Apple Tarts (found from Pinterest!). I served our orange juice in wine glasses and we had a fancy little brunch. It was fun and a great start to the New Year. (I was getting too into it and cut the napkins into hearts...)

After breakfast we relaxed then took a long walk with the dogs, then sadly put all our Christmas decorations away. Once this was finished we went to the gym for Body Pump, then to my parents house for a traditional New Years Day meal. My Mom had ham, greens, black eyed peas and sweet potato biscuits. For dessert we had rum cake...it was another amazing meal and it was a good day. Nothing like starting off the New Year feeling fresh and without the slightest hangover!!!

Breakfast Casserole:

Ingredients

1 (2 pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 pound pork sausage
1 small onion, diced
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and ground black pepper to taste
12 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Place the hash brown potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook and stir the sausage and onion until the sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink; drain. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and pour over the potatoes. Layer with half the Cheddar cheese, the sausage mixture, and the remaining Cheddar cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove cover; return casserole to the oven and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Individual Brie and Apple Tarts:

1 box (2 sheets) of puff pastry, thawed
1 green apple
1 Tbsp brown sugar, divided
1 Tbsp butter, divided
1/4 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 medium wedge of brie
1 egg
flour (for rolling)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll it slightly with a floured rolling pin until it's a 10 by 10-inch square. Cut the sheet into quarters with a sharp knife. Place a good-sized slice of brie and 3 or 4 this slices of apple the middle of each of the 4 squares. Sprinkle apples with cinnamon and brown sugar and top with a pat of butter. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and fold 2 opposite corners to the center, brushing and overlapping the corners of each pastry so they firmly stick together. Brush the top of the pastries with egg wash. Place the pastries on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.

Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking, until puffed and brown. Serve warm.

*The hubs and I thankfully have tomorrow off...one more day of vacation, horray! Happy, Happy New Year to you. I hope that this year brings you good health, happiness and bountiful blessings.

Farewell, 2011

2011-12-31T06:55:00.000-08:00

January 2011 began with a delicious meal of black eyed peas and greens. I have to say that this meal started our year on the right foot! It was a cold, snowy month with not much excitement. One of my goals for 2011 was to pass a personal trainer's exam. I began studying this month...little did I know then, that by the end of the year I would have passed not one but TWO personal trainer's exams! yippe!!!

In February I celebrated 28 years of life. Where did the time go? How am I getting this old?? Slow Down!

March began with a fabulous skiing trip to Breckenridge, CO! The hubs and I stayed at a good friends AMAZING ski lodge. My Mom joined in on the fun and we all had a fabulous time skiing down the mountains of Colorado for a few days.

Later in March, I ran my first half-marathon. It was great! Then the hubs got news his company was downsizing and that meant his job too. Boo hiss. A very scary event to happen in this economy but it turned out to be a huge blessing...

April was a VERY busy month filled with two of my good friend's weddings. They were a week apart and I was a bridesmaid in one and the Maid of Honor in the other! The first wedding was in Greenville, SC. It was a college sorority sister's wedding...it was so much fun and had a great time seeing old college friends.

Bridesmaids getting ready

Beautiful bride getting ready

Thankfully, both weddings were in South Carolina. So after the first wedding and before the second wedding, the hubs and I went to my parents beach house in Pawley's Island, SC for a lovely vacation. After a few days at the beach it was time for Charlotte's wedding, my best friend. Her wedding was held at Kiawah Island, SC. It was a picture PERFECT wedding...we had the time of our lives dancing the night away. At the end of April, I passed my first Personal Trainer's exam...AFPA. Yay!!!! :) Did I mention it was a busy month????

The beautiful couple

Bride and bridemaids!

May began with the husband getting a job and starting his job! Hip, hip, horray!!!!! Other than that, it was a quiet month.

In June, we celebrated our second Anniversary. We enjoyed a nice dinner out in Raleigh to celebrate. That weekend we went to another friend's wedding.

July was a very warm month...oh how I LOVE Summer. We were lucky enough to spend a few days down at Holden Beach, NC with my husband's side of the family. We had a great and relaxing time...it was very hard to leave!

Well hello my no makeup beach face! And the hubs was trying to be funny w/his hand on the hip pose....

August was a month spent studying my brains out for my ACE personal trainer's exam. There was no fun and games around our house during this time as I REALLY wanted to pass this exam!!!! I also got a new job this month doing Corporate Personal Training. It's basically my dream job...I love it and am so happy to be in a career that I love. I could not see myself doing anything different.

In September I took my huge ACE exam and....PASSED!!!!! It was the best.feeling.EVER. Phew, no more studyin' for me! I was one happy, happy lady.

October brought more travel. The hubs and I took a trip to Ithaca, NY where my Grandparents live. We had a very nice visit with them and I enjoyed showing Daniel around Ithaca since it was his first visit there.

In November my Mom had a great surprise 60th Birthday Party for my Dad. We had SUCH a great time and he was oh so surprised. I love my Daddy so much. He is so amazing. It was also my Mom's birthday this month. We had a good time celebrating her life as well. Both of my parents are incredible. Love, love, love them.

Year old picture, but love my fam :)

For Thanksgiving, we went to Raleigh to celebrate with my husband's side of the family. We had a great time there filled with lots of love, MANY laughs, great food, and fun for all. I am so blessed to have such amazing family on both sides!

And last, but not least...December marked 30 grand years of living for my husband. We celebrated with a breath taking, absolutely picture perfect, trip to Hawaii. Honestly, we had the time of our lives. After this incredible trip, we were ready to celebrate Christmas. We stayed in town to celebrate with my family. My brother's came into town and so did my Dad's sister and her family. I think it was one of my most favorite Christmas' yet. My nephew pictured below, was the highlight of the party. He is SUCH a cute and sweet boy. We all enjoyed having a little one around for the holidays. His Momma is pregnant so the next holiday we will have another baby to snuggle and enjoy! Shown below are pictures from my parents house.

2011 was a year filled with lots of travel and lots of love. It was a year filled with happiness and good health. Here's to seeing what God has in store for us in 2012! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

A Pinterest Dinner

2011-12-20T14:17:00.000-08:00

Sunday night we had my parents over for dinner. I couldn't decide what to make, so went to my Pinterest Cooking/Baking board to give me some ideas. There are ALWAYS yummy looking things on Pinterest, so I thought I should give some of what I've pinned a try. Everything turned out wonderful!

Table setting

For the main entree I made Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa ...it was amazing!!! The recipe served six, so it was perfect for the four of us....then the hubs and I finished it off last night. I love butternut squash and quinoa...they were so delicious paired together. I got a large rotisserie chicken at Costco, so I used that to put in the stew...made the recipe so much easier to make.

Not a great picture of the stew, but you get the idea :)

With the stew, I made a spinach salad with fresh pears and toasted pecans. For the dressing, I made a maple vinaigrette. I tossed the salad in this before serving...sooo delicious! The recipe for this vinaigrette comes from this Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach and Chick Peas in a maple vinaigrette, but it was perfect with the salad I made. Next, I want to try this Quinoa Salad! I also served banana bread with the meal. And last, but not least...for dessert I made Christmas Tree brownies. So easy, delicious, fun and festive!!!!!!

*Are you on Pinterest? If so, are you following me...or vice-versa?!
**Are you ready for Christmas?? I can't believe it's just around the corner! :)

Oahu, Hawaii

2011-12-17T08:16:00.000-08:00

Paradise. Let me tell you, if you ever get the chance to go to Hawaii...GO!!!!! It is such an amazing, beautiful, friendly place. The waters are sparkling sky blue and the beaches are tan with sand. The mountains are gorgeous overflowing with waterfalls. For the most part Hawaii is safe and people are very friendly. The locals love to show you their island.

After a long, but not too bad flight of 9 hours (I watched 3 new movies that I hadn't seen yet!), we arrived in Honolulu. We had a VERY smooth flying experience the whole trip. This never happens to us, so we were very pleased. Once we arrived in Honolulu we picked up our car that we had rented. We planned to rent the cheapest, economy car, but then were sold into their "holiday special" of renting a Mustang convertible for only $5 extra a day...umm...SOLD! haha. We LOVED having the convertible! Hawaii has PERFECT weather for this, so we were so glad that we spent the $5 extra a day.

It was around 4:00 pm Hawaii time when we arrived, so we jumped in the car and headed to our resort. We were tired after having been up MANY hours, but so excited to finally be there. Turtle Bay Resort was an hour away, so we went on our way. After arriving at the resort we went straight to our room to see the beautiful views (!!!)...can you imagine waking up to this for 6 days??? Bliss!

We immediately found some dinner, and then we went straight to bed with full tummies...we felt like zombies. I won't bore you with a day to day recap on what we did, but I'll share with you a few pictures. We took about 500 pictures, so it's hard to pick which ones to use as there are SO many beautiful ones!

Beautiful pools where we spent lots of time at!

Hawaii has gorgeous and lush flowers everywhere!

Ahh...the FRUIT...A-FREAKING-MAZING!!!! Shown is some mango and pineapple...these two fruits are to die for in Hawaii!!!! Taste like candy.

There was a famous surfing competition going on (Billabong Pipemasters) while we were there. We got to watch 2 days of the competition. It was incredible to see pro surfers surfing the 30 foot waves. I have never seen 30 foot waves in my life...insane! Or as the surfers kept saying "gnarly!"

Cool pic I got of a famous surfer...forgot his name...

Us watching the competition on the first day in Hawaii

Hawaiian fire dances...amazing!

We got to experience a traditional Hawaiian Luau! So fun!!

Traditional Hawaiian food at the luau...so yummy! Purple sweet potato rolls (yum!), tilapia, BBQ pork, purple potato salad, spinach, salad with papaya dressing (!!!) and for dessert pineapple turnovers and coconut pound cake (picture not shown)!

Beach at the resort...so, so, so pretty

If you ever go to Oahu, you MUST go to Ted's Bakery! We ate breakfast and lunch here....most amazing food (and desserts) ever!!!!

love :)

Hawaii's famous Garlic Shrimp. A must try...unless you don't like garlic.

Daniel surfing!!!!! He did great!

The hubs and I had the time of our lives. It was SUCH a relaxing vacation with no worries around us. We were totally "loving life." Happy 30th Birthday to my wonderful husband!!!!!!!!!

The hustle and bustle of December

2011-12-04T07:29:00.000-08:00

December is always a busy month of party's, gift-getting, decorating, etc. To add in the excitement, it is my husband's birthday on December 8th! This year, he turns the big 3-0!!!!!!!! To celebrate we are headed to Hawaii for a week and leaving this Wednesday the 7th! We are so very excited!! I told the hubs yesterday that it kind of feels like we're going on a 2nd honeymoon.

Here we are on our honeymoon in Jamaica in June of 2009...

Oh those youngins' ;)

And in just a few short days we will be here....

Oahu, Hawaii

I am very much looking forward to some R&R with my hubby for a week. We are going to rent a car so that we can explore the island. We are also going to go to a real Luau one night....perhaps go to the Dole Pineapple Plantation, Pearl Harbor, etc. I will report on everything when we get back! :)

As on the cooking front....honestly, I haven't been doing it as much as I'd like. I made this wonderful crock pot BBQ chicken on Friday...it was perfect coming home to this after a long week. Yesterday I made this crock pot apple crisp and it was good...not my most favorite apple crisp ever, but it was super easy and with a large scoop of vanilla icecream, it did the trick! I love warm desserts in winter!

I also made these brownies this past week...they were gone in just a few days. So yummy, moist and the perfect cure for my sweet tooth!

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons canola oil
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Two large handfuls of chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the canola oil, sugar, puree, egg, and vanilla extract.

In another bowl, combine the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Final texture is very dense, moist, and fudge-y.

The hubs and I have had a great weekend of cleaning the house, getting the house decorated for Christmas, getting ready for our trip and relaxing.

Last night we met friends for Indian food...YUM (our favorite)! And then we all came back to our house to watch the big football game VT vs. Clemson and ate the apple crisp. Clemson won...horray ACC Champs...they are now headed to the Orange Bowl!!!!!

This evening I will be going with my Mom to help out the homeless for 4 hours. This is always a very humbling and eye opening experience. I don't know why I only do this once a year...should do it way more often. I am so so SO blessed to have all that I have. God is good and I am oh so very grateful.

*Today is a special day because it is my nephew's 4th birthday! Happy Birthday, Peter!!!! We love you! We celebrated Peter and my husband's birthdays while we were in Raleigh for Thanksgiving....it was a very fun time.

I hope that you enjoy this holiday season! I will be back soon to report on our trip.

A hui hou

(Hawaiian meaning, "Good-bye, until we meet again")

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T06:04:00.000-08:00

I have SO much to be thankful for!!!! I am down in Raleigh, NC this Thanksgiving with my husband's side of the family. We are having our Thanksgiving meal around 5:00 pm today. It will be a great time filled with lots of good food and good memories. We all bring something to dinner to help. I brought the pies...my traditional Pumpkin Pie and I tried something new. Derby Pie. This pie is from a place that I used to work at when in High School and College. I hadn't made it since college, but thought it'd be fun to bring the old recipe out again. I will be sharing both recipes soon! I also made my Mom's traditional and oh so GOOD pumpkin bread. This is always a hit! If any is left over I love it with some peanut butter....yummm. :)

Besides the good food and being with family, one of my other favorite parts about Thanksgiving is watching the Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade. Ever since a small child, I have loved getting up in the mornings to watch the parade in my pj's. My parents would cook us a yummy breakfast and we could have hot chocolate in the mornings and watch this. Such a great tradition. :) I hope that you and yours have a very special and Happy Thanksgiving. Count your blessings!

A little something to think about:

I'm off to watch the parade! What are you favorite things to do on this holiday?

Costco goodies

2011-11-16T16:36:00.000-08:00

A few months ago a gigantic Costco opened up just a stone's throw away from our house. There used to be a round and about way to get to the Costco from our house...until recently. A new road was added and now it literally takes us about 3 minutes to drive from out house to Costco. We have never really needed to shop much at Costco because it's just the two of us. It's nice to go there for toliet paper, paper towels, laundry/dish detergent, and that sort of thing, but I've never bought much food there before. Until now. If I can't have a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe's nearby, I'll take Costco. On my most recent trip there, I discovered some goodies which I'll share with you tonight.

Here is what I bought:

Organic Milk

The package contained 3 half-gallon jugs! The hubs and I go through a lot of milk and organic milk stays fresh a while, so this was perfect. Now if only they'll start carrying Almond Milk....

Organic Spinach

I rarely buy organic, only b/c it's so $$$, but I do like to buy organic milk, spinach and apples. One day when I become a millionaire, I'll buy everything organic. ;) I love how Costco had a huge tub of the spinach. We typically grocery shop at Kroger and the organic spinach is in a small bag and is just as expensive. I've been trying to incorporate more veggies in my daily eats, and this has been perfect for that purpose!

Green Beans

A huge bag of fresh green beans (well, fresh for a grocery store). I have been incorporating these into many of our meals. Yum.

Butternut Squash

I LOVE all kinds of squash, especially butternut....but I don't like to cut them, it is always a chore. Costco has it pre sliced and cut into cubes. Sold.

Chipotle Black Bean Burgers

These burgers were introduced to us this summer by my brother and sister in law. They had a cookout and gave everyone the option of a regular burger or a black bean burger. The hubs and I had the black bean burgers and LOVED them. I finally bought them on my recent trip to Coscto! What do I love about them? They are larger than your typical black bean burger. Lots of fiber and protein...very filling. I also love that they come in a pack of 12. Whenever we need a quick, easy dinner we can take a couple out of the freezer and either throw them on the skillet, grill, oven or microwave. Easy peasy yumminess. The other night I used whole wheat English Muffins as the "bun" and added soy cheddar cheese...SO delicious.
Raisin Bran

The hubs and I love cereal, enough said.

Nature's Path Organic, Pumpkin Flax Granola

Again, the hubs and I love cereal. What can I say? We go through this stuff seriously fast, so it's nice to buy it in bulk. :) The granola is great with regular milk, or my fav: almond milk...also wonderful on yogurt.

Palmetto Pimento Cheese

This cheese is made in Pawleys Island, SC where my parents have a beach house (heaven on earth). The hubs and I first discovered this in Pawleys Island and were SO happy and shocked to see that it is now carried at Costco's all over! Yippe!

Deli Turkey Meat

We go through a lot of deli meat in this house for sandwiches and to sometimes to salads with. The turkey is great here! The sodium is high which I don't like, but most deli meat is high in sodium anyways. We can't win all the battles.

Chobani Yogurt

I am a serious Chobani lover. My day was made when I discovered that they sell it!

Almond Butter

Like my seriousness with Chobani, I have another serious addiction to all things peanut or almond (or what have you) butter. Costco carries a gigantic tub of unsalted almond butter. I go through this by myself really quickly....oops. It's great on sandwiches, toast, oatmeal, waffles, fruit, or even by the spoonful...I.love.nut.butters.

...I think that's it, but I'm sure I'm leaving something out....oh their wine is really good too. Also, a blog I follow says that she can buy Coach's oats at her Costco. I was SO excited about this, but sadly our Costco does not carry Coaches Oats. I so wish they did because I order them about twice a year in bulk. The actual oats are not very expensive, but since they are so heavy, the shipping is always more expensive than the product is. ugh. Hopefully I can convince our Costco to carry them!

Lastly, you can get $1 fat free frozen yogurt cones there!!! LOVE! The hubs and I have been known to run in the store for just for the frozen yogurt.... :)

*Do you shop at Costco? If so, what are you favorites? Please share!

60th Surprise

2011-11-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

Since the beginning of this year, my Mom has been planning my Dad's 60th Surprise party. The party was this past Saturday and it was a hit and a major success. Dad was COMPLETELY shocked.

As he is walking through the door...SURPRISE!!!!!

"oh.my.gosh.oh.my.gosh.oh.my.gosh"

tears...

It really was an amazing night had for an amazing man. My Mom did a fabulous job with the planning of the party as well as all of the cooking. This woman is pretty darn amazing as well. We still don't know how she cooked tons and did all if this and was still able to keep it a secret from my Dad.

On the menu:

Mom welcomed everyone (with her one and only grandson, James in tow):

Then we all munched on delicious appetizers and then watched the best.slide.show.EVER. made from my Mom's good friend who has a serious talent with slideshows. My Mom gave her pictures back from when my Dad was born and the pictures went through his 59 years of life. It was put to music and was so wonderful...so tear jerking...so meaningful...and so awesome to see my Dad through the different phases of his life.

After the slideshow, dinner was served. We had BBQ (my Dad's favorite), baked beans, slaw, greens and rolls.

My brother with my sweet and adorable nephew:

Once we were done eating, Dad opened up a few gifts and cards. The shirt he is wearing was a gage gift from a good friend of his...a joke that I won't get into now.

Now, time for birthday cake! How beautiful is this cake? It was just as delicious as it was beautiful. In fact, the hubs and I had leftovers last night...we wished the cake would never end...SO GOOD!

After cake...it was time for singin' and dancin'! One of my best friends has a karaoke machine, so she graciously let us borrow it for the night. It was a hit!

Dad and my brothers:

Me with the hubs and my brothers!

Like I said before, amazing night for an amazing man. Hard worker, heart of gold, funny, huge supporter and lover of his family...he is everything one would want in a son, a husband, a father and a friend.

I love you, Dad...so, so, so much. Happy Birthday!!!

Pumpkin Pie Brownies and other goodies

2011-11-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

Happy November! Wow, where has this year GONE??? My apologizes for my lack of posts lately. Work and life has been busy and the last thing I've felt like doing here lately is blogging. Lately I have more enjoyed reading all my favorite blogs than actually doing on myself. :) Thankfully, the hubs and I are actually enjoying a weekend at home. Ahhh, it feels so good. I love traveling, but man, it is exhausting!

Last weekend I was in South Carolina with an old college friend at the AFPA personal trainer's conference. It was amazing. Seriously, the most fun and educational event I've ever been to. I have always known that I am in the right profession, but after this conference I was even more convinced that I am where I'm supposed to be. This is SUCH a great feeling. The conference was at the beach and it went from 8 am to 5:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. My friend Lindsey and I were wiped out at the end of those days. She works for Verizon corporate in SC, so we enjoyed talking about corporate fitness and the perks of that. Love, love, love my job.

The hubs has been a travelin' fool with work, so I haven't been doing as much cooking. When it's just me for dinner I will eat leftovers or make eggs, a sandwich, a salad or some other weird concoction. haha. We are going out to dinner with our neighbors tonight, but I had to work late last night, so I didn't want us to go out to eat when I got off work. Therefore, yesterday morning before work I popped some chicken in the crock pot. When I got home from work the hubs opened the vino (ahhh!), I made a side salad for us and voile...dinner was served.

Ingredients

1 medium onion
4 medium-size new potatoes (about 1 lb.)
2 cups baby carrots
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 teaspoon paprika
6 skinned, bone-in chicken thighs

Preparation

1. Halve onion lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place onion in a lightly greased 6-qt. slow cooker; top with potatoes and carrots.
2. Combine broth, next 3 ingredients, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Pour over vegetables.
3. Combine paprika and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper; rub over chicken. Arrange chicken on top of vegetables.
4. Cover and cook on LOW 6 hours or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender.

*Sprinkle Garlic Salt and any other spices/herbs to your desire once served.

Also before I left work yesterday I made these amazing Pumpkin Pie Brownie 'Cupcakes' from a blog I love, "Oh She Glows." I wanted something sweet for us to eat this weekend, yet didn't want it to be totally unhealthy. At least these are a little better for you than the typical brownie. ;) Plus, obvi. they have pumpkin in them....my little obsession.

Want to know my other latest obsession? My new iPhone 4s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Totally LOVE this phone. And, to make things even better, I just discovered Instagram. If you have an iPhone and don't have this app GET IT NOW. So amazing. Both of these photos came from my phone. Love it!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

*Do you use a Crock Pot? I LOVE Crock Pots but don't use it enough. If you have any favorite Crock Pot recipes, please send them my way.

**Do you have an iPhone? Let me know what your favorite app's are!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Date Bars

2011-10-26T17:23:00.000-07:00

We had no cookies in the house (gasp!) and I had yet another craving for some pumpkin goodness. With what we had at the casa, these bars were thrown together. SO yummy and not horribly all that bad for you. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 stick of butter (softened)

1/2 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 egg whites (or 1 whole egg or Egg Beaters = 2 egg whites)

1 c. puree pumpkin

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. quick cooking oatmeal

1/3 c. dates, chopped

Directions:

In mixing bowl cream butter, sugar; beat in eggs. Add pumpkin, vanilla, lemon; blend well. Sift together flour, soda, cinnamon and oatmeal. Gradually blend them into batter. Stir in dates.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add batter in pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake until firm approximately 15 minutes and lightly brown.

*Are you doing anything fun for Halloween this weekend? Tomorrow I'm off to my first Personal Trainer's conference in SC for a few days, so no Halloween partyin' for me. I'm really looking forward to my conference though! I am also looking forward to handing out candy to the cute little trick-or-treaters on Monday. Hope y'all have a great weekend....GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Broccoli-Quinoa Casserole

2011-10-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

I have so enjoyed getting back in the kitchen now that my big exam is over. Mainly, I have been making tons of recipes from my favorite blog: How Sweet It Is. I mean, as I've said before, Jessica's recipes are AMAZING. Not one has failed me yet. Major win in my book. Last week I made this perfectly crisp and sweet Bourbon Glazed Salmon. It was to die for. The hubs and I will DEF. be making this again soon. Also, last week I made Jessica's 3 minute fudge. Another amazing, quick and easy, melt in your mouth (literally) recipe from How Sweet It Is. Love. I made this fudge less than a week ago and it is already gone...true story. The sad part is that the hubs was out of town most of last week...so...all fingers point at me. Yowzers.

Tonight, I wanted to make a special Sunday night dinner tonight and it was so yummy! I used some of the bourbon glaze leftover from the salmon to coat the chicken. I cooked the chicken in the skillet and added the glaze for the last 5 minutes of cooking. So delish.

Pictures from the hubs iphone, I left our camera at my parents house by accident

I also found this Broccoli-Quinoa Casserole on Pinterest. (Have I mentioned I'm obsessed w/Pinterest???) I knew I had to try it ASAP. The hubs and I LOVED this dish...and, quinoa is so good for you. Win, win, win! We also had a side of corn for extra veggies. :)

I adapted the recipe a bit so here is my version below: Go make this!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

One 10 oz can low-fat condensed Cream of Mushroom soup

1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded cheese (I used soy-cheddar)

1/2 teaspoon Splenda/sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

.
2 cups cooked broccoli

1 1/2 cups COOKED quinoa (see note)

Feshly grated Parmesan cheese

.
To cook quinoa:

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

.
Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear. In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible. Fluff with a fork.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow (8×8 in or 5-6 cups) casserole dish – or individual ramekins – with vegetable cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, Splenda, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.
Spoon mixture into prepared casserole. Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for ramekins) or until bubbly on the edges and golden. Makes 8 generous 1/2-cup servings.

*For dessert I made Oatmeal Pumpkin Date Bars...another amazing recipe you won't want to miss. I will have it posted soon! Have a great week, y'all! :)

Ithaca is Gorges

2011-10-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

Phew it's been a while since my last post and we have been busy bee's! A couple weekends ago the hubs and I hopped on a plane and flew up to Ithaca, NY. My Grandparents live here (my Mom's parents) and we were way over due with a visit to see them. The hubs had never been to Ithaca, so we had a great time exploring as well as getting in some quality time with my grandparents. While my Grandfather slept in in the mornings and when they took naps in the afternoon, the hubs and I headed off for some adventures. My Grandfather has lost a lot of his energy so he was in bed a good part of our visit. It is very hard to see this as he had always been a very active person, but he has always been so great at staying positive and we had some great conversations about life.

Daniel and I went on a hike to Buttermilk Falls and saw many beautiful waterfalls. Surprisingly, I had never been here before...it was so beautiful.

We also went to the Ithaca Farmer's market twice! Oh.my.gosh, I LOVE this farmer's market. If we had one as nice and wonderful as this in Richmond, I would do my grocery shopping there every week. I could have gone crazy here. They have everything from fresh organic fruit/veggies to hand made clothing. Love, love, love. The also awesome thing about this market is that it's open every day. Amazing.

We went on a walk through the beautiful Cornell Plantation...took the hubs on a driving tour of Cornell...drove along a highway that overlooks the stunning Cayuga Lake...went to Wegmans (LOVE this grocery store...wish we had one in Richmond...) and indulged with sharing a gigantic eclair that was melt in your mouth amazing.

When with my Grandparents we enjoyed catching up with them and enjoying each other's company. Daniel did a few house chores for them as well as some yard work. They REALLY appreciated his hard work and help! I made dinner both nights we were there and did some grocery shopping for them (I was more than happy/excited to go to Wegman's more than once!). The first night we were there I made Black Bean soup. My Grandfather can only eat soft foods, so I wanted to cook something that he was able to enjoy, too. The Black Beans soup was sooooo good...and super easy to make. We will def. be making this again soon. Along with the soup we had broccoli, fresh bread and apple slices.

Black Bean Soup:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 to 2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño chile with seeds, divided
2 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, undrained
1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Mix in cumin and 1 teaspoon jalapeño. Add beans, tomatoes with juice, and broth; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer 3 cups of soup to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to pot. Simmer soup until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon jalapeño, if desired.
Ladle soup into bowls.

The next night (our last night), we had my Mexican Chicken and Rice Bake and had my Aunt and Uncle and cousins (who live in Ithaca as well) over for dinner.

This was another easy food for my Grandfather to eat and another easy one to make...healthy too! :) We had a very wonderful visit, but I found it very hard to say goodbye. As my Grandfather held my hand he told me how happy he was that Daniel and I found each other and what a wonderful couple we were. He went on to say a few more tear-jerking comments, but I was trying to hard to stay strong and to not shed a tear. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but fought hard (very hard) to hold them back. I did not want to leave my Grandpa crying...I wanted to leave him with my smile...

*Stay tuned for more posts on recipes, fitness, why I've been wearing my glasses (ugh) and about how I'm going to be on TV again...

Soft Iced Pumpkin Cookies

2011-10-05T17:26:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that I'm obsessed with pumpkin???? I put pumpkin in my overnight oats this morning...I make pumpkin chili, pumpkin brownies, pumpkin bread and the list goes on and on. I have not gotten the Starbucks pumpkin latte yet this year as I am waiting for the weather to turn colder so it will be perfect on a chilly Fall day. I can't wait for this...Starbucks is a "special treat" for me as is so darn expensive that I RARELY justify spending that much on coffee. Their pumpkin latte and the peppermint mocha are my two exceptions ;)

The hubs and I are heading to Ithaca, NY this weekend to visit my grandparents (my Mom's parents). My Grandpa is 97...I think? I have lost track, but he's up there. He is really the most amazing man. He is SO smart, with it and healthy for a man that age. My Grandma is a few years younger than him but still doing well, too. The still live in their own home...my Grandma still cooks and bakes and tends to the house and their amazing garden. I definitely get my good genes and health from them (well and of course from my parents!). Daniel and I are very much looking forward to a visit with them this weekend. The hubs has never been to Ithaca, so I am looking forward to showing him around the pretty little city. I am going to take my camera and hopefully practice on my camera skills! It will be a very special and meaningful weekend with many memories made.

We are flying to Ithaca, but I still wanted to make some cookies to bring to my Grandparents. Pumpkin it is! I just had one of these cookies and another one is calling my name...they are SO yummy, moist, and bursting with "fall-like" flavors...a must try!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup Pumpkin
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Glaze (recipe follows)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease baking sheets.

COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture, then stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies.

FOR GLAZE:
COMBINE 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.

Tofu Pad Thai

2011-10-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

I had a craving for Thai food. Then, I was inspired by this posting to make some tofu pad thai. Yummm. I basically used the same recipe, although when the hubs and I took our first few bites, the taste didn't "wow" us. Everything about the recipe was wonderful, except the sauce wasn't much of a sauce, so it tasted a little bland.

Thankfully I had this fabulous TJ's sauce in the fridge:

It was a ~~life~~ recipe saver! TJ's always knows how to get it done. I highly suggest that you go buy some pronto. The hubs is out of town tonight, so I had leftovers for dinner and mmmmmm the sauce totally makes the dish. Now, my Thai craving is fullfilled! :)

Hope ya'll are having a great week so far.

P.S.- Did you see that little Clemson napkin next to our meal? That's right...GOOOOO TIGERS. I am SO very proud to be a Clemson Tiger right now. Let's just hope and pray they keep up the good work...

P.P.S.- The new iphone came out today! I am so getting one...can't WAIT to get rid of my droid!

"You gonna eat your cornbread?"

2011-10-03T13:42:00.000-07:00

The hubs and I tend to say this phrase often when eating cornbread. Please excuse the bad language!

Over the weekend Fall seemed to come full force! That was ok though...I am finally ready for it. :) We had some friends over Saturday night to watch football and I made this yummy chili from my oh so favorite blog. I changed a couple things to it, but here is the original recipe. Below is my version:

Easy 5 Step Chili

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 29 oz can tomato sauce

1 29 oz can tomato puree

1 29 oz can and 1 12 oz can of diced tomatoes in juice

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 15 oz cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt & pepper to taste

Chop onions and garlic (and any other vegetables). In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped veggies and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until soft.

Add in ground beef (or meat) and cook until meat it heated through and no longer pink. Add sauces, tomato paste, and beans. Add spices and seasonings and stir. Let cook for at least 20-30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.

Note: This recipe makes a very chunky chili. Feel free to add more/less sauce depending on your preferences.

*Must serve with cornbread! We also topped our chili with soy cheddar cheese and hot sauce. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Perfect football watchin', fall weather food!

And a big thank you to my sweet husband for the beautiful flowers he gave me for passing my exam...

Also a big thank you to my brother and sister in law for the beautiful flowers they brought me as well! Thank you all!!!!

Done, done and DONE.

2011-10-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

I PASSED my Personal Trainer's exam!!!!!!!! I could NOT be happier about this. As explained here, I have been studying for my ACE personal trainer's certification for a little over a month now. I am certified under AFPA, but once I began working at Capital One, they wanted me to get my ACE certification. I am DONE studying!!!!

I had always dreamed of one day getting my ACE certification, but I thought I'd wait a few years to get this. I got certified under AFPA earlier this year, so I thought that one certification was enough to tackle in one year. Well, I was wrong. But, I am LOVING my new job, so this was defiantly some great motivation to get it done.

I have been studying my a$$ off for the past month and a half. Working 40 hours a week plus studying has left me with very little time to do other things I enjoy, but I knew it would all be over with before I knew it. My husband was a huge help with studying...often on weekends and while we were eating dinner he would quiz me and this was so helpful. A few days before the exam I was feeling just fine about it. Then, the morning of the test came and I began to get very nervous. I drove to the testing center and began the exam. While taking the exam, I tried to calm myself and take deep breaths, but it was hard. During the exam I would often get so nervous about passing the exam that I felt I could loose my marbles...if you know what I mean...I just HAD to pass the test!

After a little over 4 hours of taking the exam I hit the "submit answers" button on the computer and BOOM...I FLIPPIN PASSED!!!!! I was shaking I was sooooo happy! I immediately called the hubs and was freaking out (and still shaking) telling him the news. Then it was on to call the parents. My Mom was in a doctors office visiting some clients (for work) and she quickly answered the phone to hear the news and then said she'd call me back once she got out of the office. I called Dad and he was super happy!!! :) Then, my Mom called and was crying about how happy she was that I passed.

You wonder, gah, I mean, it's just a test...right? Well, I have always had a tough time in school and was never an A student. I always work my butt off, but just have never been able to do extremely well in school and exams have ALWAYS been hard for me. I am such a hard worker and study hard, so it's been very frustrating for me in the past. Long story short, that is why everyone was so happy that I passed! And, everyone knew how important and how much this test meant to me.

Enough on the test. This weekend has been absolutely perfect. No studying anymore for this lady! Friday evening began having dinner with my fabulous sister and brother in law. My sister in law is preggers and due the end of January with a baby girl. We are super excited about this!!!! We all went out for Mexican and then came home and crashed. It was a long week and my bed was calling my name. We slowly woke up Saturday morning and enjoyed each other's company over coffee and my husband's famous chocolate chip waffles. My sister and brother in law's 2 year anniversary is tomorrow so they were heading off from Richmond to continue their celebration trip. After they left the hubs and I ran 5 miles. The weather was PERFECT yesterday. Sunny but cool....a fabulous first day of October. Our run felt so great. After the run the hubs went to play golf with a friend and then I went shopping! I then came home and made chili (recipe to come tomorrow!), cornbread, and pumpkin brownies. We had some friends over for the Clemson football game (GOOOO TIGERS!!!) and for dinner and of course some good beers. It was a great evening and a perfect day. A day without worrying of studying and doing what I wanted to do. Perfect, just perfect.

Thank you to all of my wonderful family and friends for the encouragement and support through studying for this exam. I really am SO blessed to have such amazing family and friends in my life. I could not have done this without you all.

Happy Fall everyone!

Lazy Saturday

2011-09-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

Well hello Fall! Half of me is very glad to see you and half of me is not ready yet for chilly temperatures! I do love most everything about Fall. I love breaking out my jeans, getting into my sweatpants and sweatshirts at the end of a long work day, the smells of food baking in the oven, all things pumpkin, football, hot tea, fires in our fireplace and the list goes on.

Today has been a rainy day here in Richmond. It's been the perfect day to relax and watch football all day. I would have loved to be doing that, but my studying called. I have about two more weeks until my big exam so I'm trying to push through till the end! I had planned on going to the gym this afternoon with the hubs, but the plans fell through. Instead...I made cookies. I think you should make them too :) They are so delicious and moist. I love that they have whole wheat flour and no butter or eggs in them...not too shabby. The almond extract in the cookies really shines through...you will love these!

Ingredients:

1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. chopped almonds
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. almond butter
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 t. almond extract
2 T. agave
~2 T. almond milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8X8 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, oats, almonds and chocolate chips.
In a smaller bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Add wet mixture to dry and stir until combined.
Spread dough into bottom of pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until set and golden brown around edges.
Let cool before cutting into bars.

*On the menu tonight was veggie "sausage," oven roasted broccoli (yum!) and mushrooms mixed together and served over whole wheat pasta lightly covered in a light Alfredo sauce. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Hello Fall!

Along with the pasta we had a side salad and fresh whole wheat bread. Gotta have something to soak up that sauce ;) Then of course...you know what was for dessert. The hubs has been out of town a lot for work recently, so it was nice to have a romantic dinner at home tonight ;) Now, we are catching up on some football watching!

*Are you ready for Fall? What is your favorite thing about Fall?

The web is what you make of it

2011-09-12T17:04:00.000-07:00

I came across this YouTube video recently and well, a few tears came streaming down my face. The video is about a father who uses the web to share memories with his daughter as she grows up. It was touching...in a weird kind of way. The Internet totally fascinates me. You can do SO much with it and I am just continually amazed. So much has changed in the past few years with Internet...some good things...some not so good. It is wild to think that our children will be born into a world of all things Internet. They will be so computer literate and we'll get laughed at because we grew up in the "olden days" where we didn't use computers very often.

What do you think of this video? I think it is sweet...but sometimes I just can't wrap my head around all that the Internet can/will do! Definitely a cool/different way to document a someone's life!

Eggplant Parmigiana

2011-09-11T05:58:00.000-07:00

My Mom made this dish a couple years ago and my husband LOVED it. He really wanted me to get the recipe from her so that I could make it. We both were craving it! Friday night after work I took charge in the kitchen and cooked this lovely meal. It was delicious! Served with brussel sprouts and fresh whole wheat bread...mmm...a great "Welcome to September and the beginning of Fall" meal.

Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour (next time I'd try to use whole wheat flour)
2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (16-ounce) can tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup Burgundy wine (or any other red wine)
1 t. dried whole oregano
1/2 t. dried whole basil
1/4 t. dried whole thyme
1/4 t. garlic salt
10-14 slices low-fat mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 13x9x2 inch baking dish, combine the milk, egg and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil; gradually add the flour, beating until smooth. Heat 3 or 4 tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Dip the eggplant slices a few at a time, into the batter and fry in hot oil until golden. Drain well on paper towels; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the tomato sauce and paste, the drained tomatoes, wine, spices, mixing well. Simmer the sauce 10 minutes. Arrange half the eggplant slices in the prepared baking dish. Top with half the mozzarella slices. Spoon half the tomato mixture over the cheese. Repeat the layers. Top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. Allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes; cut into squares to serve.

*Unfortunately this is not a week day quick meal to make. Be sure to make this when you have some time! It took me about 45 minutes to prep this dish, and then it cooks for almost an hour. It is worth it though!!!! Enjoy :)

Where we you?

2011-09-11T05:35:00.000-07:00

Where were you 10 years ago on this day?

I was starting my first day of Freshman classes at Converse College (before transferring to Clemson) in SC. I was walking to my very first class of my college life and was so excited. As I was nearing the building that my class was in, the President of my college came up to me and shared the news. She was VERY upset and I sensed the feeling that what just happened was bad...really bad. Classes were canceled and we all gathered in each other dorm rooms glued to the TV. It felt like the world was ending.

Thankfully my parents still lived in SC at that time, so that afternoon I went straight home to be with my family. We had dinner and continued to watch the news. I was happy to be home with my family after such a devastating day.

Still praying for those who lost their loved ones and for all of the scars we still have because of this.

Productive Weekend

2011-09-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day! The hubs and I had a great productive weekend. It was so nice to be home after a few weeks of traveling to get things done around the house. Daniel and his brother did some great house projects, our new couch was delivered (pics to come soon!), I got some good studying done, I cooked/baked a lot and we still had time to relax. I love having a three day weekend! I will leave you with a few yummy recipes from the weekend...

Corn Dip appetizer

2-3 fresh jalepenos, chopped (just depends on the crowd and how hot they can handle; 2 is safer)
8 oz package of fat-free cream cheese, cut into smaller pieces
1/2 stick of butter, cut into smaller pieces
1 package of frozen corn

Add it all together, pop it in the oven at 350, and just stir it occasionally. It takes 30-45 minutes if you just heat it in the oven. I usually give it a jumpstart and microwave it for 5 minutes and then let it finish heating through in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve with chips.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line an 11″- x 7″-inch pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs and oil until smooth. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and brown sugar. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until passes toothpick test. Cool completely before cutting.

*Eating one of these as I type this...umm, hello...these are AMAZING!!!! A MUST make!!!! They are not even that bad for you...no butter, a touch of sugar, only one egg :)

Butter Bean and Quinoa "salad"
Ingredients:
1 can of beets (if desired) rinsed and drained
1 cup quinoa – cooked according to package directions
1 can butter beans – rinsed and strained
1 shallot, minced
2 slices provolone cheese, cut up
1 tablespoon olive oil
high quality aged balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup unsalted walnuts, roughly chopped
salt pepper

Make quinoa. Mix quinoa with white beans, lemon juice, cheese, walnuts, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place quinoa mixture on plate lengthwise and top with beets in a neat row. Drizzle aged balsamic vinegar around plate (and some over beets if you choose).
*We had this for dinner tonight and it was delish and so filling!

Have a great week, everyone!