tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75906890432887772702024-03-12T22:39:47.845-05:00my so called lifekeps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.comBlogger317125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-36234564363856235392016-04-21T19:24:00.000-05:002016-04-21T19:24:13.507-05:00PrinceI've been in Virginia for just under four years now. I've started to consider Virginia my home at this place, if nothing else, my home away from home :) Since I've been here, there have been just a few times where I felt out of place... Twice when my dad was having health issues... which I believe anyone away from their family at that time would feel the same, wherever they are... Once when I heard KG had signed back up with the T-Wolves. I found out while at work, and I looked around at all the females surrounding me... and I knew no one would share the excitement that I felt about KG coming back, even if for the end of his career.<br />
But today, it was a much different feeling. At lunch I was scrolling through my FB feed and I came across a Kare11 article stating there was a medical emergency at Paisley Park. I turned to my co-worker and told her, and I didn't get too much of a response. I said "Paisley Park is Prince's home, in Minnesota" and we moved on with our day. Not an hour later, I hear someone say the words "Prince died!" <br />
The conversation took over the workplace... two coworkers, twenty somethings, said they don't know any Prince songs. I was floored. They both have completely admitted that they have only listened to country music. While I can see that someone that is 20 something and has been straight country, and not a Minnesotan, I couldn't believe they didn't know ANY of Prince's music. The others started naming off Prince's songs... When Doves Cry... 1999.... Raspberry Beret... Little Red Corvette... Purple Rain...Finally "Kiss" was the song one of them realized she knew, from Pretty Woman. My heart broke a little.<br />
We talked about him in movies, and the MTV music awards, with his butt cheeks hanging out... and of course the Super Bowl performance in the rain. I asked about Romeo + Juliet, the Claire and Leo version, When Doves Cry. She said she'd seen it, but in high school and does not remember it.<br />
I've never been a huge Prince fan. I knew the songs listed above, and a bunch of songs he wrote, but never knew it... but wasn't ever a big fan. While my friends were driving around Chanhassen trying to find Paisley Park, I had no interest. Maybe I should have.<br />
Looking around at work today, I realized, though I was never a huge Prince fan, I will always be a Minnesotan. My Prince knowledge may span over what songs were on the radio, and what I know from pop culture... I do know I bleed Purple, and it's not because of the Vikings, but because I'm Minnesotan.. Not only did we bleed purple today, but I think our tears were purple as well. Rest in Peace (purple) Prince.keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-13423077398616807912015-06-18T19:47:00.001-05:002015-06-18T19:51:23.887-05:00Bachelorette party numero uno!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've gotta do this all before I forget :) For my first bachelorette party, I was accompanied by three lovely ladies to Virginia Beach! Though the weather was rough--rained and was pretty chilly the entire time... We made the best of it. We were there to drink anyway, eh? We drove down on Friday night, and went to CP Shuckers for dinner. We all ordered the same first drink, a special--the Trophy Wife... I mean, really, could it be a more perfect drink to start the weekend with??<br />
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Next up, Harpoon Larry's. We asked the bartender what drink everyone orders at his bar--He told us the Rum Runner... So that's what we started with... and I ended with! I think I had at least four of them. The biggest mistake the whole weekend!! It's tough to tell in the pic below, but he's "loaded" the straws with rum... The pic below the next shows it a bit better<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sFVLDC17dCA/VYNNNp1-WVI/AAAAAAAADNo/LPikbMd52hE/s1600/20150424_230716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sFVLDC17dCA/VYNNNp1-WVI/AAAAAAAADNo/LPikbMd52hE/s640/20150424_230716.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here you can see the rum filled straw! after the first rum runner, I figured it out... Pull the straw up and mix the rum right back into the drink. This didn't help my hangover on Saturday though... The sugaer did me in</div>
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the walk home was fun! The Neptune statue!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2PDeQFGu5AU/VYNMn6nUMzI/AAAAAAAADM4/AHv7vuJABKU/s1600/11200924_10103125254751438_3417568168484660144_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>I didn't get out of bed until 1pm. Thanks rum runner. While I slept, the girls were on the balcony, bundled up, drinking wine from penis straws :)<br />
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this is what it looked like... no sun. all rain... super chilly! </div>
I finally rolled out of bed at 1pm and got dressed, it was time to rally. We headed out to dinner, I had a little something something to drink... then an after dinner drink at Murphy's... I had a Jameson and Coke.. that was my magic potion that got me right back in shape and ready to party! We started at the hotel bar-Shots a flowing--thankfully easy shooter shots, but shots nonetheless.<br />
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we played a fun game, along the way pulling random things we needed to do... One was to find someone named Dan. And well, we did. Kinda. We renamed our bartender Dan. and he went along with it! He was a super awesome bartender for us at Waterman's! </div>
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Bartender Dan told us where we had to go next. which was a bar that I'd actually been to before with my parents... we went during the day, but we were there!! Calypso Bar and Grill<br />
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we met these fellas playing our little game, they joined in like troopers! Funny story, one of the things that was pulled by the guy on the right (you know with the peen poking him in the face) was "find someone else from Minnesota" He looked at his buddy and laughed and said how am I supposed to do this? I asked what it was, he said "find someone from MN" I said "I'm from minnesota!" he said "ME TOO!" guy was from Apple Valley. So random.<br />
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After a long night of drinking we were ready to crash. but not until we had some pizza in us...<br />
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We were all sleeping soundly when suddenly we hear pounding on the wall... Lauren was yelling that her sister wouldn't get out of the bathroom... what a funny way to wake up :)<br />
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we couldn't leave the beach until we got some beach pics. though we were no where near the ocean, we got some pics anyway.<br />
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what a great weekend with some wonderful ladies. I had so much fun and I'm so lucky to call you all friends :)<br />
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and can I just say blogger's editing features really suck? moving pics sucks. centering sucks. and moving things after it moves it for you sucks. sorry if the format is redonk!</div>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-87332821703133239512015-05-27T21:30:00.001-05:002015-05-27T21:30:37.816-05:00wowwwwieWell the wedding and honeymoon has come and gone... I can't believe I am heading back to work already tomorrow. I got a lot done on my day off at home today--but there is still soooo much more to do around the house before we have a party here in a couple weeks to celebrate. In the meantime I'm going to update this lovely blog day by day with what happened through my time at home and on the honeymoon. I'm super looking forward to my wedding pics.. Hopefully Miss Britani will be done sometime within the next week :)<br />
Now I set my alarm for the first time in three weeks to wake me for work. blah! I want to go back to the island lifestyle!keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-48763397576912790662015-04-04T19:53:00.002-05:002015-04-04T19:53:52.401-05:00Lentil & Brown Bean Sloppy Joes<a href="http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/healthy-dinner-ideas-lentil-brown-bean-sloppy-joes/">Not going to lie, this one terrified me a bit</a>. I hated Sloppy Joe's growing up. In fact, I once faked throwing up after eating one so I'd never have to eat them again (sorry mom!) My mom even made them from scratch. I bet if she made them for me now, I'd like them more.. Over the years I've grown to love the trusty manwich can. I found this out after living with an ex for a few years--I got a few good recipes out of that deal-- Anyway, I found that a little Mayo (which I never had before him) and a slice of cheese, a manwich sammy isn't terrible! And I mean, really, how easy can dinner be? Brown meat, throw in the manwich can and throw it on some buns! Seriously delish, but a seriously unhealthy meal. So after years of loving on Manwich and going back to making it from scratch--I wasn't too sure what I'd think of it.<br />
This recipe took a while to make too, but in the end, it was totally worth it. I liked it more than Manwich!! I'll totally be making future Sloppy Joe's with this recipe. Unless we are camping or something, that totally calls for a can of Manwich! PS... I left the room with a few remaining items that needed to go in here--I don't think the Mr put the balsamic vinegar in it because it's still in the pantry, unopened. It was so delish though, I don't think that last ingredient is totally necessary!<br />
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<strong>Lentil Sloppy Joes</strong><br />
canola or olive oil, for cooking<br />
1/2-1 lb ground beef<br />
1 onion, finely chopped<br />
1 red pepper, seeded and chipped<br />
1 14 oz. (398 mL) can lentils, drained<br />
1 14 oz. (398 mL) can brown beans in tomato sauce<br />
2 cups tomato sauce<br />
2 Tbsp. brown sugar<br />
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce<br />
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar</blockquote>
In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of oil
and cook the onion for 4-5 minutes, until soft. Add the meat and cook,
breaking it up with a spoon, until it’s no longer pink. Add the red
pepper, lentils and brown beans and cook until the peppers are soft.<br />
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Add the tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and balsamic
and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture bubbles and thickens.
Serve hot on crusty rolls or a slab of cornbread or cheese bread.
Serves 6.keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-19986880605077494212015-04-04T19:43:00.000-05:002015-04-04T19:43:00.905-05:00Drunken Pork ChopsI've had pork chops many different times in my life and each of those recipes tend to all involve Cream of Chicken Soup. <a href="http://siggyspice.blogspot.com/2010/03/drunken-pork-chops-absolutely.html?m=1">I was excited to find a new and different way to make a pork chop</a> that did not involve that CoC soup (it's delightful, but at the same time, let's try something different people!). <div>
The one thing that I did different, I didn't get dark beer. Why? A) I don't drink dark beer, and I don't know that I've ever seen the Man drink dark beer. B) why buy a 6 or 12 pack of something we won't drink. C) I was at Kroger and looking through the build your own 6 pack and thought I grabbed a dark beer, but it turned out to be a regular beer in a dark bottle. Anyway, the recipe turned out wonderful anyway, so really, I don't know that the dark beer is completely needed. Also, I think who ever wrote this recipe may have had a couple of the dark beers before writing it, because I was doing a whole lot of guessing as far as heat settings go. Also, I used my new favorite <a href="http://78redketchup.com/">Ketchup in the wide world 78 Red Ketchup</a>. I ordered 4 bottles, 2 regular 2 spicy--I used the spicy in this recipe. Dan really liked them. When I told him we were having pork chops for dinner, his shoulders sunk a little... but when he tasted them he thought they were great... And he told me he wasn't excited because he always associates chops with cream of chicken soup! I think we will have this style of chops often!</div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><strong><u>Seriously Scrumptious Drunken Pork Chops</u></strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li>5-6 pork chops- bone-in or boneless, your choice</li>
<li>Salt and pepper to taste</li>
<li>1 bottle of beer (The darker beer the better. I use New Belguim
1554. I would not recommend going as dark as a Guinness though.)</li>
<li>1/2 cup brown sugar</li>
<li>1/3 cup ketchup (I know, I know....but TRUST ME!)</li>
</ul>
Put a little bit of extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a
skillet. Season the chops with salt and pepper and brown both sides.
While pork chops are browning, combine beer, ketchup, and brown sugar in
a bowl. Pour sauce mixture over the pork chops and simmer for 40-45
minutes. Remove pork chops and thicken the sauce a bit. In a small cup,
combine 1 TBSP of cornstarch in 1/4 cup of water. Stir to combine and
add to boiling sauce, whisk so no lumps form. Put pork chops back in the
thickened sauce, flip to coat. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice. <br />
Have your drink and eat it too!</div>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-60219847496777746852015-04-04T19:32:00.001-05:002015-04-04T19:32:25.546-05:00Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta<a href="http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/07/creamy-tomato-spinach-pasta/">this one is another huge hit.</a> We've had it with chicken, we've had it with sausage, and we've had it with no meat, the way the recipe reads (with a bit of siracha!!). You really can't go wrong on this one. most of the items I have in my kitchen!<br />
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<div class="ERSIngredients">
<div class="ERSIngredientsHeader ERSHeading">
Ingredients</div>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 Tbsp olive oil $0.16</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 small onion $0.25</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 cloves garlic $0.16</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes $0.59</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ tsp dried oregano $0.03</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ tsp dried basil $0.03</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">pinch red pepper flakes (optional) $0.02</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">freshly cracked pepper to taste $0.05</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ tsp salt $0.03</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 Tbsp tomato paste $0.11</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 oz. cream cheese $0.48</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">¼ cup grated Parmesan $0.42</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ lb. penne pasta $0.89</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ (9 oz.) bag fresh spinach $0.50</li>
</ul>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="ERSInstructions">
<div class="ERSInstructionsHeader ERSHeading">
Instructions</div>
<ol>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Bring
a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook
until tender (7-10) minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">While
waiting for the pasta to cook, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
Cook both in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-low heat
until softened and transparent (about 5 minutes).</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Add
the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, red pepper flakes,
salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet with the onions and
garlic. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a ½ cup of water to
the skillet and stir until the tomato paste is dissolved into the sauce.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Turn
the heat down to low. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then
add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Use a whisk to stir the
sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce is
creamy. Add half of the Parmesan to the skillet and whisk until it is
melted in. Add the remainder of the parmesan and whisk until melted in
again.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Add
the fresh spinach and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted
(3-5 minutes). Add the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the
creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
Serve warm.</li>
</ol>
</div>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-38522049558365393072015-04-04T19:28:00.000-05:002015-04-04T19:29:42.180-05:00One Pot Wonder Southwest PastaThis is a great dish, filled with so many flavors--and it can easily be customized as well. Best part, one pot, very little dishes in the end. The pot, a knife and cutting board. <a href="http://thewholesomedish.com/one-pot-wonder-southwest-pasta/">yummy.</a><br />
My favorite thing to add to Mexican flavored meals is cilantro. Topped it with a bit of that, and actually used crumbled queso fresco. I made my own taco seasoning to use in this as well, so as to take out a bit of sodium. Used low sodium black beans as well.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="ERSIngredients">
<div class="ERSIngredientsHeader ERSHeading">
Ingredients</div>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 13.5 oz. box of whole wheat rotini (or any pasta you like)</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 cups frozen corn kernels</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 medium green bell pepper cut into thin strips</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ medium red onion, sliced</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 15 oz. can Rotel canned tomatoes and chilies (I used the Mexican blend with lime and cilantro)</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">¼ cup taco seasoning (I used Old El Paso, medium)</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 tsp. salt (if the taco seasoning you use contains a lot of salt, you may want to reduce this)</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">4 cups fat-free chicken (or vegetable) broth</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">¼ cup Mexican cheese blend, plus more for topping (Optional)</li>
</ul>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
</div>
<div class="ERSInstructions">
<div class="ERSInstructionsHeader ERSHeading">
Instructions</div>
<ol>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Add all but the last 2 ingredients (beans and cheese) to a large pot. Stir, cover, and bring to a rolling boil.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Reduce
heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 12-15 minutes, stirring
occasionally. There should be ¼ to ½ inch of liquid in the bottom of the
pot when it is done.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Remove
from heat. Stir in the black beans and cheese (optional). Let it rest
for 5 minutes to warm the beans, melt the cheese, and absorb the excess
liquid.</li>
</ol>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="ERSNutrition nutrition" itemprop="nutrition" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/NutritionInformation">
<div class="ERSNutritionHeader">
Nutrition Information</div>
<div class="ERSNutrionDetails">
Serving size: <span itemprop="servingSize">1 cup</span> Calories: <span itemprop="calories">320</span> Fat: <span itemprop="fatContent">4.2</span> Saturated fat: <span itemprop="saturatedFatContent">0.9</span> Carbohydrates: <span itemprop="carbohydrateContent">60.1</span> Fiber: <span itemprop="fiberContent">7.4</span> Protein: <span itemprop="proteinContent">11.7</span></div>
</div>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-72234495155491251652015-03-08T12:22:00.001-05:002015-03-08T12:22:54.043-05:00Sunday Morning DIY Beauty items!So today I took a break from all the wedding things I've been doing... I needed to do something besides wedding stuff for a hot minute. I've been gathering items on Pinterest that I've been wanting to throw together...and this morning I got them all done! I made sugar lip scrub, a rosemary lemon sugar hand scrub, a night time cream, spray in conditioner/detangler, shampoo with some essential oils infused, and makeup remover!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-402C85WlVS8/VPyAuO3F3KI/AAAAAAAADLo/NZY49ouvsvY/s1600/20150308_122336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-402C85WlVS8/VPyAuO3F3KI/AAAAAAAADLo/NZY49ouvsvY/s1600/20150308_122336.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.rooted2thrive.com/#!Essential-Oils-for-Hair/cmfg/232E7DB4-871C-4A89-A2D7-4AF6E2567518">Shampoo</a> (the pic you will see on this page reminds me of Shawn White.. I can't not picture him). I took a travel size shampoo bottle from target and filled it 1/3 with my shampoo. I then added 8-9 drops of the following Essential Oils: Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Geranium, Lavender and Rosemary.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.madefrompinterest.net/diy-detangle-spray/">Detangling spray</a>: This was an easy one... another bottle from Target... I used my fiance's cheap shampoo (that's what it says to use!) .Filled the bottom up, and added half bottle of hot water... shook it up and then filled the rest with more hot water. easy peasy.</div>
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<a href="http://www.hercampus.com/school/bc/perfect-diy-lip-scrub">Sugar lip scrub</a>: mine looks nothing like theirs--mine is more liquidy...I also made mine purple. of course it's dark dark purple b/c i just added blue and red... </div>
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<a href="http://premeditatedleftovers.com/gardening/lemon-rosemary-gardeners-hand-scrub/#_a5y_p=1443726">Sugar hand scrub</a>: I didn't make half as much as they have here... Made enough to fit in the jar I had. I've never zested a lemon before, but dang, that made the kitchen smell yummy!</div>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/8d/39/fb/8d39fb05bbc7780feeb516e05148669e.jpg">Night time cream</a>: again I didn't have a container big enough to do 1/3 a cup, so I poured coconut oil in the container I had to fill up. Then moved it to a bowl, added the three EO's (I use Eden's Garden EO's, so instead of Peace & Calming I used Good Night). I put the bowl in the fridge to harden the coconut oil (not hard hard, soft hard;) then I whipped it with my hand mixer. </div>
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<a href="http://redefinedmom.com/diy-homemade-makeup-remover-pads/#_a5y_p=3222737">Makeup remove pads</a>: I didn't have a wide mouth mason jar, just used one I had in the house. May cause issues when I'm down to the bottom. But for now, I'm golden!</div>
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keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-12990098417220108602015-03-08T11:58:00.001-05:002015-04-04T20:17:46.889-05:00There's a bat in the bedroom!<div class="MsoNormal">
So, <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1496153809" tabindex="0">Sunday</span>
night after finding out I will have a vacant condo on the first day of
May, the same month I’m getting married… Clearly I did not sleep well
that night, completely stressed wishing my renter could have just held
on ONE MORE DAY.
Fast forward to <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1496153810" tabindex="0">Monday</span>
night… I get in bed at 930pm. I turn on the diffuser with my favorite
night time oil-Good Night… I also put some on—along with some Clary Sage
to bring me down off the emotional edge… I was determined to get a good
night of sleep. I
turned on my Kindle to watch an episode of Private Practice. I was out
within 10 minutes, sleeping sound…UNTIL… I hear Dan yell out… It wasn't
a normal yell I hear from him when he gets excited about something. I
wake up and roll over to see what he was
yelling about and I see something flutter in the shadows of our room… I
quickly throw my covers over my head and yell “WHAT WAS THAT?!” and Dan
yells back “A BAT!” and then jumps out of the bed and runs out of the
room… Me, still half asleep, I’m still under
my covers hiding from the bat. I hear Dan downstairs saying “are you
coming out?” I said “yep” and flung my covers off and ran out of the
room fearing that flying mouse would end up tangled in my beautiful long
locks—if that were to happen, I’d shave my head.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Met Dan at the bottom of the stairs and we looked
at each other like “now what?” I jumped on my computer and googled
something I never thought I’d google… “how do I get a bat out of my
house?” to my surprise a bunch of stuff came up… on
wikihow they had animations of how this would be done. They gave many
ideas to how to get a bat while it was hanging and holding still. But I
saw nothing about how to get a bat that is flying around the room out…
Go to Facebook to see if by any chance my
dad was on line… BINGO… Daddy, how do we get a bat out of our house?!
Dad gave us some words of wisdom “Tennis rackets work best” The only
problem was we didn’t want to smash a bat in our bedroom and have it
land on our bed……… We did arm Dan with a broom,
and tennis racket… he had slippers on along with some yellow dish
washing gloves… he ran up and turned the light on in our room in hopes
he’d settle down with the lights on. I was standing at the bottom of
the stairs freezing (we keep our house at a cool
60 degrees) with only a night shirt on… I decided I needed to go
upstairs to get some pants and a sweatshirt on…especially because Dan
was talking about calling in animal control. At this point Dan was at
the top of the stairs peering around the corner into
our room at the bat who is now doing laps around our ceiling fan. I
continued watching it do this before making my move to the purple room
where all my clothes are… I get up and start to go when I see the bat
come flying into the hallway—you know the batman
logo—yeah the batman logo was basically flying at me… I turn around
and run back down that staircase. With my grace, and my tiredness, I
can’t believe I didn't fall down the stairs. I've never run down the
stairs like I did that night…</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
After I was able to bring my heart rate down (why
didn't I put on my heart rate monitor for this? I am pretty sure going
up and down the stairs like we did was a great workout)… I went back
upstairs and made it into my purple room and put
some extra layers on… I also started thinking, I’m closing all these
other doors because I don’t want that effer getting out of our bedroom
and disappearing somewhere in the house… so I did just that. Nowhere for
him to go but the main part of our house.
Dan and I did a lot of looking at each other dumbfounded, and Dan did a
lot of swearing… We just didn't know what to do. We were both at the
top of the stairs watching the bat do laps around the fan (again)… just
waiting for it to disappear for a while, thinking
maybe it will find a place to hang out and we could actually have a
chance to trap him with a bucket (thanks wiki). We were almost in a
trance watching that thing do circles around that ceiling fan… and then the thing came flying out into
the hallway again…
and we in turn went flying down the stairs again… Neither of us were
about to get rabies that night. It wasn't happening! I stayed down at
the bottom of the stairs while Dan crept back up the stairs. When he
looked around the corner he did not see the bad
flying in our room any longer… so he started to make his way to the
door of the bedroom to find where the thing was….. he was looking
around and not seeing anything… when suddenly he said ‘Oh oh..he’s he’s
trapped…. I’ve got him!’ I said NO WAY!! he said
yes, open the door!! I opened our front door and propped open the
glass door… and Dan came running down with his mesh hamper that he keeps
in the hallway with a towel draped over it. He chucked his hamper
outside, ran in and slammed the door shut……..and
like that our bat ordeal was OVER. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jNnUAk5YDFM/VPx-ze1gP1I/AAAAAAAADLc/hUbmuG2K470/s1600/20150303_070244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jNnUAk5YDFM/VPx-ze1gP1I/AAAAAAAADLc/hUbmuG2K470/s1600/20150303_070244.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until I left for work in the morning and the hamper was still there. I had coffee in one hand, my purse and wedding bag in the other (I bring all my wedding planning stuff to work, you know just in case I suddenly need to do something wedding related-don't judge!)... I had to make my way around that hamper and wasn't about to peak to see if that thing was still attached. I walked around it and made my way to work. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I never see a bat again, I think I'll be okay. I'll never watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRR4iYRRBLk">The Great Outdoors</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFCMoKizLzg">Black Sheep</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fff6T4WK6Q">The Office</a> bat scenes the same again. </div>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-79991795530779849662015-03-08T11:46:00.002-05:002015-03-08T11:46:41.220-05:00Light Crock Pot Fiesta Chicken Rice Bowl<a href="http://www.julieseatsandtreats.com/2015/01/light-crock-pot-fiesta-chicken-rice-bowls/2/">Crock Pot Fiesta Chicken Rice Bowl.</a> This one was super yummy, super easy and it will find it's way into our recipe rotation! I purchased red and orange bell peppers to put in it, but, since it wasn't in the recipe by the time I made it I forgot I'd purchased the peppers for that and completely forgot to put it in there. I'll be sure to do that next time though!<br />
<br />
<div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-ingredients">
Ingredients</div>
<ul id="zlrecipe-ingredients-list">
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-0" itemprop="ingredients">1 lb. uncooked chicken, cubed
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-1" itemprop="ingredients">1 c. uncooked brown rice
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-2" itemprop="ingredients">1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-3" itemprop="ingredients">1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-4" itemprop="ingredients">1/2 c. chicken broth
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-5" itemprop="ingredients">1 medium onion, chopped
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-6" itemprop="ingredients">1 tsp. cumin
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-7" itemprop="ingredients">1/4 tsp. salt
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-8" itemprop="ingredients">1 avocado
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-9" itemprop="ingredients">1 c. pico de gallo (I used hot Pace salsa)</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-10" itemprop="ingredients">1/2 c. queso fresco, crumbled
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-11" itemprop="ingredients">OPTIONAL - 1 c. non-fat plain Greek yogurt or light sour cream (didn't use either of these)</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-11" itemprop="ingredients">(note to self, add peppers!)<br /><br /><br /><div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-instructions">
Instructions</div>
<ol class="instructions" id="zlrecipe-instructions-list">
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-0" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Spray
your Crock Pot with non-stick spray and add the chicken, rice,
enchilada sauce, green chilies, chicken broth, onion, cumin and salt.
Stir to combine and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Serve topped with pico de gallo, queso fresco and Greek yogurt.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-6930750057299958082015-02-28T17:21:00.001-06:002015-02-28T17:21:52.729-06:00Goulash!So I found this recipe on Pinterest called <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/poverty-meal-27520">poverty meal</a>. I looked at the recipe and thought this sounds a lot like mom's Goulash from when I was a kid. This Goulash recipe is one that I've tried through the years, but it was always better when my momma made it! Isn't this true for most things... As long as someone else is making it, it's usually better. But when your mamma makes it---gurrrrrlll... mmmmhummm. So went to the store and bought the food listed in the poverty meal recipe... Then I put a call in to momma to see what she put in it. I smooched the two recipes together and made a delish Goulash/poverty meal combo! I had to add my little spices to it as well... So it's a combo of all three! I hope you enjoy!<br />
<br />
1 Large Onion (I use red onions for pretty much everything)<br />
2 Garlic Cloves (I use a bottle of minced Garlic, not the dry stuff)<br />
1 Tblspn of Olive Oil<br />
1 LB Ground Beef<br />
1 Can Stewed Tomatoes<br />
1 Can Tomato Soup<br />
1 LB Elbow Mac (I use whole wheat pasta)<br />
Mustard<br />
Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ<br />
Cumin<br />
White Pepper<br />
Chili Powder<br />
Shredded Cheddar Cheese<br />
<br />
<br />
Cook pasta according to packaging.<br />
Heat up oil over medium high heat in a large pan. Add garlic and onions, cook until translucent. Add ground beef. cook until only a little pink showing. Drain any extra grease and return to the stove top. bring the heat down to medium. Add tomatoes, tomato soup to the beef, stir in. I did not measure any of the following ingredients. Just put in to taste: mustard, bbq sauce, cumin white pepper and chili powder. Cook until meet completely cooked through. Drain pasta and move the meat sauce to pot with pasta. Stir to combine. Serve immediately. Top with cheddar cheese (or whatever your heart desires in the cheese world!)keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-30993283183090992972015-02-11T19:09:00.001-06:002015-02-11T19:09:19.098-06:00One Pot Pasta with Andouille Sausage This turned out amazing!! Both the man and I liked it. We didn't have any fresh basil, so we used the dried stuff, and it was still great! <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2014/05/16/one-pot-pasta/">This is where we found it!</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-ingredients">
Ingredients</div>
<ul id="zlrecipe-ingredients-list">
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-0" itemprop="ingredients">1 pound spaghetti </li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-1" itemprop="ingredients">1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced </li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-2" itemprop="ingredients">1 large onion, thinly sliced </li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-3" itemprop="ingredients">3 cups halved grape tomatoes </li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-4" itemprop="ingredients">2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed </li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-5" itemprop="ingredients">4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced </li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-6" itemprop="ingredients">Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste </li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-7" itemprop="ingredients">1 cup grated Parmesan</li>
</ul>
<div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-instructions">
Instructions</div>
<ul class="instructions" id="zlrecipe-instructions-list">
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-0" itemprop="recipeInstructions">In
a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, combine
spaghetti, sausage, onion, tomatoes, basil, garlic and 4 1/2 cups water;
season with salt and pepper, to taste. </li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-1" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Bring
to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is cooked
through and liquid has reduced, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. </li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-2" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Serve immediately. </li>
</ul>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-91641575176512843872015-01-25T20:59:00.001-06:002015-01-25T20:59:21.327-06:00New Orleans BBQ ShrimpSo last spring the Man spent a few days in New Orleans. He came back talking about how good BBQ Shrimp was. Now, I spent some time in New Orleans myself, back in 1997... Before I was 18. which means before I was 21. To make things even more fun, I was with my church's youth group at a ELCA Youth gathering. I had a blast, don't get me wrong, but I feel as if I were to go today, I'd have a different kind of fun!! Here Jen and I are trying on super fun hats :) It was HOT. We were there at the end of July. You haven't felt humidity until you've been to New Orleans in July. And the beads were purchased. Remember we were there with church!! :D<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uEUwkK3brEA/VMWpyNLjATI/AAAAAAAADKM/gWr1OyYm-u4/s1600/207680394_72e02e5146_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uEUwkK3brEA/VMWpyNLjATI/AAAAAAAADKM/gWr1OyYm-u4/s1600/207680394_72e02e5146_o.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Anyway, I was watching TV recently--- Nothing was on, and when nothing is on I watch Create TV--a PBS channel. It was a cooking show-<a href="https://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/4625-new-orleans-barbecue-shrimp">Cook's Country, and they were making--YOU GUESSED IT! BBQ Shrimp</a>. Which, BTW is not BBQ at all...but shrimp indeed. I quickly googled the show and their recipes, and bingo! there it was. When the Man got home I showed him the recipe and it was ON. Okay, it wasn't on, because it took two weeks before we actually made it.. But we did. Today. and it was AMAZE-BALLS! We picked up some Zatarain's (reduced sodium of course) to have on the side. We didn't make this much, as a matter of fact, we only had 1/2 a pound. Which wasn't enough. Next time I'll for sure get 1 pound, and if we are making it for many people, I'll make the whole recipe. Anyway, this was a big time win!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I thought I'd have problems finding the clam juice, I had no idea where to look for it... But it was at eye level and I just happened to glance that way. It was near the tuna and other canned seafood. We used a Bud Light Lime that someone left at our house for the beer. The shrimp we purchased was already deveined and we decided to peel them as well. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">BBQ SHRIMP</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<section class="serves">Although authentic barbecue shrimp is always
made with shell-on shrimp, peeled and deveined shrimp may be used.
Light- or medium-bodied beers work best here. Serve with Tabasco sauce
and French bread, if desired.<br />
</section><section class="ingredients">
<h4 class="section-slug">
Ingredients</h4>
<ul>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
2
pounds extra-large shrimp (21-25 per pound, see note)
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
1/2
teaspoon salt
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
1/2
teaspoon cayenne pepper
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
2
tablespoons <a href="https://www.cookscountry.com/taste_tests/489-all-purpose-vegetable-oils">vegetable oil</a>
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
6
tablespoons <a href="https://www.cookscountry.com/taste_tests/548-unsalted-butter">unsalted butter</a>, cut into 6 pieces
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
2
teaspoons <a href="https://www.cookscountry.com/taste_tests/13-flour">all-purpose flour</a>
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
1
teaspoon <a href="https://www.cookscountry.com/taste_tests/516-tomato-paste">tomato paste</a>
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
1
teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
1
teaspoon minced fresh thyme
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
1/2
teaspoon dried oregano
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
3
garlic cloves, minced
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
3/4
cup bottled clam juice
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
1/2
cup <a href="https://www.cookscountry.com/taste_tests/197-irish-beer">beer</a>
</li>
<li itemprop="ingredients">
1
tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
</li>
</ul>
</section><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<section class="instructions">
<h4 class="section-slug">
Instructions </h4>
<h4 class="section-slug">
<strong>1. Sear shrimp:</strong> Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and
sprinkle with salt and cayenne. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet
over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of shrimp, without
moving, until spotty brown on one side, about 1 minute; transfer to
large plate. Repeat with remaining oil and shrimp.</h4>
<h4 class="section-slug">
<strong>2. Make Sauce:</strong> Melt 1 tablespoon butter in empty
skillet over medium heat. Add flour, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme,
oregano, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in
clam juice, beer, and Worcestershire, scraping up any browned bits, and
bring to boil. Return shrimp and any accumulated juices to skillet.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until shrimp are cooked
through, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining butter until
incorporated. Serve.</h4>
<div>
Here is a pic of our yummy dinner. we paired it with a white wine from <a href="http://www.mountaincovevineyards.com/our-wines">Mountain Cove Vinyards</a>. Their Skyline White. SOOOO YUMMY!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRnBulyearg/VMWtUMkW4PI/AAAAAAAADKY/litxIPzsV2M/s1600/IMG_20150125_193217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRnBulyearg/VMWtUMkW4PI/AAAAAAAADKY/litxIPzsV2M/s1600/IMG_20150125_193217.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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</section>keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-56579473901267376732015-01-24T22:50:00.003-06:002015-01-24T22:52:02.658-06:00Black Bean Burgers!<div class="entry">
<br />
<a href="http://shinycooking.com/black-bean-burgers?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+shinycooking+%28Shiny+Cooking%29">These are pretty yummmmy!</a> We have them a lot because we've always got black beans in the pantry! We sometimes use the green pepper, sometimes not... I used sweet peppers last time and it was pretty good. Super yummy light dinner!<br />
<blockquote>
<strong>Yield</strong>: 4 large patties or 6 to 8 smaller patties<br />
<strong>Oven</strong>: 375°F<br />
<strong>Special equipment</strong>: A food processor makes it much easier!<br />
<ul>
1 (15 ounce) can (1½ cups) black beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry.<br />
½ green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces<br />
½ onion, cut into wedges<br />
3 cloves of garlic, peeled<br />
1 egg<br />
1 tablespoon chili powder<br />
1 tablespoon cumin<br />
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce (can also use any hot sauce)<br />
½ cup bread crumbs</ul>
Preheat oven to 375°F and oil a baking sheet or line with parchment or a silicone baking mat (like a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008T960/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=shinycooking-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00008T960" target="_blank">Silpat</a><img alt="" border="0" class="thinglinkFiltered" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shinycooking-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00008T960" height="1" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />).<br />
Add beans, green pepper, onion, and garlic to your food processor.
Pulse until veggies are finely chopped and beans are pasty, but not
quite puréed. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, chili powder, cumin,
and Thai chili sauce. Add bean and veggie mixture and mix well. Finally,
stir in bread crumbs. If mixture is not thick enough to form patties
(it should be), add more bread crumbs.<br />
Take a look at your buns and make your patties about the same size.
Big, round, luscious buns require bigger patties, of course. Small, firm
buns need small patties. There are zero sexual innuendos in this
paragraph. <br />
Put the patties on your prepared baking sheet, and bake at 375°F for
20 minutes total: 10 minutes on one side, flip, 10 minutes on the other
side</blockquote>
</div>
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keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-64386790962458562052015-01-12T20:33:00.001-06:002015-01-12T20:33:24.517-06:00Slow Cooker Tex Mex QuionaI've made a handful of Quinoa dishes like this, and I've yet to be disappointed. This was nice that it was in the slow cooker. The only thing that bothered me is that there was no way to put this on low and cook for eight hours.. I cut up all my peppers and onion yesterday at like 10am and then read a little note stating not to cook it on low for 3 hours as it makes it mushy... We had plans to watch the football game at a friends house, and if I started it before we left it would have been ready too early, and if I waited until we were home, it'd be too late. Thankfully I quit after cutting up the produce. I stuck it in the fridge and when I was at home at lunch today I threw the rest of the food in and it was almost ready when I got home from work. I tasted it right way and it didn't taste like much-but that's because there was still a big part of the recipe left! I skipped on the mozzarella cheese and put in queso fresco (that I crumbled). Cilantro is my fave...I love it and can't get enough of it.<br />
<a href="http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/slow-cooker-tex-mex-qunioa-casserole/#_a5y_p=1753511">anyway, here it is. </a><br />
<br />
<div class="ERSName" itemprop="name">
Slow Cooker Quinoa Tex Mex</div>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
<div class="ERSTimes">
<div class="ERSTime">
<div class="ERSTimeHeading">
Prep time</div>
<div class="ERSTimeItem">
<time datetime="PT15M" itemprop="prepTime">15 mins</time> </div>
</div>
<div class="ERSTime ERSTimeRight">
<div class="ERSTimeHeading">
Total time</div>
<div class="ERSTimeItem">
<time datetime="PT15M" itemprop="totalTime">3-4 hrs 15 min</time></div>
</div>
<div class="ERSClearLeft">
</div>
</div>
<div class="divERSHeadItems">
<div class="ERSAuthor">
Author: <span itemprop="author">Chelsea</span></div>
<div class="ERSServes">
Serves: <span itemprop="recipeYield">6-8</span></div>
</div>
<div class="ERSIngredients">
<div class="ERSIngredientsHeader ERSHeading">
Ingredients</div>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1 and 1/2 cups quinoa, well rinsed</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained (I used Hunt's)</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1 can (15.25 ounces) corn, drained and rinsed</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1 cup sweet peppers, chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1 poblano chili pepper (~3/4 cup), chopped (I used a jalapeno as i couldn't find this pepper)</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1/2 teaspoon minced garlic</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">2 tablespoons chili powder</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">3 cups water (or chicken broth)</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1/4 cup cilantro, chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1 tablespoon fresh lime juice</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">2-4 tablespoons taco seasoning</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded</li>
<li class="ingredient spx_inspected_extr spx_global" itemprop="ingredients">Optional: green onions, salt and pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
</div>
<div class="spx_wrapper ng-scope" id="spx_reset_1" ng-controller="bootstrapCtrl" style="margin-bottom: -4px; margin-top: 7px; visibility: visible;">
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<div class="pla_container overhang_on one_line_">
<div class="image">
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</div>
</div>
<div class="ERSInstructions">
<ol>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Rinse the quinoa well. I rinse my quinoa in a mesh strainer under hot water.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Place the washed quinoa, drained and rinsed black beans, undrained diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed corn in the slow cooker.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Chop
the sweet peppers and poblano chili pepper (remove seeds if desired).
Add the chopped peppers, minced garlic, and chopped onion to the slow
cooker. Stir everything together. Add in the chili powder, ground cumin,
and water. Stir again and cook for 3-4 hours on high or until the water
is completely absorbed and the quinoa is cooked through. All slow
cookers cook a little differently so make sure to occasionally check the
dish to make sure the quinoa isn't burning or sticking all to the
sides.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Remove
from heat and stir in the chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, taco
seasoning to taste, and green onions if desired. Season with salt and
pepper.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Stir in the mozzarella cheese and enjoy immediately.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Have
leftovers? I loved placing the mixture into a large tortilla (with
extra cheese), rolling it up tight, and placing it in a skillet to brown
the edges (1-2 minutes, switching sides every 30 seconds at medium
heat). SO good!</li>
</ol>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="ERSNotesDiv">
<div class="ERSNotesHeader">
Notes</div>
<div class="ERSNotes">
RECIPE
UPDATE: I have had a few readers report a mushy consistency. It seems
when readers are getting this result they are cooking it for too long
and/or on low. I've never had a mushy consistency with this recipe which
is why I specify in the instructions to cook it 3-4 hours on high (no
options for cooking on low). For best results (as all slow cookers cook a
little differently) check yours every hour and only cook on high for a
maximum of 4 hours.</div>
</div>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-76894692220293287152015-01-11T10:52:00.002-06:002015-01-11T10:52:55.260-06:00One Little WordSo my sister over at <a href="http://livelaughloveandlavender.blogspot.com/">Live Laugh Love and Lavender </a>Wrote a little blog about One Little Word. She said that I should do the same... I just can't think of just one little word for 2015... I however have been thinking about it and have come up with something, that I think it would be fitting. Instead of One Little Word, I'm going to do One Little Thing. <br />
I have been working the hours of 9 to 6 pm since May. I haven't changed my sleeping habits much since I did that either--I'm still going to bed at 10ish, and I sleep until 745 in the morning. That's a lot of sleep. and not much time awake at home. I get home around 615 (thankfully I don't work far from home). I do my quick little 20 min workout... make dinner, we are eating around 730 or 8, and then I settle in to watch a show or two. I get NOTHING done during the work week. So, in 2015, I'm going to do One Little Thing. Every weeknight before I sit down to watch the TV, or to hit the hay. There is always one more little thing I can get done every day. That will free up time for me on the weekend, so my weekends aren't filled with chores! Yippeeeee!<br />
With the wedding coming up, I've got lots of little things to get done, so that's probably going to be my focus over the next four months. It's going to be a fun ride, 2015!keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-2322684078686795072015-01-11T10:23:00.002-06:002015-01-11T10:54:37.063-06:00Crispy Chicken Tortilla Roll UpsThis is one of Dan and my <a href="http://www.wendyweekendgourmet.com/2014/05/crispy-chicken-tortilla-rollups-for.html">favorite recipes.</a> I hadn't made it in a while, so last night I decided it was time again! I never do the part where you put them in the oil, I just bake them in the oven. don't put the oil on it and sprinkle it with dried cilantro either. they are perfectly delicious out of the oven. No need to add any deep fried nasties to a perfectly delicious and dare I say healthy meal. <br />
I use whole wheat tortilla shells and fresh cilantro.<br />
Enjoy, we always do!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-znd0UUg_v18/VLKjdYsC2pI/AAAAAAAADJ4/5IvGmDoiazI/s1600/20150110_193111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-znd0UUg_v18/VLKjdYsC2pI/AAAAAAAADJ4/5IvGmDoiazI/s1600/20150110_193111.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><b><i><u><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Ingredients</span></u></i></b></span></div>
<ul style="border-collapse: collapse; direction: ltr;">
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">1/3 cup canola oil + 2 grated garlic cloves</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">8-10 flour tortillas</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">2 tsp. dried cilantro</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">2 tsp. chili powder</span></li>
</ul>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 25px;"><b><i><u><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;">For the filling</span></u></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 25px;"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;">:</span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<ul style="border-collapse: collapse; direction: ltr;">
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">6 ounces non-fat Greek yogurt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">12 ounces cooked chicken, shredded [NOTE: a deli roasted chicken is perfect for this!]</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">1 cup co-jack cheese</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">½ cup corn kernels</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">1 small jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">1-2 green onions, sliced</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">2 garlic cloves, minced or grated</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">1/3 cup salsa</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">1 tsp. cumin</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">Juice of half a lime</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">Salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 25px;"><b><i><u>For the avocado-lime dipping sauce:</u></i></b></span></span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 25px;">1 ripe avocado, peeled and mashed</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 25px;">6 ounces nonfat plain Greek yogurt</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 25px;">Juice and zest of one lime</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 25px;">1 tsp. dried cilantro</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 25px;">2-3 drops Tabasco</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 25px;">Salt & pepper to taste</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;">Step 1: </span></i></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;">Preheat
oven to 400. Add the filling ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Stir
with a spatula or spoonula, until evenly mixed. Heat the canola oil and
two grated garlic cloves in a small saucepan over med heat. When the
oil is hot, turn off the heat and let the garlic infuse into the oil for
5-10 minutes.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;">Step 2:</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;"> Assemble
the tortillas by adding about 2 tbs. of the filling along the lower
third of the flour tortillas -- feel free to sprinkle with a bit more
cheese on top if you like it extra cheesy! Roll up and place seam side
down on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;">Step 3: </span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;">Brush
each tortilla rollup with the garlic oil and sprinkle with the salt,
dried cilantro, and chile powder. Bake for 8-10 minutes, flipping over
halfway through cooking so both sides brown and crisp nicely. Serve on a
platter with guacamole, salsa, and/or sour cream on the side for
dipping.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;">Make the dipping sauce and serve it in a decorative serving bowl on the side.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-66932134342961646772015-01-10T14:11:00.000-06:002015-01-10T14:11:18.090-06:00Christmas in VirginiaWith the new job this year, I wasn't able to make it home for Christmas. Thankfully my fiance was staying home as well. We had our first Christmas together in our home! Even though I was not able to make it home, I planned to carry on a family tradition of Swedish Meatballs for Christmas Eve dinner. Only problem is--the recipe is made with a sauce that we buy at a store in Minnesota... so I had to search for a recipe. Pinterest is my best friend. <a href="http://www.allrecipecenter.com/2014/01/ikeas-swedish-meatball-recipe.html?m=1">I found a copy cat Ikea Swedish Meatballs recipe</a>... I have had the Ikea meatballs in the past and enjoyed them, so what the heck, it was worth a try. They turned out lovely! Here is the recipe, and a pic of me and the man enjoying our Christmas Eve dindin. ps, i dont know what is wrong with the original post and the numbering, but i wasn't having any luck fixing it... So it is what it is. :)<br />
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My Swedish Christmas Eve Dinner</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tFes6nZTJlQ/VLGGotBMfHI/AAAAAAAADJg/kQF1Sa72J7w/s1600/20141224_192920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tFes6nZTJlQ/VLGGotBMfHI/AAAAAAAADJg/kQF1Sa72J7w/s1600/20141224_192920.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="item b-b">
<div class="b-b h-1 strong" id="zlrecipe-title" itemprop="name">
IKEA’s Swedish Meatball Recipe (Knock-Off)</div>
</div>
<div class="zlmeta zlclear">
<div class="fl-l width-50">
</div>
<div class="fl-l width-50">
</div>
<div class="zlclear">
</div>
</div>
<div class="img-desc-wrap">
<div class="t-a-c">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-ingredients">
Ingredients</div>
<ul id="zlrecipe-ingredients-list">
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-0" itemprop="ingredients">Meatballs
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-1" itemprop="ingredients">(Makes about 35-40 1" meatballs. Make double to freeze a batch for later!)
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-2" itemprop="ingredients">
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-3" itemprop="ingredients">1 cup breadcrumbs
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-4" itemprop="ingredients">2 TBS butter
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-5" itemprop="ingredients">1/3 cup white onion, mince (or a couple TBS. of dry minced onion)
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-6" itemprop="ingredients">2 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp. pre-minced garlic)
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-7" itemprop="ingredients">1/4 tsp. ground allspice
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-8" itemprop="ingredients">1 tsp. salt
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-9" itemprop="ingredients">1/4 tsp. white pepper
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-10" itemprop="ingredients">1/2 cup milk
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-11" itemprop="ingredients">1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-12" itemprop="ingredients">3/4 lb. lean ground beef
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-13" itemprop="ingredients">1/2 lb. lean ground pork
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-14" itemprop="ingredients">1 large egg, plus 1 egg white, beaten
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-15" itemprop="ingredients">
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-16" itemprop="ingredients">Gravy
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-17" itemprop="ingredients">(Makes just enough to cover the meatballs, if you want extra to serve over noodles, double/triple gravy recipe.)
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-18" itemprop="ingredients">
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-19" itemprop="ingredients">2 TBS butter
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-20" itemprop="ingredients">2 TBS flour
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-21" itemprop="ingredients">1 1/2 cups beef broth
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-22" itemprop="ingredients">1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-23" itemprop="ingredients">1/4 cup heavy cream
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-24" itemprop="ingredients">Salt & Pepper (to taste)
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-25" itemprop="ingredients">Parsley (optional - garnish)</li>
</ul>
<div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-instructions">
Instructions</div>
<div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-instructions">
To make the meatballs, heat the butter, in a skillet, over medium heat. </div>
<ol class="instructions" id="zlrecipe-instructions-list">
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-1" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Saute
the onion, garlic, allspice, salt, and white pepper, for about 5
minutes, or until garlic and onions are soft. (I just used dry minced
onion, so I just cooked it for about a minute.)
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-2" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce to the mixture, and bring to a simmer.
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-3" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Dump the breadcrumbs in a bowl.
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-4" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Pour the hot skillet mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir together.
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-5" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Add
the beef, pork, 1 egg and 1 egg white to the bowl, and mix until
combined. (It's easiest to use your hands and squish everything
together for about 5 minutes.)
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-6" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Spray
a sheet pan to grease, and roll the meat into 1 inch balls, and place
on a baking sheet. One recipe makes about 35-40 meatballs.
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-7" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Cover
your sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate the meatballs for about an
hour. (I stuck them in the freezer for about 25 minutes.) Heat the
oven to 400 degrees and bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes, or
until cooked through.
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-8" itemprop="recipeInstructions">To make the gravy, melt the butter in a skillet and add the flour.
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-9" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Cook for a few minutes while whisking.
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-10" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, bring to
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-11" itemprop="recipeInstructions"> a simmer.
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-12" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Finally, add the he
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-13" itemprop="recipeInstructions">avy
cream and the cooked meatballs. Let simmer, until the gravy thickens,
about 10 minutes Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-14" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Serve as is, or on top of a bed of rice, noodles, or potatoes.
</li>
<li class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-15" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Garnish with parsley.</li>
</ol>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-81254410466635472832015-01-02T16:56:00.001-06:002015-01-02T16:58:14.227-06:00Bridal Shower...a few months early!My Auntie Patti decided she'd throw my party the last time I went back to MN before the wedding. I was so very excited to have my very own shower! After years of being invited to others, I got to be the one the shower was for. I was so excited to get the beautiful invite in the mail. Had a great time seeing everyone, the food was wonderful, and I had so much fun! Everyone brought a recipe to fill up a recipe box. I'll keep you updated as we go thru those recipes! Here are some pics from my special day.<br />
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My delish cake (cake wreck--said Congratulations </div>
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Christy and Dad--they had to do a quick fix on that one!)</div>
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two (of three) of the boys on my side of the wedding party</div>
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Almost all of the peeps standing up on my side (kelly, me, stef, jen and nikki)</div>
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My sister and matron of honor</div>
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our ring bearer and flower girl</div>
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My sweet momma, mother of the bride</div>
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Some of my good ol days friends! cassie and mindy</div>
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Kelly and Lisa</div>
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Jenny and me</div>
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My super Aunties</div>
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Are we related?</div>
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and my cousin nikki!</div>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-67104083899176532672014-12-22T18:12:00.003-06:002014-12-22T18:13:12.151-06:00Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta<div class="ERSIngredients">
<div class="ERSIngredientsHeader ERSHeading">
Another one of our faves!! I've added mushrooms to this (throw them into the onion and garlic mix about 2 minutes into their cooking). I add just a bit of the pepper flakes, but also add siracha sauce. Found this gem on pinterest about a year ago, and we love it every time I make it. <a href="http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/07/creamy-tomato-spinach-pasta/">Here is the original source</a></div>
<div class="ERSIngredientsHeader ERSHeading">
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<div class="ERSIngredientsHeader ERSHeading">
Ingredients</div>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 Tbsp olive oil $0.16</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 small onion $0.25</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 cloves garlic $0.16</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes $0.59</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ tsp dried oregano $0.03</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ tsp dried basil $0.03</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">pinch red pepper flakes (optional) $0.02</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">freshly cracked pepper to taste $0.05</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ tsp salt $0.03</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 Tbsp tomato paste $0.11</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 oz. cream cheese $0.48</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">¼ cup grated Parmesan $0.42</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ lb. penne pasta $0.89</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ (9 oz.) bag fresh spinach $0.50</li>
</ul>
<div class="ERSClear">
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<div class="ERSInstructions">
<div class="ERSInstructionsHeader ERSHeading">
Instructions</div>
<ol>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Bring
a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook
until tender (7-10) minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">While
waiting for the pasta to cook, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
Cook both in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-low heat
until softened and transparent (about 5 minutes).</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Add
the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, red pepper flakes,
salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet with the onions and
garlic. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a ½ cup of water to
the skillet and stir until the tomato paste is dissolved into the sauce.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Turn
the heat down to low. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then
add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Use a whisk to stir the
sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce is
creamy. Add half of the Parmesan to the skillet and whisk until it is
melted in. Add the remainder of the parmesan and whisk until melted in
again.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Add
the fresh spinach and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted
(3-5 minutes). Add the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the
creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
Serve warm.</li>
</ol>
</div>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-72778327325849224292014-12-21T19:17:00.001-06:002014-12-21T19:17:13.610-06:00Haley's 6th birthday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-66201775827423085262014-12-21T19:08:00.003-06:002014-12-21T19:08:56.100-06:00Spinach and bean burrito wrapHere is another good one. Though we didn't have any yogurt, other than vanilla ... And I thought we had black beans but really we had red kidney beans.... So it wasn't exactly by the recipe, but Dan and I loved it none the less. Next time we will be sure to have black beans, and I'll probably add some cilantro as well! numz. <a href="http://skinnyms.com/spinach-bean-burrito-wrap/#_a5y_p=2565857">Here's the original site I found this!</a><br />
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<div class="copy-paste-block">
<div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-ingredients">
Ingredients</div>
<ul id="zlrecipe-ingredients-list">
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-0" itemprop="ingredients">6 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-1" itemprop="ingredients">1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-2" itemprop="ingredients">1-1/2 cups cooked brown rice or Mexican Rice, (recipe for <a class="ingredient-link" href="http://skinnyms.com/skinny-mexican-rice/" target="_blank">Mexican Rice recipe</a>)
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-3" itemprop="ingredients">1/2 cups chopped romaine heart lettuce
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-4" itemprop="ingredients">1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, reduced-fat
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-5" itemprop="ingredients">1/2 cup salsa (<a class="ingredient-link" href="http://skinnyms.com/tex-mex-salsa/" target="_blank">recipe</a>), optional Pico de Gallo
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-6" itemprop="ingredients">6 tablespoons Greek yogurt, fat-free
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-7" itemprop="ingredients">Kosher or sea salt to taste
</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-8" itemprop="ingredients">6 (8" whole grain) wraps or tortillas</li>
</ul>
<div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-instructions">
Directions</div>
<span class="instructions" id="zlrecipe-instructions-list"><div class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-0" itemprop="recipeInstructions">
To
warm tortillas, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Stack tortillas, wrap in
foil, place on a cookie sheet and warm 15 minutes while preparing
ingredients.
</div>
<div class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-1" itemprop="recipeInstructions">
Place
spinach in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, or use a
knife to dice leaves. In a large skillet turn to medium-heat, add black
beans and spinach. Heat until spinach is wilted, approximately 3
minutes.
</div>
<div class="instruction" id="zlrecipe-instruction-2" itemprop="recipeInstructions">
Evenly
distribute spinach and bean mixture in the middle of the wraps (leaving
about 2" on one end for folding), add 1/4 cup rice to each wrap, add
lettuce, cheese, salsa and Greek yogurt evenly over wraps. Fold wraps
over and under on the ends.
</div>
</span><br />Read more at http://skinnyms.com/spinach-bean-burrito-wrap/#ZcW36IHPIDimIt7R.99</div>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-46503563374799906662014-12-19T17:57:00.000-06:002014-12-19T18:02:31.117-06:00Chicken Parm MeatloafBecause as of late some of my favorite recipes I've found on Pinterest end up MIA (the link is no longer good for whatever reason....) I've decided to start posting them here so I never lose them :)<br />
This one is delish, what's not to love? Chicken Parm? numz. Meat loaf? numz. smashed together, amazballs. <a href="http://makobiscribe.com/chicken-parmesan-meatloaf-recipe/">Here is where it is found (for now!)</a><br />
<br />
<div class="ERSName" itemprop="name">
Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf Recipe</div>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
<div class="ERSDetails">
<div class="ERSAuthor">
Author: <span itemprop="author">Kelly Hutchinson</span></div>
<div class="ERSHead">
Recipe type: <span itemprop="recipeCategory">Entree</span></div>
<div class="ERSHead">
Cuisine: <span itemprop="recipeCuisine">American</span></div>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
<div class="ERSTimes">
<div class="ERSHead">
Prep time: <time datetime="PT15M" itemprop="prepTime">15 mins</time> </div>
<div class="ERSHead">
Cook time: <time datetime="PT55M" itemprop="cookTime">55 mins</time> </div>
<div class="ERSHead">
Total time: <time datetime="PT1H10M" itemprop="totalTime">1 hour 10 mins</time> </div>
</div>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
<div class="ERSHead">
Serves: <span itemprop="recipeYield">4-6</span></div>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
</div>
<div class="ERSSummary" itemprop="description">
Health version of the traditional recipe using beef</div>
<div class="ERSIngredients">
<div class="ERSIngredientsHeader ERSHeading">
Ingredients</div>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 pound ground chicken</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 egg ( lightly beaten )</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 tablespoons garlic ( cloves, minced )</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ cup fresh Parmesan cheese</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ cup marinara sauce</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients"></li>
</ul>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="ERSInstructions">
<div class="ERSInstructionsHeader ERSHeading">
Instructions</div>
<ol>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">In
a large bowl using your hands, combine
the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Place mixture into a greased loaf pan and form into a loaf shape. Top the meatloaf with the marinara sauce.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Bake
for 50-55 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Remove, add the
mozzarella cheese on top and return to the oven until the cheese is
melted. Remove from the oven and let the meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes
before serving.</li>
</ol>
</div>
keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-84005164783162018012014-12-18T17:39:00.002-06:002014-12-18T17:39:20.149-06:00HalloweenI know it's almost been two months, but since I'm playing catch up anyway, I figured I'd drop some photos from a Halloween party right here :)<br />
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<br />keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590689043288777270.post-32558773041112110842014-12-16T20:12:00.002-06:002014-12-16T20:12:24.925-06:00RJ's ONE! RJ's one year! we got his pics taken ON his birthday even!! enjoy :)<br />
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this last pic was at his bday party before he got into his smash cake :)</div>
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<br />keps1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/14046788536662451707noreply@blogger.com0