Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Oh! How Pinteresting Wednesday! Link-up!

Helllooooooo and happy hump day! Welcome to another link-up!

You should all definitely check out Michelle's blog over at The Vintage Apple to link-up! She has just a great wholesome, entertaining blog as well!!

On to what you've all been waiting for!!

GORGEOUS DRESS!!!!!!! I want this!!!


LOVE this shower! My dream bathroom!

Cake batter Rice Crispy Treats!!! Mmmmmmmmm

Hahaha, sooooo true. Silly Rachel McAdams! I want to see this move so bad!!!
My FAVORITE actor AND actress collaborating!!

Great idea to prevent tangling for travel!

I WILL go here some day!

I love cute aprons!

This really made me laugh! Yoga <3


This is very ME.

PUPPIES!!!

Hahahaha...sometimes true....

Hope you all have a great week!! 

I'm leaving tomorrow for a CAMPING trip with the boyfriend and some friends! Anyonehave any suggestions of what to do in the San Luis Obispo area for fun??

I'm pretty excited! I'll try to get some pics up of the adventure ASAP!!



google

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Sunday Quote of the Week


Welcome to a new week everyone!!

Today I have a little quote about love:

Have a good one!!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Friday Recipes: Chicken Pot Pie!

I am all about comfort food.

Chicken pot pie is all-american wonderful comfort food. This week I made one for the first time in a long while and it was sooooo good!!


Ingredients:

2 9-inch unbaked pie crusts
1lb thawed cubed chicken breast
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2-3 medium red potatoes chopped into 1" cubes
1 cup chopped carrots
2/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp celery seed
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cups milk

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 425

In a large saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, chicken, potatoes, carrots, and celery. Boil for 15 minutes, drain and set aside.

In the saucepan over medium heat cook onions in butter until soft and transluscent. Mix in celery seed, salt, pepper and flour. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and milk. Simmer until thick.

Place chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over top. Cover with top crust and seal edges. Cut several small slits in top.

Bake in preheated oven 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden. Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!!!



Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Oh! How Pinteresting Wednesday! Link-up!

WELCOME to another hump day and Oh! How Pinteresting Wednesday! Link-up!

I hope that everyone is having a good week!

I'll get right to the goods...

Great idea for ice cubes!!

LOVE this idea for important places... where you met, got engaged and got married??

SOOOOO true... I'm addicted

After being sick last week, then taking care of my man... I can confirm that this is true!! hahaha

I want this cake when I graduate from nursing school!!!

Beautiful tile backsplash

HOT shoes!!


Everyone needs a friend like this...

I want these!!!!



Sunday, January 15, 2012

Sunday Quote of the Week

Here is to the start of a new week! It seems like everyone (including myself) has been sick this week! I hope that you all have managed to stay healthy and continue to avoid the bug thats getting around!!!

This week a quote by one of my favorite athletes, Lance Armstrong. Maybe it'll provide a little motivation for the week!!

"A boo is a lot louder than a cheer. If you have 10 people cheering and one person booing, all you hear is the booing."
- Lance Armstrong

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It makes you think... Sometimes it can be hard to focus on the positive and not the small amount of negative but it will definitely   help your outlook!


Have a wonderful week!!!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Friday Recipes: Healthy Chili and Friday the 13th!!

Today we are doing comfort food perfect for the winter time: My famous (among family and friends... hopefully more people than that now...) healthy, hearty chili!

ALSO, it happens to be Friday the 13th! I feel like this is a lucky day for me... I like the number 13 and LOVE Halloween and all of that... So I tend to really like this day. Might as well put a positive spin on something otherwise looked at in a negative light.

On to the Chili!!

Ingredients:
1 packet low sodium chili seasoning
2 cans black beans*
2 cans (undrained) diced tomatoes with chillies
1 can white corn kernels
4-5 cloves minced garlic
1lb ground turkey (browned)
1 package chicken or turkey sausage**
Cayenne or Red pepper to taste (if you like it spicier)

Grated sharp cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top


*Get the can with the lowest sugar and sodium content. There is no reason for them to be adding sugars (aka calories) to beans! And chili is salty enough without processed sodium. There wont be a difference in taste but it's one way to make this recipe even healthier!

** I like using Aidell's garlic and artichoke sausage. Aidell's is my go-to brand for sausages and meatballs. They use only free range chicken and turkey and local produce from independently owned farms and make everything locally in small batches for distribution. Just a good company to support... Plus they are sooooo tasty!!

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Directions:
Just add all ingredients into a crockpot and since everything is precooked you just have to leave it long enough to get nice and hot... 4 hours on high works great for mine!

Enjoy it with some fresh cornbread and some cheese sprinkled on top.

This is one of my favorite EASY and WONDERFUL winter meals!!

This isn't my home made chili... can't find a pic
 of that at the moment but I DID find  a prime
 example of me getting excited over food.
Hahaha.


Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Oh! How Pinteresting Wednesday! Link-up

It's time for another Oh! How Pinteresting Wednesday! Link-up!! 

Hope you're all having a good week! 

BEST cake pops ever!!

Very cute idea for corks!

LOVE this idea for a homemade headboard using painted
doors and trim from the hardware store!

L-O-V-E
Just finishing this book: SOOOO GOOD!!

So cute!

Awesome... wish I could do this to myself!

Beautiful

I want this!! Floating "planetarium"




Two more days 'til the weekend!! 


How is 2012 looking for everyone!!?

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Sunday Quote of the Week!

I liked this little number form Eleanor Roosevelt. I love quotes from her. She was such an example of a strong powerful woman!

"Women are like teabags. You don't know our strength until we're in hot water!"
-Eleanor Roosevelt

Have a great week!!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Friday Recipes: German Pancakes

This is a FANTASTIC recipe that I first tried at a friends house a few years ago. It puts a spin on traditional individual pancakes by baking the batter in a casserole dish and then cutting it up to serve. 

I LOVE these. They end up so buttery and flaky! You also barely need syrup on them! And they aren't as labor intensive as regular pancakes if you're entertaining! Just make the batter and throw them in the oven!

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Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter (half stick)
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
6 eggs, beaten
1/8 tsp salt
2tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Melt butter in over in a medium casserole dish. 

In a medium bowl mix all other ingredients until smooth. Pour batter into casserole dish containing butter.

Bake in preheated oven 30-40 minutes or until golden and center is no longer jiggly. 

*Another good addition is to bake with fruit like berries or sliced apples/bananas sprinkled over the top! Delicious!

**Next time I make them I am going to attempt individual pancakes using a muffin tin. If anyone has tried this let me know how it goes!!!

What is your favorite breakfast food??

Enjoy!!




Monday, January 2, 2012

Oh! How Pinteresting Wednesday! Link-up & MY BIRTHDAY!!

It's time for another Oh! How Pinteresting Wednesday! Link-up folks! AND today happens to be my 25th Birthday! 

Twenty-five. Wow. 

Not old I know but I think this past week I have been having a slight quarter-life-crisis. Definitely not a kid anymore... In fact it struck me that even at family functions I can no longer be banished to the "kid table" to eat...

When I was born, my mom was 22. I cannot imagine having a three year old right now... I'm not even done with school... Don't own a house... Not married... Hmmmm. 

So those were some of my thoughts leading to the total meltdown mild crisis... but I'm ok now! That only actually lasted for an afternoon. I'm on a good path with lots to look forward to!


On to the pictures that sparked my interest this week!!


I want THIS cake for my BDay! MUST try to make it asap!!

Such a cute wall art idea!!

Love this picture. Intent on replicating it some day...

From the movie 'Up'!!! Cutest little boy ever!

Beautiful... an item on my bday wishlist... 

AND another... love Toms

HOW can this not make you smile!!??

Motivation. It's so true.



I hope you all are having a wonderful Wednesday!!!



My New Year's Resolutions!!

I feel like actually posting these will make me more accountable.... I REALLY have some big important ones this year... It has the potential to be an amazing year but I definitely have my work cut out for me!! I'm excited to get started!!


    GRADUATE NURSING SCHOOL!!!! - I am starting the last 2 terms of RN school at the end of February with graduation in October!!!! Its been a looooooong road but I will FINALLY be done this year if I stay focused on the prize!!!
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    GET A NEW PERSONAL RECORD IN A HALF MARATHON - I have done quite a few halves and this is something I would REALLY like to accomplish this year!! I'm not super fast but I do them to stay in shape and I'd like to improve on past races this year!
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    LOOK GOOD NAKED - enough said. Stay in shape and health focused!


    CONTINUE MY BLOG- Yep. That's definitely a goal. Even with school I want to keep up the blog. It's something I really have come to enjoy and look forward to and I want to keep it going and even get it more established in the coming year!




    So those are my 4 big things for 2012. I basically want to stay in amazing shape throughout nursing school and graduate! I'm also excited to spend 2012 with my WONDERFUL boyfriend and see where that takes us! I am looking forward to so many great things this year and I wish the best for all of you!!! New year, fresh start!! 

    Take it one day at a time and make every day count!!!