(I'm stealing this idea from Pink of Perfection)
tasting :: my Diet Coke that has lasted most of the morning
hearing :: the hum of my computer - ahhh silence!!
smelling :: uggh - the Mexican restautrant where I dined at lunch with a friend (yay for lunch, boo for the smell)
seeing :: the clouds rolling in and the sun disappearing
feeling :: excited for the Cats' big win last night!
Have a lovely weekend!
3.26.2010
3.23.2010
Simple Pleasures (With a Mix of Guilty)
So, I've been thinking a lot about the simple (or guilty) pleasures in life and thought I would list my top 50!
- Clean sheets
- The first snowfall
- Spring rain showers
- Phone conversations with my nieces
- "The Office" - enough said.
- The Bachelor/The Bachelorette
- Quick Trip/Sonic runs with my co-workers
- Reality Steve during The Bachelor/The Bachelorette seasons
- Buying new/different hair products
- Gossip magazines
- A new purse
- Chocolate cake
- Sunday naps
- Using my china
- Brandon making unexpected visits to my office
- Koby curling up behind my legs to sleep
- A clean car
- Fresh flowers in the house
- Hand-written notes
- Lamar's donuts on my way to work
- Buying Mrs. Meyers hand soap
- Online shopping
- Pedicures with friends
- Country love songs
- Saying "hello" to strangers
- A freshly cleaned house
- New magazines in the mail
- Laughing, really hard
- Blogging
- Sonic drinks that last all day
- Anonymous candy bowl fillers
- Finding money in a pocket
- Making connections with people (i.e. knowing a mutual friend, attending same school, etc.)
- Trying out new recipes
- Loving the spoils of the new recipes
- An empty dishwasher
- Rainbows
- Driving in the country
- Talks with my bff
- Hearing my favorite song on the radio
- Receiving a genuine compliment
- Finding items on sale
- Much needed hugs
- A day off from work
- Camp fires
- The lake in the early morning
- A close parking space
- An old t-shirt
- A home cooked meal
- Busting out a few dance moves for no reason at all
3.22.2010
Please Watch
I try to keep my blog fun and light hearted, but today I just can't pass up the opportunity to post the link below. I'm not normally a political person, but what happened yesterday with the health care bill scares me to death! Please watch this video and then come back for my thoughts:
What is really in the health care bill
Basically, what this legislator is saying is that I may not have the opportunity to get a mammogram. Breast cancer hits right at home with me as it has struck loved ones in our family and very close friends. Had they not had a mammogram, they would not have had the opportunity to intervene and fight those battles. Had my uncle not been able to have a prostate scan, he would not have been able to intervene and fight his prostate cancer. Someday, when I have a baby, I would like to have a sonogram to ensure that the baby is healthy and if I encounter problems in a pregnancy, I would like to have a sonogram to know what steps we need to take to correct the problems. If my parents get sick after they retire, I want to make sure that they have all of the services they need to get well because they have worked hard for 30+ years and they DESERVE to have health care. But, I'm afraid all of these "luxuries" are going to go away.
All of the hard work that we put in to have good, stable health insurance is all for nothing because now we're going to pay more money and receive less services so those who have no ambition and want everything handed to them can have insurance. What is my incentive to work hard? Clearly, the government is going to punish me if I make more than $200,000 (which I'm not even close) by raising my taxes so those who are free-loading can be covered. This is all just wrong and I'm very scared for what the future might hold.
Forgive me if I have offended anyone or have not shared my thoughts eloquently, but this is my blog and today I just felt the need to share.
What is really in the health care bill
Basically, what this legislator is saying is that I may not have the opportunity to get a mammogram. Breast cancer hits right at home with me as it has struck loved ones in our family and very close friends. Had they not had a mammogram, they would not have had the opportunity to intervene and fight those battles. Had my uncle not been able to have a prostate scan, he would not have been able to intervene and fight his prostate cancer. Someday, when I have a baby, I would like to have a sonogram to ensure that the baby is healthy and if I encounter problems in a pregnancy, I would like to have a sonogram to know what steps we need to take to correct the problems. If my parents get sick after they retire, I want to make sure that they have all of the services they need to get well because they have worked hard for 30+ years and they DESERVE to have health care. But, I'm afraid all of these "luxuries" are going to go away.
All of the hard work that we put in to have good, stable health insurance is all for nothing because now we're going to pay more money and receive less services so those who have no ambition and want everything handed to them can have insurance. What is my incentive to work hard? Clearly, the government is going to punish me if I make more than $200,000 (which I'm not even close) by raising my taxes so those who are free-loading can be covered. This is all just wrong and I'm very scared for what the future might hold.
Forgive me if I have offended anyone or have not shared my thoughts eloquently, but this is my blog and today I just felt the need to share.
3.21.2010
A Lovely Weekend
Despite the crazy weather in Kansas, we had a great weekend!
Friday seemed like the LONGEST day ever at work, but it was capped off by a fun evening bowling with friends. Because boys are so competitive, we decided to play guys on one lane and girls on the other. Of course the guys were trying to throw the balls as hard as they could and at one point, they were bowling between their legs. The girls on the other hand, well, we were doing good to break 100 (or 75 in my case). By the time we left the bowling alley, the rain had turned to sleet and it was really coming down, and by the time we got back to our side of town, it was snowing :( I've got to admit, I'm really over the snow now.
We slept in on Saturday since it was a blowing and snowing mess outside! I finally got in the shower around 10:00 because I had plans to get a pedicure and go to lunch with a couple of friends. We tried a new pedicure salon and it was a pretty good pedicure and relatively inexpensive. I chose a fun shade of purple in support of our Cats! After lunch, I had to run a couple of errands and getting in and out of the car was pretty much awful. The wind was blowing so hard and it was so cold. I managed to lug a bag of dog food out of Petco and run in and out of the grocery store in record time so I could get home and change into my warm and snugly sweat pants :) We spent the rest of the day watching basketball and keeping warm. We honestly didn't leave the house again. As for the basketball games, we were definitely pleased with the outcomes! As I mentioned in my post yesterday, the KU game was so nerve-wracking that I had to do something to occupy my time. I think KU is a good team, but it does make me happy that they got knocked out of the tournament. It would have been fun to face them in the Final Four, but not having to face them is okay too! The night ended with a KSU victory and we are anxiously waiting for Thursday to roll around!!
This morning we headed to church and ran into some friends we hadn't seen in a long time. In fact, we didn't even know they had started going to our church so it was fun to see them. Our church just wrapped up a six week series about marriage. It was a very good sermon series and touched on a lot of topics that are not often touched on from the pulpit. I applaud our leadership for taking a special interest in the topic of marriage and relationships and hitting on subjects that might not always be "comfortable."
After church we ran a couple of errands, had lunch, played with the pup and took our Sunday afternoon naps (Koby included) :) Later in the afternoon, my mom stopped through with a special delivery from Crate and Barrel!! My sister-in-law was nice enough to run to Crate and Barrel to pick up the pillows I had been coveting and my mom was nice enough to bring them back for me! I can't wait to get this basement all pulled together!! Beyond all of that, we haven't done much else today, which is okay by me!
**EDIT**
I forgot to mention that I am SOOOOO excited for a new season of Dancing With the Stars, which starts tomorrow!!! Yes, this show is another one of my guilty pleasures - I just LOVE it!!
Friday seemed like the LONGEST day ever at work, but it was capped off by a fun evening bowling with friends. Because boys are so competitive, we decided to play guys on one lane and girls on the other. Of course the guys were trying to throw the balls as hard as they could and at one point, they were bowling between their legs. The girls on the other hand, well, we were doing good to break 100 (or 75 in my case). By the time we left the bowling alley, the rain had turned to sleet and it was really coming down, and by the time we got back to our side of town, it was snowing :( I've got to admit, I'm really over the snow now.
We slept in on Saturday since it was a blowing and snowing mess outside! I finally got in the shower around 10:00 because I had plans to get a pedicure and go to lunch with a couple of friends. We tried a new pedicure salon and it was a pretty good pedicure and relatively inexpensive. I chose a fun shade of purple in support of our Cats! After lunch, I had to run a couple of errands and getting in and out of the car was pretty much awful. The wind was blowing so hard and it was so cold. I managed to lug a bag of dog food out of Petco and run in and out of the grocery store in record time so I could get home and change into my warm and snugly sweat pants :) We spent the rest of the day watching basketball and keeping warm. We honestly didn't leave the house again. As for the basketball games, we were definitely pleased with the outcomes! As I mentioned in my post yesterday, the KU game was so nerve-wracking that I had to do something to occupy my time. I think KU is a good team, but it does make me happy that they got knocked out of the tournament. It would have been fun to face them in the Final Four, but not having to face them is okay too! The night ended with a KSU victory and we are anxiously waiting for Thursday to roll around!!
This morning we headed to church and ran into some friends we hadn't seen in a long time. In fact, we didn't even know they had started going to our church so it was fun to see them. Our church just wrapped up a six week series about marriage. It was a very good sermon series and touched on a lot of topics that are not often touched on from the pulpit. I applaud our leadership for taking a special interest in the topic of marriage and relationships and hitting on subjects that might not always be "comfortable."
After church we ran a couple of errands, had lunch, played with the pup and took our Sunday afternoon naps (Koby included) :) Later in the afternoon, my mom stopped through with a special delivery from Crate and Barrel!! My sister-in-law was nice enough to run to Crate and Barrel to pick up the pillows I had been coveting and my mom was nice enough to bring them back for me! I can't wait to get this basement all pulled together!! Beyond all of that, we haven't done much else today, which is okay by me!
**EDIT**
I forgot to mention that I am SOOOOO excited for a new season of Dancing With the Stars, which starts tomorrow!!! Yes, this show is another one of my guilty pleasures - I just LOVE it!!
3.20.2010
Another Good Recipe
I made another good recipe from Annie's Eats tonight. It was my way of easing my nerves during the KU catastrophe!! It seems every time I sat down to watch, KU would play better, so it was best I didn't watch. (By the way, I can't believe that happened!)
Anyways, the recipe of choice tonight was Strawberry Yogurt Scones and they did not disappoint! I've never made scones before, but they didn't seem too difficult. The method is very similar to making biscuits or short cakes.
I only had yogurt Whips on hand, but I just stirred it up and it seemed to work fine. I also used lemon zest rather than orange zest. I had a little trouble getting the dough to come together; it seemed a little dry. I was also unsure if I was supposed to separate the wedges after I cut them, so I didn't and I had a little trouble getting the centers done. This could have also been caused by not making the circle at least 8". All in all though, these are delicious! She mentions in her post that these scones would work with other types of fruit and yogurt, too. I think blueberry would be delicious!
Also, I've read that scones can be frozen individually before baking and can be baked from the frozen state. I obviously haven't tried that, but these would be excellent to have on hand on a blustery Saturday morning - kind of like today!
(Photo courtesy of Annie's Eats)
Anyways, the recipe of choice tonight was Strawberry Yogurt Scones and they did not disappoint! I've never made scones before, but they didn't seem too difficult. The method is very similar to making biscuits or short cakes.
I only had yogurt Whips on hand, but I just stirred it up and it seemed to work fine. I also used lemon zest rather than orange zest. I had a little trouble getting the dough to come together; it seemed a little dry. I was also unsure if I was supposed to separate the wedges after I cut them, so I didn't and I had a little trouble getting the centers done. This could have also been caused by not making the circle at least 8". All in all though, these are delicious! She mentions in her post that these scones would work with other types of fruit and yogurt, too. I think blueberry would be delicious!
Also, I've read that scones can be frozen individually before baking and can be baked from the frozen state. I obviously haven't tried that, but these would be excellent to have on hand on a blustery Saturday morning - kind of like today!
3.17.2010
OMG Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Photo courtesy of Annie's Eats)
OMG!!! I just might have found the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe. EVER. They are thick and chewy and perfect! Now, the hubs hasn't weighed in yet, but I'm sure he will love them!
The recipe is courtesy of Annie's Eats and can be found here. My only adaption was the baking time; mine took about 15 minutes to bake rather than the 11-14 minutes. I also used mini chocolate chips, but I'm sure the regular chocolate chips would be just fine. Oh yeah, and I didn't make 1/2 c. size balls of dough. I just used a normal cookie scoop (the larger size) and split them in half.
I think the things I love the most about these cookies is the way they hold their shape and their texture. Like I mentioned above, they are dense and chewy and they don't disintegrate in your mouth. I have never been a fan of the Nestle or Hershey chocolate chip cookie recipes because they contain a lot of butter and are just too gooey and greasy.
Next time you make chocolate chip cookies, I highly recommend this recipe! I promise you won't be disappointed!!
**EDIT**
The cookies have passed the co-worker taste test!!
3.16.2010
I've Got A Long Way To Go!
Well, I've been keeping up with my Couch to 5k jogging program, but I've been jogging on the treadmill. Tonight, since the sun was shining and since we have gotten Spring fever, we decided to jog outside. BIG mistake on my part!! My 4 minute jog - 5 minute walk - 4 minute jog - 5 minute walk turned into 4 minute huffing and puffing - 5 minute walk - 2.5 minute torture - 5 minute walk - epic failure!! Brandon was kind enough to jog with me but I'm pretty sure I didn't impress him. At. All.
So, all in all, I feel good that I'm exercising more, but I sure have a long way to go before I can actually even think about running a 5k!
So, all in all, I feel good that I'm exercising more, but I sure have a long way to go before I can actually even think about running a 5k!
3.15.2010
Some Inspiration
Lately, I've been wanting to spruce up our basement. About a year ago, we switched the "game" and "living" rooms around so when you walked down the steps, you walked into the living room section and not the catch-all game room section. The paint in the living room section is cream and it just looks very bland with brown carpet and a brown couch. The game room, which used to be the living room is painted blue, so the couch stood out in that room. Now, after a year, I'm getting rather tired of the dullness of the new living room and I want to add some color. After browsing Crate and Barrel's web site, I've now found some inspiration for the living room!
I love the fun pattern and movement in this pillow and I love the color combinations!
I love the texture of this shag pillow!
Our couch is about this color and I think the bright blue and green would really add some color in the blah room.
These vases might be my favorite part. I think adding some punchy colors like the orange and the red would warm up the room a little bit and bring in a little unexpected pop.
Now, I've just got to convince my lovely, amazing, wonderful husband (Brandon are you reading this?) that this is a good idea :) And yes mom (if you are reading) I know we still have a few items to finish up upstairs, but I will get to them someday!
3.13.2010
A Good Day
Today was a good day. It was one of those days that seemed to last forever, but in a good way. We were busy with chores this morning - me cleaning and the hubs doing yard work. It felt good to give the house a good once-over. To me, there is just something so refreshing to sit down knowing your house is spic and span clean! Of course with two dogs in the house the clean feeling didn't last for long.
Brandon spent almost all day outside. He mowed, cleared out the old mulch from the flower beds, conditioned the soil with peat moss, scattered some weed preventive stuff, pulled out the grill and organized the garage a little bit.
We had his parents and sister and brother-in-law over for dinner tonight, so I had to make a run to the grocery store for last minute items and spent the rest of the afternoon cooking and preparing for dinner. They wanted to go to church on Saturday so Brandon's dad could maximize his time working on Justin and Ashley's basement, so we all decided to meet at our church tonight then we came back to our house for dinner.
I meant to take pictures of our evening, but I forgot. We had a hot peach cheese ball dip for an appetizer, brisket, twice baked potatoes, green beans and salad for dinner and then Brandon's mom made a yummy strawberry shortcake dessert.
After dinner, we all piled in the truck and headed to Lowe's. Justin and Ashley needed some items for their basement and Brandon welcomes any opportunity to go look at tools. I always find lots of items that I want for a future house like kitchen cabinets, new appliances, etc.
Now, we are just hanging out watching some movie on TV and thankful we get to sleep in tomorrow since tonight we Spring Forward! I'm so thankful for days like today because it was simply a good day!
Brandon spent almost all day outside. He mowed, cleared out the old mulch from the flower beds, conditioned the soil with peat moss, scattered some weed preventive stuff, pulled out the grill and organized the garage a little bit.
We had his parents and sister and brother-in-law over for dinner tonight, so I had to make a run to the grocery store for last minute items and spent the rest of the afternoon cooking and preparing for dinner. They wanted to go to church on Saturday so Brandon's dad could maximize his time working on Justin and Ashley's basement, so we all decided to meet at our church tonight then we came back to our house for dinner.
I meant to take pictures of our evening, but I forgot. We had a hot peach cheese ball dip for an appetizer, brisket, twice baked potatoes, green beans and salad for dinner and then Brandon's mom made a yummy strawberry shortcake dessert.
After dinner, we all piled in the truck and headed to Lowe's. Justin and Ashley needed some items for their basement and Brandon welcomes any opportunity to go look at tools. I always find lots of items that I want for a future house like kitchen cabinets, new appliances, etc.
Now, we are just hanging out watching some movie on TV and thankful we get to sleep in tomorrow since tonight we Spring Forward! I'm so thankful for days like today because it was simply a good day!
3.12.2010
The Death of the Blow Dryer!
I've been having issues with my blow dryer in the mornings and today, it bit the dust at 6:27 a.m. I plug it in, pushed the reset button a couple of times and nothing happened. I unplugged the blow dryer, pushed the reset and test buttons on the outlet, plugged it back in turned it on and still nothing. I pushed the reset button on the plug one more time and something "clicked" and then I saw smoke. That is when I knew I had a problem.
My lovely husband was still cozied up in bed but he must have heard me messing with the blow dryer because once I saw the smoke, I yelled for him to come assess the situation and he got right up. He fiddled with the plug for a bit and then declared it dead. He looked at me and my dripping wet hair with a questionable look and for good measure, I'm sure, asked if I had to have a blow dryer this morning. I was planning to wear my hair curly, but I really have to diffuse it to make it look okay. So, without hesitation, he threw on some sweats, grabbed his keys and he was off to Wal-Mart to buy a new blow dryer. And don't forget, it was 6:27 a.m. and he is NOT a morning person.
About 15 or 20 minutes later, he walked in the door with the exact same hair dryer (or at least the updated version), complete with diffuser, multi-temp controls and a retractable cord! What a guy!!!!
My lovely husband was still cozied up in bed but he must have heard me messing with the blow dryer because once I saw the smoke, I yelled for him to come assess the situation and he got right up. He fiddled with the plug for a bit and then declared it dead. He looked at me and my dripping wet hair with a questionable look and for good measure, I'm sure, asked if I had to have a blow dryer this morning. I was planning to wear my hair curly, but I really have to diffuse it to make it look okay. So, without hesitation, he threw on some sweats, grabbed his keys and he was off to Wal-Mart to buy a new blow dryer. And don't forget, it was 6:27 a.m. and he is NOT a morning person.
About 15 or 20 minutes later, he walked in the door with the exact same hair dryer (or at least the updated version), complete with diffuser, multi-temp controls and a retractable cord! What a guy!!!!
3.11.2010
Dog Fight
The following sequence of pictures represents the CONSTANT activity that occurs at our house when Tucker is around!
Don't let them fool you into thinking they are fierce and ferocious dogs! In reality, they are just big babies! After they wrestle for a while, they both get very tired and suddenly stop to take a short break. Honestly, they just stop and walk away (or lay down, in Tuckers case).
Then, it starts all over again...
Don't let them fool you into thinking they are fierce and ferocious dogs! In reality, they are just big babies! After they wrestle for a while, they both get very tired and suddenly stop to take a short break. Honestly, they just stop and walk away (or lay down, in Tuckers case).
Then, it starts all over again...
3.10.2010
Desperate
Friends, I am desperate! We leave for a lovely family vacation to Florida in about a month and I need summer clothes. BAD. And, let's not even talk about swim suits....
Last year, at the end of the summer season, I picked up a few bargains as I was shopping for our trip to NYC (want to revisit that trip? click here, here, here and here). But, if you recall, it rained most of the time we were there so I didn't really get much use out of my clothes, so I have that going for me - mostly new clothes, bought on sale. But, I don't think many of those outfits are appropriate for beach activities.
Another issue is that I don't want to spend very much money because 1) Uncle Sam and the State of Kansas will be knocking on our door shortly before the trip and 2) I won't be visiting another beach anytime soon, so I won't really wear the clothes much after the trip.
So, what's a girl to do? I plan to spend some time this weekend going through my closet and browsing around a couple of stores, but I'm nervous I will just get frustrated and quit. But, desperate times call for desperate measures, right?? That is until the swim suit shopping begins...OH. THE. HORROR.
Last year, at the end of the summer season, I picked up a few bargains as I was shopping for our trip to NYC (want to revisit that trip? click here, here, here and here). But, if you recall, it rained most of the time we were there so I didn't really get much use out of my clothes, so I have that going for me - mostly new clothes, bought on sale. But, I don't think many of those outfits are appropriate for beach activities.
Another issue is that I don't want to spend very much money because 1) Uncle Sam and the State of Kansas will be knocking on our door shortly before the trip and 2) I won't be visiting another beach anytime soon, so I won't really wear the clothes much after the trip.
So, what's a girl to do? I plan to spend some time this weekend going through my closet and browsing around a couple of stores, but I'm nervous I will just get frustrated and quit. But, desperate times call for desperate measures, right?? That is until the swim suit shopping begins...OH. THE. HORROR.
3.08.2010
Looking Forward to Spring
Even though it is dreary and rainy here today, I am definitely looking forward to Spring! It just seems that Spring brings on renewed spirits and fresh outlooks. So today, I'm listing all of the things I am looking forward to as the new season is ushered in:
- Daffodils
- Tulips
- Vanilla Lime Yankee Candle
- Capri Pants
- Flip Flops
- Ballet Flats
- Grilling outside
- Driving with the windows down
- Cleaning out closets/organizing the house
- Early sunrises and late sunsets
- The opportunity to wear my fun yellow jacket
- Easter
- Opening the windows around the house
- Green grass
- Leaves on the trees
- Finding out what plants will bloom this year and which ones won't
- An occasional WSU baseball game
- Taking Koby on walks and to the park
- Rain showers on a sunny day, which lead to rainbows
- Eating outdoors
3.07.2010
Should Have Been a Cowboy
This post title really has little to do with my post, but it was one of Brandon's favorite songs when he was a teeny bopper. He still often tells me that some days he wishes he was a farmer who lived in the country. He will threaten me with moving back to my home town to take over my dad's land and I quickly remind him that while I love my home town, I'm not moving back there.
Anyways, on with my post. Last night, I made The Pioneer Woman's Cowboy Calzones from her new cookbook and they were delicious! I wish I had take a photo, but I didn't. These calzones are not the typical Italian calzones filled with pepperoni, sausage, veggies, and marinara sauce. Instead, they have more of a Mexican flair with Rotel tomatoes and monterrey jack cheese. And the dough, well it just doesn't get much better than PW's pizza dough.
Cowboy Calzones
1/2 pound breakfast sausage
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, finely diced
One 8 oz can Rotel tomatoes
8 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 c. grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated monterey jack cheese
1 egg, beaten
Salt and black pepper
1 recipe of PW's Pizza Dough
Olive oil for brushing
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large skillet, combine the sausage, hamburger and onion. Brown over medium heat. Drain the excess grease. Pour in the tomatoes, stir to combine and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
In a bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, monterey jack and egg. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Add the cooled meat mixture to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.
Divide the pizza dough into 8 equal-size balls. With a rolling pin on a floured surface, roll each ball into a 6-inch circle. Place one-eighth of the meat/cheese mixture in the middle of each circle. Fold half of the circle over the other half, gently pressing to slightly spread and flatten the filling. Press a fork along the edge to seal closed (or fold the edges over), then transfer the calzone to a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Brush the calzones with olive oil.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a serving dish or wrap individually in foil. I read on another blog that these calzones freeze well, too!
So, there you have it, Cowboy Calzones!
Anyways, on with my post. Last night, I made The Pioneer Woman's Cowboy Calzones from her new cookbook and they were delicious! I wish I had take a photo, but I didn't. These calzones are not the typical Italian calzones filled with pepperoni, sausage, veggies, and marinara sauce. Instead, they have more of a Mexican flair with Rotel tomatoes and monterrey jack cheese. And the dough, well it just doesn't get much better than PW's pizza dough.
Cowboy Calzones
1/2 pound breakfast sausage
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, finely diced
One 8 oz can Rotel tomatoes
8 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 c. grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated monterey jack cheese
1 egg, beaten
Salt and black pepper
1 recipe of PW's Pizza Dough
Olive oil for brushing
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large skillet, combine the sausage, hamburger and onion. Brown over medium heat. Drain the excess grease. Pour in the tomatoes, stir to combine and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
In a bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, monterey jack and egg. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Add the cooled meat mixture to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.
Divide the pizza dough into 8 equal-size balls. With a rolling pin on a floured surface, roll each ball into a 6-inch circle. Place one-eighth of the meat/cheese mixture in the middle of each circle. Fold half of the circle over the other half, gently pressing to slightly spread and flatten the filling. Press a fork along the edge to seal closed (or fold the edges over), then transfer the calzone to a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Brush the calzones with olive oil.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a serving dish or wrap individually in foil. I read on another blog that these calzones freeze well, too!
So, there you have it, Cowboy Calzones!
3.03.2010
Want to play ball?
Today's weather has been BEAUTIFUL and with beautiful weather comes Koby's STRONG desire to go outside and play ball. As soon as I walked in the door after work, he was waiting by the back door with his ball, dancing around like he just couldn't wait.
To Koby, there is nothing better than going outside to play ball after being cooped up all winter!
And sometimes, just to mess with him, we throw it where he is not looking and he goes into "Pointer" mode in order to find it!
He eventually finds the ball, brings it back to us and the cycle goes on and on and on!
But today, that was okay because I get tired of being cooped up all winter too! And sometimes, it is just refreshing to go outside and play ball!
3.01.2010
Health Kick
Today, I'm starting to get healthy. I've decided I need a little "kick" in the rear before we head to Florida in April and I need to get myself in line NOW! I obviously haven't been keeping up on this part of my New Year's Resolutions!
My first move in this new regimend is to start the Couch to 5k program. It is VERY easy and VERY attainable, just what I like! Brandon is doing the Couch to 10k program and is already killing it, so I'm a bit behind, but I'm starting today!! I could probably actually start my program around Week 3, but I'm going to ease into and do it the right way.
I'm also planning to tweak the way I've been eating. Instead of stopping off at Panera on my way to work, I'm going to make some Healthy Breakfast Muffins (will post recipe soon) to bring to work. I also tried a new type of yogurt, the Yoplait Whips and I really like it so far! The texture of normal yogurt really gets to me, but this is like mousse and feels more like a treat. Snacking at work is also a problem for me. I tend to much on junk instead of healthy snacks. I'm not a huge fan of the trail mix with peanuts, M&Ms and rasins, but I wanted something similar so I browsed for ideas a while back. I found one that I modified a bit to fit my needs. Basically, I just mixed together Golden Grahams, Craisins, almonds and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. While this may not be totally healthy, it's better than leftover muffins and cookies that are in the break room!
So, that is my new "kick" and I plan to stick to it because I'm going to Florida soon and that means I will be wearing a swim suit soon...EEK!!!!!!!!!!
My first move in this new regimend is to start the Couch to 5k program. It is VERY easy and VERY attainable, just what I like! Brandon is doing the Couch to 10k program and is already killing it, so I'm a bit behind, but I'm starting today!! I could probably actually start my program around Week 3, but I'm going to ease into and do it the right way.
I'm also planning to tweak the way I've been eating. Instead of stopping off at Panera on my way to work, I'm going to make some Healthy Breakfast Muffins (will post recipe soon) to bring to work. I also tried a new type of yogurt, the Yoplait Whips and I really like it so far! The texture of normal yogurt really gets to me, but this is like mousse and feels more like a treat. Snacking at work is also a problem for me. I tend to much on junk instead of healthy snacks. I'm not a huge fan of the trail mix with peanuts, M&Ms and rasins, but I wanted something similar so I browsed for ideas a while back. I found one that I modified a bit to fit my needs. Basically, I just mixed together Golden Grahams, Craisins, almonds and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. While this may not be totally healthy, it's better than leftover muffins and cookies that are in the break room!
So, that is my new "kick" and I plan to stick to it because I'm going to Florida soon and that means I will be wearing a swim suit soon...EEK!!!!!!!!!!
2.28.2010
Oh Baby!
Emily and I had a blast coming up with ideas for the shower! We based the "theme" around the baby's room. We found our inspiration in some fabric that Ali bought for an ottoman and we found a lot of our ideas for the decorations online.
We made two different types of cupcakes - white with strawberry filling and chocolate - fruit salsa with cinnamon and sugar pita chips, cream cheese mints, a cheese ball and veggie trays. Instead of making punch, we decided to buy bottled carbonated juices from Target. We liked the look of the bottles because it was something different and we didn't have to mix up punch :)
(Please excuse the odds and ends under the table. We didn't realize it was so noticeable.)
Much to Ali's dismay, we played a really fun game that Emily found. Basically, we had list of words associated with a baby - girl, boy, twins, triplets, epidural, doctor, doctor's fingers, heart burn, breasts, etc. Then, we had a bag full of different types of candy and you had to match the candy name with one of the words on the list. For example, we had a Baby Ruth candy bar and it was supposed to represent "girl", a Butterfinger was supposed to represent "doctors fingers", Red Hots represented "heart burn", Lifesavers represented "epidural" and so on. It was a group game so people weren't forced to play and it got everyone talking.
Matt and Ali both come from big families, so she had quite a crowd there which resulted in quite a few gifts!
She got some adorable clothes, lots of toys, some of her baby "gear"
and lots of other little necessities. We also asked everyone to bring their favorite book to help start a small library for the new baby. Of all of the books she received, I think she only got one duplicate!
It was so fun to celebrate with Ali and now, we can't wait for the little one to arrive! And, Emily and I decided we make a pretty good party planning team! We may go into business someday ;) Ha ha!
2.26.2010
Because it's Friday (again...)
By the time Friday rolls around, my mind has pretty much turned to mush and I'm counting down the minutes until the weekend officially hits! So in honor of Friday, here is another random list post:
- Today has been the longest day ever!
- I was accused of being "Country" today during lunch. I have Brandon's truck today and he carries big rubber boots with him at all times, only he keeps them stuck, upside down, between his truck cab and truck bed. When I walked in the restaurant, the guy behind the sandwich counter made a joke and told me that was a very "country" thing to do.
- One of my bosses from A|S is retiring and his retirement party is tonight. I'm so excited to get to catch up with some of my old co-workers.
- Tonight I'm hanging out with a friend finishing up things for the big baby shower we are hosting. Lots of fun stuff to make!
- Tomorrow is the big baby shower, so I will be busy with that for a good part of the day.
- I'm hoping for a somewhat relaxed Saturday evening and would love to watch a good chick flick ;)
- I believe my brother, sis-in-law and niece will be stopping by our house on their way home from my parent's house.
- Speaking of my parents, my mom turns 60 next week and thinks us kids have been sending her random gifts in the mail, so she's been so proud of her "detective" skills and claims she has proof that it is us.
2.24.2010
Sometimes, I DO believe I am crazy!
Have you ever woken up from a dream and just laid there in disbelief about what your brain had just concocted? Wondering how you can feel so normal during the day, but then at night your mind just runs wild?
I have to let you in on a secret; I have the weirdest dreams!!! For instance, I used to have this on-going dream when I was younger (not so much in recent years) that I was an inmate at an all-girls prison. Every day, we would wake up, eat some oatmeal-like substance for breakfast and then we would all head to this open field for daily exercise. But, the twist would come when all of the other inmates would start chasing me to get their exercise. I would run and run and run and once I reached the top of this hill (because so many prisons are built amongst rolling hills) I would wake up, not ever knowing if the girls caught me or not. This dream occurred at least a couple of times per year, but I never figured out what triggered the dream.
Another dream I had when I was in high school involved a circus that was taking place on the street one of my friends lived on, clowns walking skunks, as tall as the old trees that lined the street, on leashes, and me being stuffed in a barrel by a clown and rolled down the street.
So you see, I have WEIRD dreams!
Well, last night I had another strange dream (not as vivid, but still just as strange) and I just can't quite figure out what triggered the chain of events in the dream. I was at my parent's house and they must have been having some old horse show friends over for a bbq or something. At some point someone asked me to if I would keep an eye on their baby ducks or chicks and I said sure, even though I'm not a huge bird fan. I guess I thought it would be a good idea if I kept the birds in my parent's office and I only remember looking through the French doors at the birds. For some reason, I had to leave the office and when I came back, they had turned into baby vultures and they were chasing me around the room, pecking at my legs. So I left the room again and went and got one of the guests to come help me. When we returned, the vultures had morphed again into these multi-colored birds that had owl faces and monkey tails. The lady who I fetched to help me with what I thought were baby vultures couldn't believe I could be afraid of something so unique looking and she picked them up and started playing with them and then, the dream was over. I must have forced myself to wake up or something because when I did wake up, I just couldn't wrap my brain around what had just happened.
I haven't been able to get this dream out of my head at all today, and it just confirms that sometimes, I really do believe I am crazy!!!
I have to let you in on a secret; I have the weirdest dreams!!! For instance, I used to have this on-going dream when I was younger (not so much in recent years) that I was an inmate at an all-girls prison. Every day, we would wake up, eat some oatmeal-like substance for breakfast and then we would all head to this open field for daily exercise. But, the twist would come when all of the other inmates would start chasing me to get their exercise. I would run and run and run and once I reached the top of this hill (because so many prisons are built amongst rolling hills) I would wake up, not ever knowing if the girls caught me or not. This dream occurred at least a couple of times per year, but I never figured out what triggered the dream.
Another dream I had when I was in high school involved a circus that was taking place on the street one of my friends lived on, clowns walking skunks, as tall as the old trees that lined the street, on leashes, and me being stuffed in a barrel by a clown and rolled down the street.
So you see, I have WEIRD dreams!
Well, last night I had another strange dream (not as vivid, but still just as strange) and I just can't quite figure out what triggered the chain of events in the dream. I was at my parent's house and they must have been having some old horse show friends over for a bbq or something. At some point someone asked me to if I would keep an eye on their baby ducks or chicks and I said sure, even though I'm not a huge bird fan. I guess I thought it would be a good idea if I kept the birds in my parent's office and I only remember looking through the French doors at the birds. For some reason, I had to leave the office and when I came back, they had turned into baby vultures and they were chasing me around the room, pecking at my legs. So I left the room again and went and got one of the guests to come help me. When we returned, the vultures had morphed again into these multi-colored birds that had owl faces and monkey tails. The lady who I fetched to help me with what I thought were baby vultures couldn't believe I could be afraid of something so unique looking and she picked them up and started playing with them and then, the dream was over. I must have forced myself to wake up or something because when I did wake up, I just couldn't wrap my brain around what had just happened.
I haven't been able to get this dream out of my head at all today, and it just confirms that sometimes, I really do believe I am crazy!!!
2.22.2010
The Great Pillow Fight
So, Brandon and I have had this on-going battle about how much room the other one takes up in our bed. In my opinion, Brandon is a constant vilator of space because he always tilts his pillows at an angle to watch TV in bed and they end up touching me and getting in my way. I've tried to ask him nicely to scoot over, but it doesn't always work. I've also showed him, by using our head board, that he has two and half squares of room and so do I. So, last night, I decided to turn the tables to see how he liked it!
As we got into bed, I got situated and carefully placed my pillows so they would overlap his pillows. He pushed them back a little bit and I moved them again, covering part of his face (yes, I was trying to be a bit exaggerated). Again, he moved them out of his way. So, I moved them back and finally, he took them and threw them on the floor!! I think my point was made :)
And, he refused to pick them up off the floor so I took the remote and turned it to a new show on E! called Spindustry to torture him until he picked them up. After about 30 seconds of that show, I had my pillows and he had the remote and we were both abiding by the two and half square rule. We'll see how long it lasts...
As we got into bed, I got situated and carefully placed my pillows so they would overlap his pillows. He pushed them back a little bit and I moved them again, covering part of his face (yes, I was trying to be a bit exaggerated). Again, he moved them out of his way. So, I moved them back and finally, he took them and threw them on the floor!! I think my point was made :)
And, he refused to pick them up off the floor so I took the remote and turned it to a new show on E! called Spindustry to torture him until he picked them up. After about 30 seconds of that show, I had my pillows and he had the remote and we were both abiding by the two and half square rule. We'll see how long it lasts...
