Tuesday, January 31, 2012

I'm linking up with Megan today with her Sometimes And Always...



Sometimes:  I think about how ridiculous The Bachelor show is.
Always:  I can't wait for Tuesday morning to stream it on fast pass.



Sometimes:  I lay around all day doing nothing...
Always:  I am like superwoman the last hour trying to clean the house and shower before Marshall gets home.



Sometimes:  I am so full after dinner that I'm confident I will not want any sweets later.
Always:  Within an hour or two I'm digging in the chocolate.



Sometimes:  I watch so many episodes of The Kardashians in one day...
Always:  I walk away feeling like I actually know them and we are friends. 



Sometimes:  I am so ready to have a baby that I want to just stop taking my birth control.
Always:  I remember how important it is to me to be married first and think I just need to stick it out until the end of the year.



Sometimes:  I get so mad at Marshall when we play scrabble and he either gets good cheap words or blocks off sections.
Always:  I have to remind myself throughout the game that I hate when he acts like that and to pretend to be happy for him.  :)



Sometimes:  I really want my nails to be long and beautiful.
Always:  When they start to grow a little bit I pick at them because they are so thin, and they always end up ripping off.



Sometimes:  I try really hard to focus when I'm reading my Bible.
Always:  My mind tends to wander to my latest Pinterest findings.... (need to work on this.)




Sometimes:  I think about when we were kids...
Always:  I smile thinking about how much I loved Mario, climbing trees, playing kickball with the neighbor kids, taking nightly walks with my family to pick apples for a bedtime snack, and all the picnics and mini adventures my parents created for us!



Sometimes:  The garbage is so full and I know I should take it out...
Always:  I remember its Marshall's territory and I'll let him do it when he gets home.



Sometimes:  I wonder how I will deal if Marshall gets deployed again.
Always:  I know I'll find a way because life without him isn't a possibility.



I hope you are having a great start to the week!!  XOXO
Quotes are the little things in life that make me smile...

Here are a few that I've fallen in love with lately.  Either for sweet sentimental value, or because they made me laugh.  Enjoy!

Hahaha... so so true!  Would be funny to create the spider webs and have hidden cameras to catch people's reactions!

Well said... 

I say this to Marshall all the time.  Being held down and tickled is such torture! 

Hahaha... sounds great in theory! :)

This made me laugh too.  Definitely have been guilty of this before!  I used to think I would just play dead too... they would never know right?!  Hahaha

This is great motivation for me because its incredibly true.  Not only in fitness and health, but in how I treat others and what I spend my days on.  Fulfilling my passion?  Pursuing my dreams?  Good to ponder...

Marshall's brother and sister in law just had to say goodbye to their unborn baby boy this past weekend.  My heart just hurts for them and I can't imagine how you deal with such a sad loss.  I loved this quote and think only God's word would be able to help me through the tough times.  And hugs.

I couldn't agree with this more.  I feel like I have learned so much about myself, the world, and others through traveling.  To me, it seems like the best investment!

Ok, let's be honest here.  Would facebook and pinterest have anything to do with this? :) 

This seriously happens to me more times than it should.  I REALLY need to start working again.  I'm losing my 5th grade basic skills!

Always.  And Marshall wonders why his clothes don't fit him anymore. ;)

Lol...no comment.

I love this.  So sweet.  I would say it was true for us the third time we saw each other.  But then again we were in Africa and he was the only one for me to look at.  :)  Just kidding...

I love this.  It will be framed in our home.

It saddens me how many hungry people there are in this world.  All it takes is for all of us to just help one person...  We can all make a difference!!

Happy Monday!! 


Monday, January 30, 2012

Recipe Newbies...

I can't believe at the end of my monthly resolution I miss two days of blogging.  Marshall and I were up late this weekend and by the time we went to sleep I had no energy to think of a blog.  Last night we played poker at our house.  We LOVE to play but can never find enough people.  So last night we finally had a game!  I will say the second game Marshall and I came in first and second place!  :)  Woo Hoo!

Anyways, here are a few recipes from the weekend.  Enjoy!!

This cupcake is something I just randomly came up with.  Its nothing special, but tastes absolutely amazing!!!  I used a carmel cake mix and made it into cupcakes.  Frosted with a cream cheese frosting... (used an icing bag and puff pastry tip).  And then drizzled carmel on top of them... followed by broken up snickers bars!  Quick, easy, and to die for!!

Oh, and I also sprinkled some food glitter in gold on the top.  I'm obsessed with it.  Makes everything so much more fun! :)

This next recipe was from Pinterest and its a Coconut Chicken with Sweet Chili dipping sauce.  You can find the original link here.

This recipe is just about the same as frying chicken.  First beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup coconut milk.


Then put some flour in a bowl with like a teaspoon of salt.  And your third bowl is 1 cup of panko bread crumbs and 1 cup of shredded coconut.  I tossed the coconut in the food processor to try and shred it a little more.  Its up to you.  Also, I had to add a bit more panko bread crumbs and coconut to finish my chicken.  I had a pound and a half.


You will also want to put some oil in your skillet so it can start heating up.  Then cut your chicken breasts diagonally to help having short pieces on all the ends.  I sort of did that.  :)


Now you do the triple coat.  I find it easier to do the flour first for all the chicken, and then go back and do the other two together.  I hate when my fingers are coated inches thick with goop.  Just a personal preference that I find easier.  :)


So as you are coating the chicken and when the oil is hot enough (tossing flour in should make it sizzle), start adding your chicken.  Remember to not add too many pieces because it reduces the heat of the oil.  Cook on medium heat flipping occasionally until both sides are golden brown.  You can always cut a slit in one to check if its done.  As the chicken becomes ready to remove, place the pieces on paper towels.  You will probably need to add more oil too.


I have no idea why this picture keeps loading sideways... :(

And ta da!  I bought the sweet chili sauce from the store.  I'm sure you could make it but ehhh... this was much easier!  Marshall and I both LOOOOVED this recipe and will definitely be making it often!  I asked him what he wanted with the chicken... Thai coconut noodles (recipe I found) or french fries.  Well, next time I want to try the noodles with it.  :)


The next recipe I made is the Pizza Dip.  You can find the original recipe here.  As silly as this sounds, I was doing a hundred things at once in the kitchen and just so happened to forget to add the PIZZA SAUCE to this recipe.  But, it was still really good and I didn't even realize it until it was half gone.  So not a total fail!  :) 

First mix these together:
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
  • 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated


  • Then you spread the mixture into the bottom of a pie plate.


    After this mixture is spread into the pan, you are supposed to put 1 cup of pizza sauce on top.  Still can't believe I forgot.  :(

    Grate some more parmesan cheese... It's supposed to be another 1/4 cup, but I just grated a handful...enough to spread on top of the mixture.


    And layer it next AFTER the sauce.  Don't forget.  :)


    Followed by 1/2 cup mozzarella... or however much you want...


    And then add your toppings...


    The finished product...  I served it with garlic bread and it was really good!!!  Great party app!  Who doesn't love pizza!!


    On our way home from France, we picked up two French cheese's.  Brie and Camembert.  I knew I couldn't leave without bringing some home...especially because they were the real deal.  Marshall and I LOVE cheese, but have a harder time with the strong, smelly ones.  Regardless, we wanted to give them a shot.

    After a few days of our house smelling like ass (excuse my french)... I was certain they were going in the oven or in the dumpster.  So I looked up a few recipes and decided on these two:

    For the brie:  First I chopped up 5 garlic cloves and minced about a tablespoon of fresh thyme.


    Next I heated a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of butter and threw in 4 sliced onions.  Saute them for like twenty minutes with the thyme added in too.  They should be slightly golden brown.


    Next add in the chopped garlic and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.


    Add in 1/4 cup white wine.  Keep stirring until the liquid is about all evaporated.  


    Next pour about a teaspoon or so of sugar on top of the mixture and continue cooking for a few more minutes until golden brown.  Add another 1/4 cup white wine and let it cook down until the liquid is gone.  This is your mixture for on top of the brie.


    Pour the onions on your triangle or wheel of brie (which is still in the box, but the top rind is cut off).  This will bake for about 15 minutes or until the center is gooey. 

    The other cheese which picture is below is the Camembert.  For this cheese, I just made a bunch of slits in the top and inserted pieces of chopped garlic.  Then I inserted twigs of the fresh thyme and drizzled olive oil over the top.  This only needs about 10 minutes in the oven.


    This is how they turned out.  I really enjoyed the brie, but the Camembert was a little too strong for me.  Also... make sure to watch your cheese that it doesn't start melting out of the bottom.  I wasn't thinking about it being in the box and having open slits and lost some cheese that way.  Lesson learned.  Also....make sure you keep them on a baking sheet while they are in the oven!

    We served with baguettes and enjoyed this new and authentic appetizer!


    I hope you all had a great weekend!!  XOXO













    

    Friday, January 27, 2012

    It's Thursday!!

    I'm linking up with Nicole today on her Thursday 5!


     
    Happy
    Thrilled
    Joyed
    Ecstatic
    Elated

    I am so Happy that we found enough people to play poker with on Saturday night.  Marshall and I love to play but for some reason can never find people who know how.  So this Saturday it is on...



    I am Thrilled to look at houses tomorrow with Marshall.  Our lease is up soon on our current home and since the embassy has moved, Marshall needs to be closer to work for response time.  This means a new environment!  I love change and can't wait to see our options!!



    I tried a new recipe tonight.  It is from Pinterest and its a Coconut Chicken with sweet chili dipping sauce.  I am Joyed to say it turned out AMAZING!  (I'll post the recipe soon!)


    I'm Ecstatic that my grandparents are coming to visit in March.  I am seriously counting down the days.  I miss my family so stinkin much and to know that they really are coming... plane tickets in hand.... AHhhhhh!!


    Although we have no plans because we need certain permissions from the Marine Corps... I am Elated to tell you that we have decided on getting married in Thailand!!!  We have a friend who owns a beach house on Koh Sumai island and he emailed us back today saying we are more than welcomed to use his home while we visit!  For free!!!!!!!!! 

    This is one Elated girl.  Yes...using it twice. 



    Happy Happy Thursday Everyone!!  XOXO