TGIF!!!!
This week has been a little crazy because I've had some crappy medical stuff going on, but here's a little bit of what else I've been up to...
We really wanted to have a Superbowl party last Sunday. Well since the game didn't come on until midnight our time, and most of the people around us could care less about football, we couldn't really plan a big fun party. (I had SO many fun Pinterest football recipes I wanted to try!) We still had a three friends over for chili around 8, but they didn't last long for the game. Marshall and I stayed awake til about 3 and then we crashed and checked the internet when we woke up.
I know everyone probably has their own chili recipe that they love, but if not... here is a fabulous one:
Brown 2lbs of ground beef.
3/4 of the way done... add chopped onions and green peppers. (I used 2 small onion and half a large green pepper). I also chopped up some jalapeno's because I like spice, and I threw in like 4 chopped cloves of garlic. And then I seasoned the meat with some chili powder. Finish cooking the meat and set aside.
In a large crock pot, mix:
3 large cans of tomato sauce
2 small cans of diced tomatos
a packet of chili seasoning
I looooove corn and mushrooms in my chili. I put in one can of corn and would have done mushrooms too if I had them.
Beans. Hate them. Everyone else loves them. Soooo I added a can of red kidney beans and a can of baked beans. It was all I could find in my cupboards. You can put in whatever amount you prefer.
Add your meat mixture and depending how spicy you like it...you can add more chili powder, red pepper flakes, spices, whatever you want.
I made it late so I put it on high for 4 hours and it was awesome. You can also cook it on low all day.
I did also make the super cute football field that I found on this website from pinterest: http://absolutelymonica.blogspot.com/2011/02/super-bowl-sunday-guacamole-football.html
(My link option isn't working right... or maybe its because of my new mac computer and the user isn't working right :)
Anyways... here is the final product:
I was in a hurry so its a little sloppy, and I should of made the end zone lines fatter, but oh well. It tasted amazing!! Plus who doesn't love mixing guac and cheese, but refrains from dumping clumps in the opposite bowl! This is perfect to scoop however you wish!
I used pre-made salsa and nacho cheese dips for the ends and this recipe for the guacamole. The website that I took it from started with 10 avocados and I only was using 2, so I really wasnt sure how it was going to turn out. But being my first time making it... it was DELICIOUS! So here we go:
Cut open the avocados and take the pits out. Then either scoop it out or cut off the skin and chop it up.
I cut 2 limes in half and squeezed the juice all over the chopped avocados. I think this really added great flavor!!
I diced half of a red onion...
I diced up one large tomato...
And 4 or 5 garlic cloves...
Mix it all together... and can always throw it back in your food processor if you want it to be a finer consistency...
And then I formed it in the middle of my plate...
I used a pastry bag to pipe the sour cream on the football field... (you can always use a baggie too and just cut a small slit in the corner for your tip)
Give yourself enough time so your lines don't look like mine :)
And then add your chopped cherry tomatoes as players...
I was also making a german chocolate cake because it's Marshall's favorite. I was going to make frosting to decorate it with but since I was in a hurry, just thought I could figure something out with sprinkles. This was definitely a failed attempt, but oh well. It still tasted good. :)
First, I just placed a football cookie cutter on the top and used little white decorating balls for the stitching. Then I filled in the remaining spaces with chocolate sprinkles to add some brown defined color.
Then I used number cutters to write 2012 in blue sprinkles. At this point the cake started cracking because I did a double decker... but also didn't wait til it cooled. So since it was still warm, it wasn't as firm. Note to self... the "maybe it will be fine" is false. Plan ahead.
I laugh looking at the pictures again... like what was I thinking?! It definitely appeared way more awesome in my mind. :)
Last night for dessert I made another recipe from Pinterest. I absolutely LOVE bananas and so this sounded amazing. This is the link to the original site:
http://www.thejeyofcooking.com/banana-pudding-with-nilla-wafers/
I didn't really follow the recipe because I used Jell-O banana pudding mix instead of making it homemade. I would definitely use vanilla pudding too if I didn't have banana.
So pretty much all you do is make the pudding (add milk for the Jell-O kind).
Slice 3 bananas.
And crush a few handfuls of vanilla wafers. You can always add more later...
So you just start layering... bananas, pudding, wafers until you run out. I don't think it matters what order you choose.
After you have it all layered up, put it in the fridge for a couple hours to set up.
Add whipped cream to the top and enjoy! Sooo good :)
I also made this amazing parmesan crusted chicken with a white wine sauce from a recipe my sister gave me. I forgot to take pictures but its super easy to do.
Set up your three bowls: Flour/salt/pepper
Whisked eggs
And for your third, grate fresh parmesan cheese and add breadcrumbs. Do a 2-1 ratio with more parmesan. You can also add italian seasoning/garlic, whatever to this mixture.
Melt some butter in a skillet with sides and cook both sides until golden brown. You will need to keep adding butter as you cook it. I used fatter breasts of chicken so I made sure to bake it for like 20 minutes and to cook it a little slower on the stove top. You can always make a little slit and cheat check like me. While you throw the chicken in the oven to either cook more or to stay warm, you are going to make your sauce. Use the leftovers in your skillet and add a cup of white wine to it. Whisk together and cover. This needs to simmer for 20 minutes. Keep checking and stirring it. At the end, add a little flour to thicken it up. I just sprinkled with my hands some pinches into the sauce. The more chicken you make, the more wine you should add. A cup per every three pieces is about good I think.
This doesn't make a ton of sauce, but its a perfect amount to drizzle over the top of your chicken. So good!!!!!
And today... this is what I'll be getting into. My awesome friend Jen sent me two books I'm dying to read. One is the most recent in a series I've been reading for years (Karen Kingsbury is AMAZING if you are looking for something to read... start with Redemption.) And the other book is one she loved so I'm getting anxious to dive in. I also need to catch up the last few days of my read the bible in one year plan. And then the journal is for planning our Italy trip with Marshall and my grandparents! I'm doing lots of research and getting super excited for that!
This is also a really sweet letter I read today. Its a letter to your children about marriage. Take a sec and read it if you have the time!!
http://raisinghomemakers.com/2012/a-letter-to-my-children-about-marriage/
Happy Friday Everyone!! Its a Maltese holiday today: Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck... So if any of you come visit me, I'll take you to go see his right wrist bone :) In all honesty, it is pretty awesome that Paul shipwrecked in Malta because he is my hero!! Lots of love...XOXO