Halloweenie

I swear, I've posted nearly every day in my head.  Imagine my alarm when I sign on and there are hardly any posts!  Where'd they all go?  Oh yeah, never left my head.  I have been cooking and taking pictures so one of these days I'm going to get around to putting up some more fabulous recipes!

In the meantime, some Fall/Halloween favorites I found on Pinterest:

Candy Corn Jello Shots

Creative idea- 2 bundt cakes=1 pumpkin!

Happy Halloween!!!

57 days until Christmas!!  :o)

Chicken and Herb White Pizza

Anyone else addicted to Pinterest?  Eh?  Eh?  I am completely addicted.  I even have the iPhone app and everything, any spare moment I have I'm looking at other people's pins and repinning as my own.  I haven't tried anything out yet, with all the fun recipes and crafts on it I can't wait!

I'm kinda stuck in a dinner rut - get home from work all tired and not feeling like cooking, I often find myself making the same things over and over.  I'm tired of the same things!  Today after work I went straight to the grocery store, picked up a Cooking Light, found a section called "Dinner Tonight" and said SOLD!  And I'm so happy dinner tonight was pizza!  I walked around, grabbed the ingredients for tonight and tomorrow's slow cooker dinner and came home to throw this marvelous creation together....it was fabulous!   I didn't follow the recipe 100% - I only found pizza dough in the bread aisle, not the refrigerated kind the recipe calls for.  And fresh pecorino Romano cheese?  While I'm certain tastes amazing, was not in this girl's budget.  I got store brand packaged shredded mozzarella.

I just looked over the recipe and see that they say it serves 6---teehee...hubs and I ate the whole darn thing.  Who eats just one pizza slice I ask you!?

Chicken and Herb White Pizza

Recipe Adapted from Cooking Light

1 premade pizza dough

Cooking Spray

1 Tbsp Butter

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 Tbsp all purpose Flour

1/2 tsp black pepper

3/4 cup reduced fat milk

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano

1Tbsp chopped fresh chives

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 450.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic, cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Add flour and pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.  Cook 3 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, add cheese, and stir until cheese melts.

Spray pizza dough with cooking spray and place on baking sheet.  Spread white sauce over dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border.



Top with chicken and onion.  Bake at 450 on bottom oven rack for 12 minutes or until crust is golden.  Sprinkle with herbs.

YUM!!!!

Cornbread

Thank you for the bake sale ideas!  I ended up making pumpkin cream cheese muffins, chocolate covered cherry cookies, and apple pie bars.  Yeah ~ I tend to go overboard when baking, especially if it's for other people!

A while back I mentioned that I wanted to create my own versions of recipes that I have at restaurants.  Today I did something easy to start out..  One place I always used to go to while living up north was Boston Market.  I loooove Boston Market!  I could go in and just eat the mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, and cornbread..but I wouldn't feel right eating nothin but carbs like that so I throw in some chicken and make the ultimate decision - mashed potatoes or mac n cheese!?!?  Excruciating, that decision is.

But oh!  The cornbread is so delicious too..I love a slightly sweet cornbread and that's hard to come by.  This time I totally fess up to cheating.  Know what I did?  Yes, I googled.  "Boston Market Cornbread recipe"  And this is what came up.  The reviews were good so I gave it a go.  Result?  It's really really good.  Boston Market?  Pretty close but not there yet...I thought it could use the slightest more milk I think.  The recipe calls for 2/3 cup...heck I may throw a whole cup in next time and see how that goes.  And one more thing ~ it calls for softened butter.  My butter was soft but I mixed with a spoon so it didn't get dispersed as it should have, could be another reason that the moisture wasn't 100%. (I know you are saying - Uh..yeah!  Duh!) Would I make this again?  Hellllllls yeah!  Enjoy!

Boston Market Cornbread

recipe from Food.com

Ingredients

2 (8.5 oz) boxes jiffy corn muffin mix
1 (18 oz) box butter recipe cake mix
5 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 1/3 cup water
1/2 butter (softened)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all dry ingredients.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Pour into greased cupcake pans or mini loaf pans.  Bake at 30 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool slightly in the pan, until they pull away from the side a bit)  Remove from pan and serve warm.

Note: I made 6 jumbo muffins, 12 regular size, and 2 muffin tops with this recipe!

You gonna eat the rest of your cornbread.

Tell him to get his own damn cornbread.  He can't have my cornbread.  There'll be consequences and repercussions!

A Question for the Masses!

We are having a fundraiser bake sale for the American Heart Association at work.  Lots of people have offered to bring in cookies, cupcakes, and brownies.  Which leaves me to wonder what to bring in myself - turtle topped rice krispie treats?  Banana bread? 

What is your favorite thing to bring or eat at a bake sale?

Progression

 This is what I like to call....................Progression.

I've really been having a hard time with blogger lately, anyone else?  I can't format and it's hard just to type a post and have it lined up right.  Then to highlight some words is a beast in and of itself.  

I'm going to get this sorted out, and when I do I have a wonderful oatmeal raisin chew recipe for you.  Even non Oatmeal raisin cookie lovers enjoy this cookie!

Charleston

Last week I was in the mood to go out and take some pictures with the nikon.  I have never taken any classes or lessons or even read a manual on taking photos.  I don't change the settings on the camera and all I know how to do is zoom in/zoom out!!  AND forget photoshop.  And so now I share a few untouched unsophisticated shots from around my city!

Pasta Aglio E Olio

 

Pasta Aglio E Olio

recipe from food.com

• 1 lb spaghetti, pasta (uncooked)
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 tablespoons fresh minced garlic, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• salt and black pepper

Directions:

Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins

1. Bring about 5 quarts of water to a boil with 3 teaspoons salt; add in the spaghetti and cook only until firm-tender; drain but RESERVE 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. Start this when you are boiling the pasta; Heat about 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet.
3. Add in 3 tablespoons garlic and about 1/2 teaspoon salt with black pepper to taste; saute stirring often until the garlic is light brown (about 6-8 minutes) remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, parsley, lemon juice and about 2 tablespoons of pasta cooking water; mix to combine.
4. Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl; toss with remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining reserved cooking water.
5. Add in the garlic mixture; toss well to combine.
6. Season with more black pepper and salt to taste if desired.
7. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/pasta-with-garlic-and-oil-aglio-e-olio-159894#ixzz1ReIdfoTk

I'm having one heck of a time with blogger, I think it's rebelling against me because of too much time off!

Pasta Aglio E Olio - with garlic and oil.  So simple yet I searched high and low for the perfect recipe.  This one from food.com maybe the winner!  I enjoy the addition of the lemon juice and red pepper flakes - gives it a really nice kick.

Independence Day

I hope everyone has a fun, safe 4th of July!

Beach Tablescape

I was just "gently reminded" that I forgot to post pictures of my tablescape that I blogged about a short while ago.  Sorry!  The heat, and blah blah excuses excuses!

I was going with a beach theme, and buying the deocrations from afar, here in Charleston, and the party was in Indiana.  Clearly, I didn't think that one through well enough, because I had to bring all those breakables and bulk on the plane with me.  I've never been much of a bag checker when traveling, but I was forced to because I had to bring 2 bags to carry everything.  I didn't want the bottles to break, so my decorations were carry on and my clothes went to the depths of the plane somewhere...and luckily arrived safely with me in Chicago.

One thing about buying decorations from afar, I didn't realize how big the table was.  It ended up being much much muchier than I imagined, so everything got spread out on the table and it didn't turn out like I thought it would in my head...but it still turned out pretty good I'd say.

I bought a fishing net, sand colored tablecloth, along with some marshall's finds - the blue bottles, near the sea sign and sand dollar.  A little Target representing in the flowers, and then got the sea glass and shells from a craft store.  (I'll have to do an update later on where I got the fishing net and little anchor decorations, because I'm blanking right now!)

The tales of a terrible blogger

I did it again.  Almost said - Oops, I did it again.  But that's a little overused and a little too Britney eh?  Yes is the answer to that question.

I took a month long hiatus from blogger and the reason is threefold.

1- New job -- HOLLA!!  I also started a steady workout plan, finally!  I wake up at 5:30am every morning, head to the gym to swim, and then into my new job.  I used to work just 3 days a week, so to jump to 5 and throw in morning workouts..I've been exhausted!  But happy.  When I swim, and first start out, I think so much about what I'm doing and how I'm hurting.  Then when I reach the break through moment, it's like I just go - I don't think about it and my mind wanders.  I wanted to get to that point in both swimming and the new job before trying to figure out things to write about.

2- Took a trip to Chicago/Indiana.  I went to see the fam in between jobs.  I did not much of anything for a week and it was fabulous!

This picture was taken with my iphone, toy camera app, at the parents house.

3- Is not as fun as 1 and 2.  It's actually quite sad.  We have no air conditioning at home!  It is HOT right now, high 90s, same on the inside of my house.  We put a wall unit in the bedroom to make it bearable to sleep, so I don't much leave that room when I'm home.  The computer is in the hot part of the house, which I haven't braved for blogging sake.

These are the facts, just the facts.

I had a blogging project I thought about taking on.  It will depend on if I can make it work, but I've been thinking - I'd really like to start going out to a restaurant, maybe once a week, then I'll do a post featuring the restaurant and what I ate.  The next post I will try to recreate the recipe at home, maybe making it healthier.  Or just recreating it to the best I can.  I am kind of excited about trying this out, although with the lack of a/c it may have to wait until fall.  But I am excited enough to maybe try it out now.  Stay tuned!

Thanks for sticking with me during that little hiatus...I am going to do my best to be a better blogger from henceforward!

Now!  I'm going to go catch up on all of YOUR blogs!

Stripe happy

I've always been a solids kinda gal, but this summer I am really digging the stripes and prints!  I mean I was solids for a good 30 years...this is all very new to me.  Now that I'm losing weight, I've been doing some window shopping and found some motivational dresses.  Not that I can afford them, but I will dream about them!

All of these are from Nordstrom. 

All of these I want!

Maybe I should save my nickels.  By the time I have enough to buy one of these I will have the body to wear it!

Sometimes I can't get over my brilliance.

Party Planning

I think it's safe to say that most of us in the blogging world would throw a pretty kick ass party right?  You have to be pretty creative to have a blog, then there's some fabulous blogger chefs and wonderful blogger decorators.  How fun it would be to have a group of all star bloggers throw a party!!!

I was beyond thrilled when I was recently asked to help throw a party.  Actually I can't quite remember if I was asked or begged or pleaded or whimpered to be let in?   Either way, I'm in! And begged/groveled/whined to be given decorating duties.  Weird right?  Usually I'da done that for dessert making priveleges, but all of a sudden I was jonesing to decorate!

I.can't.wait to tablescape!!!

So, I turned to some other blogs for inspiration.  Wow!  There are so many wonderful ideas out there, and I totally wish I was getting married again because I also found some great websites for decorating on the cheap!  Here are some of my favorites:

Beach theme From Between Naps on the Porch

I love the colors on this one!  From Tiffany Angeles 

Check out the deals Lynda found over at Focal Point!  .89 cents for those beautiful blue glasses!?  Yes please.

Ummm...this is a party I want to go to! amiright?

Found here.

Black and white makes for an elegant table! From the Bloom Girls.

The great thing about tablescapes is that you can find some terrific deals out there.  For my upcoming table..ooh I can't wait to do it!...I bought from Save on Crafts.  I also got some great deals at Marshalls.  Tomorrow I'm going to check out Pier One and then I've got to stop before I spend next week's paycheck too. 

A little note on online shopping..I always always always fill up my online cart, then open another window and google the store I'm buying from and coupon.  There are not only great deals online but almost always I can find a coupon for a further discount.  Don't ever buy without checking first!

The tough part of the deals and tablescaping is that you end up with a lot of knick knack paddywhack type of stuff, so try to get cute things that you can use more than once.  I want to throw parties all summer just so I can keep tablescaping!

Happy Mom's Day!

photo

I was supposed to be with my mommala today but she wasn't able to make it cross country this time...but if she was here at the moment I was planning on making her lobster pie.

Next time Mommala!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day!