I'm Still Here I Swear...2 Months Squished Into One Post

Ok, where to start....

You may or may not have noticed that I haven't written a new blog post in like....2 months, but believe me I have lots to share.

This post is probably going to be a little overboard, I have that feeling that you get when you see a really good friend for the first time after being apart for a long time....all the things you NEED to share with them just can't come out of your mouth fast enough!

Shall we start with food??

Mason Jar Salads And Snacks

Ok, so I have started a new system of jarring my food...stay with me.

I have a bad habit of not getting all of my daily fruits and veggies in. This is bad not only because they are just overall necessary for survival but they help keep your hair and skin beautimus (yup that's a word, I don't care if it's not in the dictionary). 

I found out that pre-portioning out healthy food, that is ready for me to just grab on the go, is really helping me. 

As if there weren't enough uses for mason jars...here's another one. Usually on the weekend I will make up salads and put them in large mouth mason jars and then use smaller jars to fill with chopped fruit and veggies. In the morning before work I just grab from the fridge and go!!

The jars are so amazing at keeping things fresh all week that I have no idea why everyone is not doing this!!

For the salads I just did a traditional one with all the things I like and then I did a pasta salad.

In these pictures I have the dressing already in the bottom of the jars because I thought it would just marinate the veggies but I found out that I don't actually like that......so I don't do that anymore!! I just add it in right before eating and shake it up to coat the lettuce. 

For the pasta salad jars I added whole wheat cooked pasta, spinach, and tomatoes then added balsamic dressing, but there are so many options for that as well!!

As for the dressing, I thought I would try making my own and it was so stinkin' good people!!

It tastes so much better than pre-made stuff.

Fresh Lemon Salad Dressing

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup + 3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Put all ingredients in a jar....and shake!

If your like me and decide to take these to work, your going to get a few looks and questions about why your eating out of jars but you won't care because your coworkers are missing out on a great idea!!

DIY For The Bride

My bestie is getting married y'all.....in just a little over two months, therefore it's time for the festivities to begin. 

Along with some pretty spectacular bridesmaids and one amazing planner, a beautiful bridal shower was formed!

Everything about this shower with the exception of the date, time, and location were a secret to the bride which is why I couldn't post about anything until now!!! Believe me, it was killer to keep what I have been up to a secret all this time. 

For my part in the shower, it was all about the DIY to make personalized things for the bride.

The only guidelines where a shabby chic/rustic theme and cream/white colors.....we're talkin' my language people!!

I was to be in charge of creating a bridal sash, veil, various dessert items, and a pasta salad, and I was determined to deliver.

With the help of the craft store, lots of burlap, my sewing machine, and copious amounts of fabric glue (a Godsend as far as I'm concerned) this is what I created.

So I wish that I had taken step by step pictures of the production of the sash and veil but to be honest this was the first time I had attempted this project and wasn't sure how it would turn out. It was kind of one of those things where I just went into work mode and hoped everything turned out like my vision. 

For the dessert table I decided to do two things; the bride and grooms favorite cookies in jars, and rice krispies on a stick. 

The jars where pretty easy, I just cut out some burlap and attached a chalkboard bubble to each, and as for the glass jars themselves....Walmart just has everything!

All that was left to do was make the cookies.

Rice krispies on a stick don't sound too glamorous, but they sure did turn out cute!!

Not only are the easy, but they are super cheap to make!

I just followed the traditional recipe that's on the side of the rice krispie box and then while still warm, formed them into balls and placed on parchment paper. 

I drizzled them with melted white chocolate and then sprinkled them with gold sprinkles. 

I put them in the fridge overnight to make sure they set and then inserted cakepop sticks (which you can find at the craft store) that I had tied a piece of twine around. 

For the pasta salad, I decided to try something I had never had before...and it did not fail!

The ingredient list looks long and daunting but you probably have a lot of the items already and if you don't, everything on the list is very inexpensive. 

Summer Veggie Pasta Salad

Ingredients: 

12 oz. bow tie pasta

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 medium roma tomatoes

1 medium summer squash

1 medium zucchini

1 medium broccoli crown

1/2 medium red onion

2/3 of a 15 oz. jar roasted red bell peppers

1/2 bunch fresh parsely

Salt and pepper to taste 

Boil noodles until al-detente, drain, and pour into a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl combine the oils, vinegar, dijon mustard, oregano, garlic, and salt and pepper.

Whisk until combined. 

Chop veggies into bite sized pieces (or slices) and the onion and red bell peppers into thin slices. 

Add to the bowl with the cooked pasta and pour the dressing over top.

Stir until all combined and then refrigerate until your ready to eat.

The shower was so beautiful and I was so happy that I had the opportunity to make personalized items for the bride!

Mr. Owen Michael

My precious little nephew Owen Michael was born on May 19th at 7 lbs. 13 oz. and 21 inches long, and thus I became aunt Sarah!!

Last week I flew with my family to go see him....and the boy did not disappoint. Needless to say, the newest addition to the family has everyone wrapped around his tiny infant finger. 

Now I can't say I've been around many two week olds, and I may be a little biased but I'm convinced he is already far ahead of the curve. 

He is super strong and look, he is ready to beat this little toy fox up!!!

Like his auntie, he enjoys long afternoons of napping and a constant supply of food...he fits right into this family.

Next time I will see him will be in late August and I am so excited to see how much he will have changed!!

Random Tid-Bits

1. I'd say full on summer-mode has kicked in and all I want to do is be outside and keep it moving!! Most people think it's crazy, and maybe it's just the Florida girl in me, but being outside during the hottest part of the day is my favorite. I have the most energy at that point and I try and take that time to get in a work out and a little sun (which you wouldn't have guessed because my skin stays pale no matter what I do). Sweating it out in the heat makes me feel like I'm getting a better workout and getting rid of all the toxins in my body!!

2. I decided freshen up our guest room which meant getting rid of a bunch of crap and moving around furniture. Pictures will be posted once I finish decorating it, but it's finally functioning as an office and guest space instead of just a holding room for Kevin's hobbies. I'm actually writing in it right now!!

Oh, and this project reminded me how much of a pain in the ass painting is...there were plans to do the whole apartment, but those have been scrubbed for the time-being. 

3. It's still my ongoing mission to have crazy mermaid hair. Today I am trying out a new sea salt spray and I don't know if it really looks any different but somehow having sea salt in my hair makes me feel like I'm accomplishing my goal...don't judge me!!

There are big plans for it in the future so stay tuned. 

So I guess that's it for now. I feel like I'm probably leaving out a lot of other updates, but this post is probably long enough.

These next few months are going to be pretty hectic but I promise I will try and do more posts so that this doesn't happen again!

P.S. I'm not looking forward to going back and proof reading all of this :) 

My Favorite Crock-Pot Lasagna

Lasagna is a comfort food loved by just about everyone, but no one ever makes it because it's too much work and takes too much time. 

Now, the long cooking time is one of the things that makes lasagna taste amazing so there isn't much I can do about that, but we can fix the labor issue.

Bring out that trusty crock-pot!

Since this recipe is so easy, lets skip straight to it....

Ingredients: 

1 lb. ground beef

36 oz. spaghetti sauce

8 oz. cottage cheese

8 oz. ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

8 oz. grated mozzarella

Regular uncooked lasagna noodles

Brown the ground beef in a pan over medium heat.

Once completely cooked, drain off any excess fat and return to pan along with the spaghetti sauce and set aside. 

In a small bowl, beat one egg and then add the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and italian seasoning. Stir until completely combined. 

Spray the inside of the crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.

Pour in 1/3 of the beef and sauce mixture .

Lay a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles on top of the sauce mixture. Break them apart so that they will cover the whole surface. 

Use half of the cheese mixture and spread it over the noodles. 

Sprinkle on a layer mozzarella cheese. 

Pour on another 1/3 of the sauce mixture and repeat the noodle and cheese layers, using the other half of the cheese mixture. 

Finish it off by pouring on the rest of the sauce mixture. 

Cover, and cook on low for 5-6 hours. 

That's it people, a little bit of prep and then let it cook slow and low to get that great lasagna flavor.

When it is done cooking, remove the ceramic pot from the heating element so that it can cool.

The reason we want it to cool before eating is so that it has time to set.

This will make it a little easier to remove in pieces. 

The longer you let it sit, the easier the pieces will come out.

Well....I had men to feed soooooo I didn't have much time to let it set, which explains why I don't have a picture of it on a plate.

All you need to know is....it tasted great!

A Long Distance Baby Shower And All Things Blue

In a little over a month my baby nephew is due, and I will be an aunt for the first time!!

Unfortunately, my brother and sister-in-law live in a different state than most of their friends and family so having a baby shower in which everyone could physically attend would be pretty difficult.

Fortunately, my sister-in-law has some creative friends.

Enter....the virtual baby shower.

Now before yesterday, I had never heard of a virtual baby shower but when you combine excited friends and family members, a dedicated father-to-be, and a little bit of technology anything becomes possible. 

While the mommy-to-be was out to breakfast, my brother decorated their nursery and set out all of the gifts that we had sent over the past week. Using Google Hangouts, we were all able to video chat at the same time, and see the nursery all put together!

Since we couldn't all physically be with the future parents, I set up a bit of a "viewing party" at my house to celebrate with my mom and my sister.

I just wanted to share with you all some of the crafts, decorations, and recipes that went into my little celebration of the newest little family member! 

Of coarse everything must be blue.....even our outfits. 

For the table, I set out some flowers with blue hydrangeas and a fame with the word "boy" inside. 

To make the "boy" frame, I used a piece of burlap cut to the size of the glass and stencils to paint on the letters.

They have a woodland creature theme for their nursery which was also the theme of the baby shower, so I set out my little owls along with my blue plates, blue glasses, blue drink coasters, and a blue candle.

For a snack I made brie and apple crescents. 

They were so easy to make and everyone loved them!

Ingredients: 

1 tube of crescent dough for 8 crescents

Granny Smith apple

Brie 

Honey 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, lay out each triangle of dough.

Peel the apple, and cut into 1/2 inch slices.

Cut brie into pieces that are slightly smaller than your slices of apple. 

Onto the widest part of the triangle, place one piece of brie and then place one slice of apple on top.

Drizzle honey over the apple and then wrap the rest of the dough around.

Place in the oven for 10 minutes or until the crescents are browned. 

For the drink, I tried my hardest to think of something that would be blue, without having to add food coloring. What I got was not exactly blue....but it was close!! Haha. 

Ingredients:

Lemonade

Acai-Blueberry-Pomegranate Vitamin Water

Champagne

There is no science behind this one, I just added equal parts of each ingredient and stirred.   

There you have it, my little virtual baby shower viewing party!

Peach Lemonade

It's Spring....which in Florida, means it's Summer!!!!

Spring/Summer heat requires time in the sun and cool drinks.

Lemonade is all time favorite of just about anyone, but if you're like me you just might get the urge to switch things up a bit by adding another flavor into the mix!!

I love the idea of making a special drink that a group of people can all enjoy but I don't love setting aside the extra time to make something up!!

This drink is quick, easy, refreshing, and has that fresh squeezed taste that you just won't get from store bought or lemonade concentrate. 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice 

1/2 cup sugar

5 cups water

3 peaches

First, you're gonna need some lemons!!

If you are using an electric juicer like I did you're going to need about six nice sized lemons.

If you are using a hand squeezer, you might need more. 

The electric juicer is able to get a lot more juice out of each lemon.

Pour the lemon juice into a large drink pitcher along with the sugar and water.

Stir until the sugar is well mixed in and dissolved. 

Peel three peaches and remove the seed and the tough part of the fruit around the seed. 

Cut into slices and place in a blender.

Blend until completely pureed.

Pour the peach puree through a sieve or anything else you have on hand that will strain out any remaining large pieces of fruit, and into a bowl. 

Add the peach puree into the pitcher and stir until completely blended. 

Chill for about an hour or until cold and serve over ice.

Now go sit in a rocking chair and sip your lemonade.

Dijon Lime Chicken

In this house, we love citrus and we love mustard. 

Even saying that out loud sounds weird together but in reality it is uniquely wonderful.

This recipe combines two flavors that are not only great on their own but together when on that boring chicken you have in sitting in your fridge. 

Ingredients: 

2 (4 oz.) Boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

3 Tablespoons honey dijon mustard 

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Zest and juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Salt 

Pepper  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel.

Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Place chicken on the plastic and then cover with another piece of wrap. Use a heavy utensil to beat the chicken until they are about an inch thick. 

Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium sized bowl, combine mustard, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, and parsley.

Place chicken in the mixture and toss to coat.

Place chicken in a greased baking dish.
Sprinkle some extra parsley on top.

Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Baked Zucchini Chips

I love the flavor of zucchini, but I don't always love how soggy it can get when it's cooked. 

This recipe has the flavor and the crunch!!

These chips are extremely easy to make and won't make you feel guilty about snacking. Just beware, you're not going to feel like sharing, so get everyone else out of the house!!

Now usually I am not a fan of posting recipes that require using a special kitchen tool, but for this recipe there are two things that are completely necessary; a mandolin slicer and time. 

Your going to need this slicer to get those super thin slices of zucchini that are necessary for that crunch! Don't worry, you can pick one up at a pretty reasonable price http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/mandolin-slicer/1010496373. 

These are also going to take a while to bake but they are worth it and the prep is super fast!!

Ingredients: 

1 large zucchini

Olive oil cooking spray 

Salt

Chili Powder

Garlic Powder 

*Makes a small bowl of chips

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. 

You want your chips to cook on a low temp for a long time.

Use a mandolin slicer to thinly slice the zucchini.

I don't recommend trying to cut the zucchini with a knife. In order to cut them thinly enough to make chips, it would be far too dangerous for your precious fingers and thick slices = soggy chips. 

Use the "thin slices" attachment for your mandolin. 

Place zucchini slices on paper towels.

Place another paper towel on top of the slices and then place something heavy on top to get as much water out of the zucchini as possible (to achieve ultimate crisp factor). 

The uses of a biology book are endless. 

Leave the heavy object on the slices for a few minutes and remove. 

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray with olive oil spray (if you don't use olive oil spray, I highly recommend it).

Place the slices on the cookie sheets and lightly spray the tops. 

For these I used my favorite spices, but the great part about these chips is that they are completely customizable!

I sprinkled salt, chili powder, and garlic powder on top of the slices.

Make sure to use a light hand when seasoning, because they shrink up when cooking and become more potent. 

I wish I had more than two cookie sheets, so I could make more chips!

Place in the oven for about two hours or until browned. 

I know, I know it's a long time, but again...worth it!

Keep an eye on them for about the last half hour because every oven is different and yours may be done before the two hours is up.

Remove from the oven and eat immediately! 

Now, these chips are best if eaten right out of the oven but to be honest, you won't have to worry about a method of preserving leftovers...because there won't be any!