weekly menu posting

not much on the menu at our house this week as we are headed home to celebrate thanksgiving with our families, but what we did have was amazing and easy so i thought i would share.

sunday: mexican lime soup with chicken -- topped this with some greek yogurt and chips and it made for a tasty easy meal, along with some delish leftovers.

monday: carne asada tacos with carrot-pepper slaw -- these tacos were better than most from a restaurant, highly recommend trying this recipe.

tuesday: rigatoni with roasted cauliflower and brussels sprouts -- i was skeptical at first of this recipe but it turned out to be great and i even had to go back for more.

weekly menu posting

this blog is dedicated to my good friend matt, who sent me a screenshot of my last blog post from 9/11. 
it has been too long since i've blogged so i thought the best way to get back into it is to post this week's menu.

sunday: taco salad -- we volunteered at our church serving a meal and they were kind enough to let us eat what we were serving, tacos -- i made mine into a taco salad and it was so good.

monday: chicken noodle soup -- threw this into a slow cooker and it was awesome better than anything out of a can or panera.

tuesday: dip night -- kate and nicole came over for dip night, yes you read that right.  we had spin dip, greek dip, corn dip and gauc.  when they left my stomach hurt from laughing so much, it was pure bliss.

wednesday: chicken stroganoff -- this was on the menu this evening and i thought it was just alright.  i prefer beef stroganoff but this was a healthier alternative.

thursday: ravioli alfredo with peas -- looking forward to quick easy meal when we get home from work, per the recipe this should take 20 minutes from start to finish.

friday: cosi cucina -- we have a groupon to use to one of our favorite places, bring on the cheesecake!

saturday: kung pao chicken -- i haven't decided if i'm going to use chicken or not yet, it might just become a spicy veggie stir fry. 

9/11 day

crazy to think that 9/11 has been 11 years ago.  it is one of those days that i'm sure like many others i will never forget. it is the day that changed our country forever.

when i heard of the  9/11 day tribute movement, i couldn't stop thinking what a brilliant idea. why not remember a day of such tragedy and sadness with good deeds and positive action?
 
do something for someone else tomorrow, i will.

laundry room makeover

before

while we don't spend a lot of time in our laundry room, we do pass through it every day getting to and from the garage.  so i decided it was time for a makeover and a little organization.

the first step in the process was to take everything off the shelves and then organize it. i put the cleaning stuff together, then the laundry supplies, the extra rags, etc. i then headed to target to get some cute bins to store everything.  i also picked up a large glass canister to store the dry laundry soap in. i also filled a mason jar full of clothes pins, just for an added touch.

the next step was a fresh coat of paint. we had some leftover paint from the living room so i thought it would be a brilliant idea to use that.  jared graciously offered to paint so after a couple of hours i decided to check on him.  well that's just say i hated it.  the color was way too dark for the little space and there was no way i could just "get use to it."  a quick trip to the lowe's and we had a new lighter grey shade that i ended up just loving.  also a shout out to my wonderful husband for painting it all over again with a smile on his face.

we then created wall art by spray painting a couple of clothes pins and gluing them onto a piece of burlap and throwing them into some frames i found at hobby lobby. 

the last piece of the makeover was a new light fixture.  i found a super cute one that matched perfectly at world market on sale for $17, what a steal.

now i have a brand new space that i just love!

after - the finished project

close up of the wall art we created

super easy cheap project

another angle of the finished project

weekly menu posting

happy sunday!  hope you all had a great weekend, the only thing that could have made mine better was the hawkeyes pulling off a win but oh well.  this week the goal is to eat all meals at home.  the new iphone comes out soon and in order to fit it into our budget we have to save somewhere, so last week we only ate out once and this week we'll be dining in all week.  hope you're worth it siri.


sunday: baked potatoes with broccoli and cheddar -- we had our hawthorn hill donation today, so i just threw in a couple extra potatoes and dinner was done. 

monday: cheese tortellini with spinach, peas and brown butter -- life group starts up again this week, so mondays will always have to be a quick meal. the recipe states this is only supposed to take twenty minutes, we will see. they tend to always be off on their timing or i'm really slow, not sure which.

tuesday: spanish chicken and rice -- i pinned this recipe awhile back and have been dying to try it, i'll have to report back and let you know how it was.

wednesday: brown sugar-glazed salmon with green beans and shallots -- the best part of this recipe, you take the leftovers and put it towards another recipe, later in the week, see friday's recipe.

thursday: slow-cooker chipotle beef tacos with cabbage and radish slaw -- so excited that fall is almost here, bring on more slow-cooker recipes.

friday: salmon fried rice with cabbage and chilies -- typically friday night we eat out so i thought this could remind us of a take out kind of meal for much cheaper.  i also discovered this week that the fresh salmon at costco is cheaper than frozen, yes please.

saturday: tortilla soup with pork and squash -- another slow-cooker recipe, can't wait to smell this all day while watching football.

weekly menu posting

back into the menu swing after

sunday: chicken & rice dinner -- we got home from chicago and needed something to eat.  i wasn't up for going out to eat once again, so i threw this together with stuff we had in our pantry.

monday: bbq at the murphy's -- celebrated labor day at greg and leslie's with a bbq.  we had a delicious steak dinner and these roasted balsamic sweet potatoes.

tuesday: baked ham & swiss sandwiches with oven roasted garlic brussels sprouts -- oh my goodness.  this dinner was so good, i can't wait to make it again.  instead of using king's hawaiian rolls, i used my mom's homemade sweet rolls. if you're looking for a way to fancy up a ham and cheese sandwich, i highly recommend checking this recipe out.  the brussels sprouts were fabulous as well, tons of garlic.

wednesday: steak salad with bacon, crispy potatoes & blue cheese dressing along with creme brulee  -- i've made this recipe before and just love it.  it's super filling for a salad with lots of different flavors and textures.

thursday: pretzel crusted pork cutlets with garlic roasted green beans with shallots and hazelnuts -- i love a pretzel crusted chicken recipe so this should be just as good.  for the green beans, i'm going to use pine nuts or almonds because i have both on hand.

friday: sakari -- we're only dining out once this week so sushi it is, pretty excited.  we're going to hit up sakari as they have amazing happy hour specials, including $4 rolls.

saturday: iowa/iowa state game -- tailgate food all day long, so excited that fall is here.

"homeless kit"

last june i came up with the idea of always having a "homeless kit" in my trunk just in case i ran across someone who was in need i could supply them with some of the basics.  well since last year the homeless kit has evolved.  it now includes: a reusable bag, socks, underwear, ensure, water, powerade, granola bars, a t-shirt and soap.

if you'd like one to distribute, just let me know i have plenty to share! 

i'm still not 100% sold on the name "homeless kit" so i'm taking suggestions.

house number makeover

while i love our house, from the inside out it is full of gold everything.  from the fixtures to the doorknobs to the house numbers.  so little by little i'm trying to get rid of it all. i searched for new house numbers and just couldn't find anything i loved so instead i got a can of spray paint for $4 or $5 and was thrilled with the results.

below is the step by step process i followed:

remove the house numbers

sand them all down

wash with soap and water

now you're ready to paint

spray paint away

here is the spray paint i used, in oil rubbed bronze of course

leave to dry

don't forget to paint the screws

the final product...they look brand new

weekly menu posting

jared asked for a week of repeat recipes, which doesn't excite me too much because i just love trying out new recipes but with it being restaurant week and all, i happily obliged.

sunday: black bean burgers with cilantro lime rice and homemade gauc and salsa -- pretty simple and quick meal that makes our menu often.  to make things even better we got to enjoy it outside on the deck.

monday: steak salad with bacon, crispy potatoes and blue cheese dressing --  well this was supposed to be on the menu tonight but we had leftover steak for lunch and  i just wasn't feeling steak again so instead we had a fridge full of leftovers that got put to good use. but if you're looking for a different way to have steak, i would recommend this recipe, it was one of my favs.

tuesday: chipotle-honey-glazed chicken wings with toasted sesame seeds and green onion and sweet corn -- i stumbled upon this recipe a few years ago in one of bobby flay's cookbooks and was in love.  these wings are sticky, spicy and sweet, i just love them. as far as the sweet corn goes, i'm going to try something new by baking it.

wednesday: picnic dinner with chicken salad, cheese, salt and vinegar chips and fruit -- we're hitting up our first i cubs game of the season so instead of eating out before, i'm going to pack a picnic for us to enjoy before the game. and i do have to say, i make a mean chicken salad.

thursday: cafe di scala -- i can't wait for another trip to cafe di scala, everything on their menu is simple but elegant. oh and you have to get their tiramisu!

friday: 801chophouse -- we have a special occasion to celebrate, my parent's 30th wedding anniversary.  i've said it before and i'll say it again, 801 deserves all the hype it receives.  hands down they serve the best steak i've ever had...i can't even think of anything that has even come close. their grand marnier souffle is also worth the splurge, it is served with three decadent sauces. 

saturday: jethro's bbq -- my dad is busy working on a home project for me so to repay him, we will treat him to his favorite restaurant in town.

whoa, talk about a week of eating out. i can't think of any other week where i've gotten to eat at four of my top ten restaurant picks in one week.  looking forward to a week of good food and family.

biscuit cutters

my mom bought me a set of biscuit cutters awhile back and i couldn't wait to use them. well turns out it was finally time to use them and they were no where to be found. ugh, what a let down so i was stuck using a glass once again. 

fast forward to the other night, i am chatting away on the phone and jared is switching out the drinking water filter. all at once i hear water spraying everywhere so i quickly end my conversation and go check out the situation. 

jared asks me to get some towels so i run over and grab all the towels i can find.  well at the bottom of the drawer, sure enough there are my biscuit cutters.  i am so thrilled i grab them and show jared "look my biscuit cutters!"

his response to me "seriously stacy, we have a flooding issue."

oops, apparently he wasn't as excited as me. 

the good news, the water eventually stopped, the flood got cleaned up and my biscuit cutters have been found!

weekly menu posting

better late than never...here is the menu for this week:

sunday: grilled chicken and peaches with green beans and orzo -- we didn't get to eat this last week so it got moved to sunday.  oh my goodness, this recipe was super easy, quick, healthy and delicious...i would highly recommend it.

monday: eat-your-plate taco salad with black beans and grilled corn -- i try to cook at least one meatless meal a week, so this was it.  we still got in our protein with the black beans and had plenty of leftovers for lunch.

tuesday: buffalo chicken rolls with carrots and celery and skinny blue cheese dressing -- these buffalo chicken rolls were one of the best things i've had in a long time and to make it even better, they are only 100 calories a roll.  this recipe will definitely have to make a repeat appearance.

wednesday: chicken enchilada pizza -- my good friend kate shared this recipe with me last week and i knew it had to make my menu asap.  fyi, if you're looking for a perfect pizza crust, i would recommend the fresh pizza dough from trader joe's, it is by far the best i've had.

thursday: the cheese shop -- after work happy hour with kate and nic, hoping to find the delicious manchego cheese that we had at leslie's bachelorette party.

friday: alba -- restaurant week is here!  first stop is my all-time favorite, alba.  my fingers are crossed they have the sweet corn soup, it is so good i want to lick the bowl.

saturday: flank steak with balsamic bbq and fresh corn casserole with red bell peppers and jalapenos -- pretty pumped for this evening, sounds like a perfect summer evening meal to me. 

weekly menu posting

sunday: peppercorn-blue cheese burgers with grilled sweet potatoes with rosemary butter sauce -- this is a slight deviation of what we were supposed to have last tuesday but it didn't happen because i forgot to set out the hamburger and i couldn't find cherries anywhere.

monday: bacon, peach and arugula sandwiches with baked zucchini chips -- definitely a variation of your traditional BLT but given peaches are in season, i'm sure it will be delicious.

tuesday: fish tacos with a watermelon salsa and black beans -- i've never made fish tacos or watermelon salsa before, pretty excited to try something new out.  if you haven't been to whole foods yet, the fish alone is worth the trip and it is reasonably priced.

wednesday: grilled chicken and peaches with green beans and orzo -- another recipe where i can take advantage of the great peaches. i can't wait until my green beans are ready and i can use those in lots of different recipes, but they aren't quite there yet. 

thursday: broken lasagna with zucchini-tomato sauce -- this dish was on the cover of food network magazine last month and looked so beautiful that it just had to make my menu.  i haven't made a ton of zucchini before and it tends to turn out mushy, so i'm hoping this will be different since it is in the sauce.

friday/saturday: home -- we're headed home this weekend for our class reunion so it will be a weekend full of home cooking.

weekly menu posting

sunday: peanut noodles with snap peas and red cabbage -- i decided to add a red repper, lime and red pepper flakes.  this recipe was full of flavor with lots of different textures.

monday: ravioli and vegetable soup -- going to serve this with a toasted baguette, costco had some great cheese tortellini, i figured that was close enough to ravioli to work.

tuesday: peppercorn-blue cheese burgers with a cherry compote and sweet potato fries -- i am still on the look out for frozen tart cherries, i've already been to two grocery stores, if you have any idea where i can find these, please let me know.

wednesday: dinner and YMCA date with nicole -- we're going to go spy on a potential workout class and then have dinner 

thursday: BBQ with our life group -- hot dogs, baked beans and whatever delicious sides everyone else brings to share.

friday: bacon and broccoli rice bowl -- i found this recipe in food network magazine but can't find it online anywhere to share with you.  it is topped off with a fried egg, pretty excited about this one.

saturday: BC '12 -- i'm bringing my usual, cupcakes, tortilla roll-ups and boat juice.

you know it is hot when...

you know it is hot when...a flower pot spontaneously combusts.

this is a true story straight from DSM, this flower pot ended up causing over $50,000 worth of damage.

insane.

weekly menu posting

sunday: fresh corn soup with chive oil and mixed greens salad -- this soup definitely tasted like summer, my only complaint, it took longer much than the 35 minute allotted time

monday: parmesan crusted tilapia, steamed broccoli and almond rice pilaf -- this recipe was super easy and quick, the only change i made was to add some panko bread crumbs to the tilapia crust

tuesday: pizza margherita-- this recipe has become a staple at our house, it is just that good

wednesday: frisee, avocado and blue cheese salad with a toasted baguette-- going to add a hard boiled egg for some extra protein

thursday: grilled jerk chicken with pineapple-rum glaze and grilled pepper onion mix --hopefully it will finally cool off so we can break out the grill otherwise this will be made inside

friday/saturday: celebrating with kyle and sarah as they tie the knot

squre foot gardening

the day we planted

this year i am trying something new with my garden, square foot gardening. i got a book and employed jared and my dad to help build the rest. one of the main differences in square foot gardening verse traditional gardening is the soil composure.  it is made of a mix of 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 compost. it is clearly working, my garden has completely taken off.  i've already harvested some radishes and green onions and should have some peppers this week.

here is what we have planted this year:

sweet potatoes
russet potatoes 
garlic
peas
carrots
tomatillos
roma tomatoes
grape tomatoes
big boy tomatoes
green beans
asparagus
bell peppers
jalepeno pepper
radishes
red onions
green onions

now

weekly menu posting

sunday: pizza quesadilla -- got home and was craving pizza but didn't want to wait on the delivery guy so we made pizza quesadillas with some pepperoni and banana peppers

monday: the garden grill -- dinner with kyle and sarah at a new restaurant in johnston

tuesday: spicy avocado chicken enchiladas -- i love my mom's enchiladas but thought it would be fun to try a new recipe

wednesday: thai flavors -- dinner at thai flavors before we head to zoo brew with our small group

thursday: tex-mex chicken and white cheddar spaghetti -- i think this recipe sounds super simple for a week night meal

friday: dinner out tba -- we're headed to ankeny to visit the sievers' and see their new house

saturday: homemade pizza and root beer floats -- teddy is spending the night so i wanted to pick something that he would enjoy. if you haven't tried the prepared pizza dough at trader joes' yet, i would highly recommend it

and that's what you missed...

i so badly want to finish that with "on GLEE!" well can you believe it is july? last july i was on sabbatical but those days are long over.  after an insanely busy june, i'm hoping to kick back and enjoy the dog days of summer.

here is a recap of where i've been:

we celebrated with les and greg as they joined hands in marriage

we visited chris and calista one last time in indianola before they moved to the big city, madelyn was cute as ever

we headed home for my cousin amanda's wedding

we went to the iowa sheep festival, jared and my cousin garrett chilling eating homemade ice cream

family trip to KC, per usual we had a vacay full of good food

we headed to okoboji to celebrate jared's grandparents 60th wedding anniversary

jared turned the big 29

weekly menu posting

sunday: george's pizza and steakhouse -- we headed to se iowa for a visitation, a positive of the trip is that we got to see and eat dinner with my family.

monday: open-face vietnamese chicken sandwich with cilantro lime rice -- this sandwich sounds very intriguing to me, i haven't eaten a lot of vietnamese food so i'm excited to give this a try and this rice is a staple in our house.

tuesday: jethro's -- to start the 4th holiday off right, dinner at one of our favorite places in town.

wednesday: bistro burgers with grilled potato salad with bacon-scallion vinaigrette and strawberry-soda ice cream -- what is the 4th of july without a burger and some ice cream? especially a burger with an egg and bacon and homemade ice cream.

thursday: flank steak with arugula salad -- a hearty salad is one of my favorite things, add some grilled steak and boom, summer is here! this recipe calls for skirt steak but i had some flank steak in the freezer so i'm going to use that instead, they are very similar.

friday/saturday: home for the weekend -- headed home to spend some quality time with our family

halleluiah!

today i took my first insurance test and i'm happy to report i passed, woo hoo.  now i can have my lunch breaks, evenings and weekends back. 

here's to reading something other than a text book.

looks like i have some catching up to do

last week's menu posting

slow cooker buffalo chicken lettuce wraps

here's my menu posting for last week...better late than never.

sunday: frozen pizza -- we went with the california pizza kitchen garlic chicken.

monday: buffalo chicken lettuce wraps -- jared had this tasty slow cooker meal while i had chinese with my nic and les. it did make for some tasty leftovers.

tuesday: summer corn cakes and black beans -- it was no cheesecake factory corn tamale, but close and MUCH better for you.

wednesday: big fat vegan taco salad -- the most interesting part of this dish was the guacamame, not your typical gauc but still good and full of protein.

thursday: simon's -- it had been way too long since we'd been to simon's.  it was fanastic per usual and we had hunter as our waiter.

friday: bbq at the murphy's -- it was so great spending some time outside with my friends along with a great meal to eat and cold drink to wash it down with.

saturday: lamb dinner -- we met up with my aunt and uncle at the iowa sheep and wool festival and dined on an all lamb meal, if you've never had it you should give it a try.  some of the lamb meat was so tender, you would have thought you were chowing down on a steak.

jamaican me crazy

jared and i spent an entire week in paradise a couple of weeks ago to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary. we stayed at couples - tower isle in ocho rios, jamaica.  it was an all-inclusive resort which is nice because we didn't have any expenses once we got there. 

we spent our days in the shade due to the fact that the first day we got burnt to a crisp, reading, playing with the ipad and relaxing. i managed to get through three and a half books and nine magazines. i would love to get that much reading done every week.   we also went snorkeling a couple times, which was so much fun.  i had never done anything like that before and thought it was so cool seeing the fish and reefs up close and personal.  we ended the week with a massage outside under the stars.

the food was fantastic.  we ate breakfast every day at the buffet. i would get the same thing -- a bananarama smoothie, poached egg, two pieces of bacon and an english muffin. for lunch we would chill out at the veggie bar.  all the food was fresh and they had a great variety light options. dinner was fantastic, the restaurant had a ton of options including the catch of the day which was always snapper.  the best restaurant hands down was "8 rivers."  the quality of food was insane and the meal we got there would cost us easily $125 here.

an added bonus to the trip, we flew through charlotte airport and i stumbled upon a pinkberry.  it was pure bliss.  while the frozen yogurt shops are multiplying here in WDM, nothing compares to the original pinkberry.  the airport also had rocking chairs with big windows that you could stare out, for one moment i felt like i was in a nicholas sparks book.  this airport quickly moved up to the number one spot on my list.

it was a wonderful trip and i am super grateful that we had the opportunity to travel and spend the week together.

ya mon.

herb planter

check out my new outdoor herb planter!

pretty jazzed about this. last year i had all my herbs lined up in little pots on the deck and the rabbits and squinnies would occasionally get to them but no longer.  i saw this idea on pinterest and talked my dad and jared into helping me pull it off.  and we got all the materials at lowe's for less than $35.00.

in it i have a few different flowers and the following herbs:
parsley
cilantro
basil
tarragon
rosemary
thyme

i just love spring! 

weekly menu posting

sunday: bravo -- i had a coupon for $15 off and it had been years since we dined at bravo.  i thought it was just okay and it didn't make me want to rush back. i got the bravo chopped side salad and thought it was overdressed and for my entree i got the margherita pizza and didn't love the crust.

monday: bbq at the sievers' residence -- what better way to spend memorial day than with friends and a bbq.  the food was phenom and the company was even better. they grilled up some steak and veggies along with cheesy potatoes and some melon.

tuesday: key west grilled chicken, grilled peppers and cilantro lime rice -- this was on the menu last weekend but due to the craziness prepping to be gone for the weekend, it just didn't happen so here it is again this week.

wednesday: slow cooker green chili pork tacos -- it's been awhile since i've had the slow cooker out, ready to have dinner on the table when we get home from work.

thursday: lemony pesto pasta with edamame and almonds -- not only is this recipe super healthy it also only has six ingredients.

friday/saturday: out of town -- my cousin amanda is getting married so we are headed home to celebrate with them. 

weekly menu posting

things are starting to get crazy, sorry for the delay in the menu posting and lack of blogging lately.  hopefully i'll get back into a routine sooner than later, i feel like i'm running around with my head cut off.  some days i wish i had an extra three hours in the day.


sunday: bbq with nic -- she brought the burgers and i made pasta salad and baked beans.

monday: cheesecake factory -- nic and i had dinner one last time with miss leslie bauman.

tuesday: leftovers -- i had originally planned on a grilled chicken dish but after getting home and opening the fridge it was hard to make a meal when leftovers were plentiful. 

wednesday: bbq with our life group -- our small group from church is coming over for dinner and we're grilling out.  jared and i are grilling up hamburgers and hot dogs while everyone else is bringing a side dish to share.  i just love this time of year.

thursday: key west chicken, grilled peppers and cilantro lime rice -- can't wait for this meal, all of my favorite flavors on one plate.

friday/saturday: out of town -- we're attending wedding festivities for the future mr. and mrs. murphy! woo hoo!

weekly menu posting

after a week of vacation, we're now back to reality which means cooking at home (which i'm actually excited about.) here is our latest menu, enjoy!

sunday: grilled burgers, spicy sweet potato wedges with creamy chive dipping sauce and roasted brussels sprouts -- it was perfect weather to gas up the grill and enjoy some delish burgers and wonderful sides.

monday: west coast grilled veggie pizza -- we decided just to throw this in the oven instead of using the grill, super good but not great for having leftovers, the spinach had started to wilt.

tuesday: spring pea-pesto -- i love peas and pesto, how can you go wrong? don't worry NH or mom, i won't try this recipe out on you.

wednesday: lemon poppy seed chicken -- one of my favorites, thanks to my friend cal.

thursday:  "big salad" with spicy grilled shrimp skewers -- i thought a salad sounded good so jared and i are each going to pick ingredients until we get a big salad, along with a side of shrimp.

friday: dinner out -- location tba, my family is in town so we will let them pick what sounds good

saturday: skillet lasagna -- we had this not too long ago and i really liked it, much quicker than traditional lasagna.

thinking ahead

as we are starting to prepare for vacation i started to think ahead. i don't know about you but every time i'm on a plane as the treat cart goes by, i can't resist.
 i'm a sucker for a snack and i end up spending $5 for a tiny bag of chips.  well not this time, i bought some treats ahead of time and packaged them myself.  so for five bucks, i was able to buy an entire box of cheez-its and a package of fudge stripe cookies.

dave ramsey would be proud. 

the perfect margarita : recipe recap

the final product

i love a good margarita and after several attempts i think we finally found the perfect recipe. thought i would share just in time for cinco de mayo (which by the way from my experience, they don't celebrate in mexico.)

perfect margarita recipe:

4 ounces good-quality tequila (i use a white tequila)
1 1/2 ounces triple sec
3 ounces fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 to 3 ounces simple syrup (equal parts water & sugar boiled and cooled)
ice to your liking depending on if you want frozen or on the rocks
coarse salt for rimming the glass (if you choose.)
lime slice to garnish (even though i forgot it for my picture.)

#embarassing

on our way into work this morning we were listening to big ken and colleen and the topic of conversation was disgusting habits that people do even though they know they are socially unacceptable.  for example, 70% of people double dip. 

as we were pulling into the parking garage, they moved onto phone calls/texts from listeners giving examples of what they do.  the first person right off the bat says "i pee in pools."  i was absolutely disgusted and yelled in questioning fashion "i pee in pools?!?!"  i wasn't paying any attention to the fact that jared had already opened his car door and next thing you know you hear my voice echoing throughout the garage.

jared looked at me and said "sssh, people can hear you." 

oops...for the record i don't pee in pools and i still hate parking garages.

weekly menu posting

sunday: ginger chicken soup with veggies with  brie and chive biscuits (if i'm feeling ambitious) -- i've been eying the rotisserie chickens at costco for awhile, so i wanted to find a recipe that i could buy one.

monday: chicken with goat cheese vinaigrette --  jared found this recipe, i'm excited to try it out goat cheese and orzo, yum.

tuesday: chicken salad and carrots, pita chips with hummus -- thought this would be a good way to use the leftovers from the rotisserie chicken and by the way did you know that hummus is pronounced [hoom-uhs], who knew.  i can thank ina garten for teaching me that. 

wednesday: slow-cooker spaghetti bolognese --  we made this a couple of months ago, super easy and delicious. 


thursday: tortilla encrusted oven-roasted tilapia with roasted brussels sprouts -- i bought some frozen tilapia from costco and it is amazing, can't get enough.


friday: jared is hanging out with teddy and i'll be packing


saturday:  headed out for holiday

 

cinco anos

this past weekend jared and i celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary.  it doesn't seem possible to me.  some days it feels like just yesterday that we were walking down the aisle and other days it seems like we've been married forever.

over the weekend i was thinking about some of my favorite things we've done over the last five years and i thought i'd share a few:

*traveled to some amazing places with our friends and family
*survived the swine flu
*cooked up a storm in the kitchen
*became members at a super cool church
*started working for the same great company and getting to carpool
*graduated from financial peace university

we are blessed beyond belief.  

weekly menu posting

sunday: cheese and crackers and a bowl of lucky charms -- not the typical meal but we had some leftovers from the weekend festivities that i figured i better not let go to waste.

monday: taverns, baked potatoes and peas -- i didn't do my usual sunday grocery shopping so this is what i came up with when i got home. 

tuesday: shrimp scampi -- i love ordering shrimp scampi at restaurants, but feel there are a little skimpy with the shrimp, one benefit of making it at home.

wednedsay: dinner out, location tba -- we are headed to the civic center to watch memphis, but we typically pick somewhere downtown to dine at beforehand.

thursday: chicken with a dijon, maple, rosemary glaze and fresh garlic green beans -- this chicken looks fantastic and the best part is you pretty much just throw it in the oven, done and done.

friday: jared is headed to greenbriar and i am undecided -- it is a tradition for jared's grandpa and dad along with a few others to eat here the friday night of the relays, they've been doing it for at least 10 years.

saturday: jethro's -- it is drake relays weekend so this is a must stop.

weekly menu posting

last week got a little out of control with starting my new job full-time, so therefore no blog.  but i do promise we ate some good food in the evenings.

here is our menu for this week:

sunday: cheese quesadillas with guacamole -- my parents sent us home with gauc from our favorite mexican restaurant in MP.

monday: dinner out with our friends brock and lindsay -- we hit up on the border, i hadn't been there in a few years and i thought it was pretty good.

tuesday: goat cheese tomato soup with a grilled cheese -- i love goat cheese and i'm pretty excited to use my new immersion blender (thanks to the easter bunny a.k.a mom & dad!)

wednesday: chick-fil-a -- dinner out with les and nic.

thursday: mexican lasagna -- i love lasagna and i love mexican, so why not put them together!

friday: dinner out -- location tba, jared and i are celebrating our anniversary one day early.

saturday: trostel's dish -- heading out for leslie's bachelorette extravaganza.

sporty spice

first the bike and now golf clubs...might as well start calling me sporty spice.

calista gave me the deal of the century last week, she sold me her old golf clubs for a bargain price.  thanks friend.

between my new bike and and now my own golf clubs, i'm starting to feel slightly "outdoorsy" and/or "athletic." two words i would have never thought would have ever described myself.

growing up i never really played sports because i was never aggressive enough, for example while playing 6th grade basketball i fouled a girl and then apologized profusely.  from that moment, i think my parents knew sports wouldn't be my thing.

 the good thing about the new "sports" i recently picked up is that you can do them by yourself, with a group of friends or with my lovely husband. 

hit me up if you're interested in swinging some clubs or going for a bike ride.

tornado drill

today we had a tornado drill at work.  it was the first tornado drill i had participated in since high school.  i hadn't been instructed where to go at work but i heard rumblings of either heading to the bathroom or to the stairwell. the warning went off right at 10 and i followed some of the pack to the bathroom.

well i chose wrong. 

i don't think i need to say much more.  thankfully no used the bathroom while we were in there but that doesn't mean someone hadn't just left.

next time, i'm headed to the stairwell.

food day

brownie batter dip

friday we had a food day at work to celebrate the conclusion of the scu, let's just say i didn't eat lunch that day.  we had an impressive spread of goodies, anything from dips to fruity pebbles rice krispie treats. 

i contributed brownie batter dip (a recipe i found on pinterest) with teddy grahams for dipping and a champagne cake from the bake shoppe in windsor heights.

here is the recipe if you're interested.

ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 c. butter
• 2-3 c. powdered sugar (varies by desired consistency)
• 5 tbsp. all purpose flour
• 5 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 3+ tbsp. milk (varies by desired consistency)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

directions:

1. whisk together the cream cheese and the butter with a hand or stand mixer.
   
2. add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and 1 tbsp. milk.
3. add the flour, cocoa powder, vanilla, brown sugar, and 1 more tbsp. of milk if needed.
4. whisk all until smooth.
5. add remaining powdered sugar and milk alternately until dip reaches your desired consistency.

 

they did a great job decorating the cake

a day off

a couple of weeks ago jared and i both took a day off work and it was pure bliss.

i was able to sleep in, get some exercise and watch the price is right all before 11, my day was complete but we didn't stop there. 

we then headed to starbucks and did some people watching and paper reading.  it reminded me of one of our favorite past times; when we're on vacation in los angeles we sit outside for hours just observing. it isn't quite as thrilling in west des moines in case you were curious.

then onto rasmussen bike shop for some bike shopping.  we've wanted bikes for awhile now and finally committed.  we took a test drive in the parking lot with a couple specialized bikes.  i was pretty nervous to go for a ride, it had been years since i had been on a bike.  the kid working who went by "skippy" asked how long it had been since i had been on a bike, he said "like ten years?"  i started thinking about it more like fifteen. eek.  but thankfully i didn't fall off.  jared wanted to try a different bike that needed to be put together so we took a break and went across the street for lunch.

we had lunch at abelardo's.  i was not impressed.  the service was slow and my food was cold, never a good combination. i've heard good things about the ingersoll location, so maybe i will have to try that one out sometime.

after lunch we went back, jared liked the bike they put together for him so we said yes to the bikes. i used my dave ramsey techniques and even negotiated a cash discount.  after we decided on the bikes onto the accessories (every girl's favorite) we went.  it was fun picking out a water bottle, a little computer thing and a helmet.

when we went to head home we ran into one small problem, both bikes wouldn't fit in the car.  so jared took one for the team and rode his back home.

well one week down and i made it 7 miles.  we took our bikes to church, subway and around the block a few times.  i'm starting slowly but i'm looking forward to a fun new hobby!
 

my new ride

lunch at abelardo's

our pile of biking accessories

weekly menu posting

sunday: crispy breakfast pitas -- we had this for dinner tonight and it was so good.  light but filling, i would highly recommend trying it for yourself. 

monday: civic center season announcement party -- looking forward to a fun evening and hearing all about the upcoming broadway season.

tuesday: rosemary chicken in pita bread -- wanted to find another recipe so the pitas i had from sunday's recipe wouldn't go to waste. 

wednesday: baked spinach pea risotto -- this recipe shows up on my blog more than any other. our friends are coming over to try it for the first time, can't wait!

thursday: lemon-dill shrimp and pasta --lemon, pasta and shrimp, this has to be good.

friday: dinner out -- jared's parents are in town and we'll let them pick where they want to eat.

saturday: pizza margherita and spinach salad with strawberries and almonds  -- we made this pizza a couple of weeks ago and i haven't stopped thinking about it since.  it was so delicious, i'm excited to make it for my in-laws.

98 degrees reunion

yep, you read that right.  rumor has it 98 degrees is making a come back and going on tour this summer.

98 degrees is near and dear to my heart because it was the first concert i ever went to back in 1998ish. they were at steamboat days and my mom was cool enough to take me and a few friends. i had a huge crush on nick lachey (i mean who didn't) and i remember them wearing matching red outfits, possibly the same ones they are pictured in to the right.

after all the fun calista and i had last summer at the nkotbsb reunion tour, this might have to make the list.  

n'sync you better be next...

what was your first concert? i doubt you can beat 98 degrees.

big money, big money

the italian riviera -- absolutely beautiful i'd love to see it for myself

how much fun is it to think about what you would do if you won the lottery? i know the likelihood is slim to none and you're more likely to get hit by lightning five times in one day (okay maybe not five times) but it still fun to dream. i proposed the question at our small group this week and it was so fascinating listening to everyone's responses.

here are a few of the items on my list:

hire a professional and live off the investments...duh.
pay off all of our debt and our families debt...how cool would that be?
create a charity fund...i love volunteering and would love to be able to provide for all the organizations near and dear to my heart.
travel...going back to europe would be first on my list and then off to all 50 states i'd go.
work at a coffee shop...i'd probably sponsor free coffee tuesday or something crazy like that.

what would you do if you won $540 million dollars?

tasty lunch

today for lunch you could say i went slightly overboard and that might be an understatement. it was all insanely delicious.

next week i will hit the gym...

original taco from tasty tacos

krispos also from tasty tacos

vanilla custard from classic frozen custard on se 14th