A Nickel's Worth of News

Broccoli Beef Stir Fry

2012-02-08T19:10:00.000-06:00

Did I ever tell you that I didn't really like Chinese food for a LONG time? I used to eat it a lot in high school. Creston had a notorious Chinese place, I think it was Chung Garden...but since we were teenagers, we nicked named it "Shlong Garden." Anyway, the food was pretty good. I think the sweet and sour chicken actually contained chicken, beef was actually beef, and pork was pork. The food was so laden with MSG, however, that after an hour I was always violently throwing up. I don't think it had anything to do with the cleanliness or food poisoning. No one else in my posy ever got sick. My body just can't handle MSG. It took me many years to realize this. I avoided food from any Asian decent for many years because it just didn't agree with me. Now that I am aware of this fact, it is much more enjoyable and I make it myself because the Bear loves it and I am in control of what and how we cook it. Here is one of my favorite MSG free recipes.

Broccoli Beef Stir Fry

1 lb. lean beef such as eye of round cut into 1-inch strips (I get the "stir fry" beef at my grocery store that is already cut)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt & Pepper

1 bunch broccoli, cut only the florets

2 cloves crushed garlic

1-inch peeled ginger, finely grated or minced

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (make sure it is MSG and gluten free, I use Hy-Vee or Market Pantry)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup corn starch

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon sambal oelek (ground chili paste)

1 bunch chopped green onion

4 cups cooked brown rice (cook according to package directions)

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and beef. Cook for 3 minutes, then stir and toss the beef around to cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the beef to a bowl and set aside.

While the beef is cooking, whisk together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, sesame oil, and sambal oelek in a small bowl. Set aside. After removing the beef from the skillet, add the broccoli to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sauce mixture and beef back to the skillet and lower the heat down to medium, stirring constantly. When the sauce reaches your desired thickness, remove from heat and add the green onions. Top over hot brown rice. You can use extra green onions for garnish.

P.S. I don't really eat with chop sticks as seen the photo:) These were left-over from a sushi craving I had last week. Actually, sushi sounds pretty good and I might have to visit my favorite place tomorrow after physical therapy since I'll be in that area. If you live in KC and the Overland Park area, check out Ichiban Sushi on the corner of College and Quivera. I love my little sushi man!

The Great Pumpkin

2012-02-06T19:43:00.000-06:00

This weekend, I took my Halloween pumpkin from this to this------------------------------------------------>

I know it's a littler late/early, in the year for a pumpkin recipe. And, you might be thinking one of two things. First, "How did she keep her pumpkin around for so long without it rotting?!" Second, you are probably thinking, "How and why on earth would she want to make a soup out of it?!"

Well, I kept the pumpkin nice and healthy by hiding in the basement from my husband. Every fall when pumpkin season arrives, he raises a stink about my pumpkin purchase. He always says, "Once fall is over, you're getting rid of it in the trash." The funny thing is, in the last eight years I've known him, I've never thrown a pumpkin away. One time, I left the pumpkin out on the front stoop of one of the condos we lived in. It froze and snowed, and I just kicked the pumpkin into the snow and shoveled a bunch of snow over it. The next spring, we had precious little pumpkins growing in the front yard:) Those little gems weren't thrown away either. I gave the mini pumpkins to my students as prizes. A few years later, I got the most perfect Cinderella pumpkin. I gave that pumpkin to my mom so she could grow pumpkins in her yard. This year, I didn't have anyone to give a pumpkin to, so I chose to hide it try and make soup. Luckily, Justin has a good sense of humor about my pumpkin loving shenanigans.

Pumpkin Soup

1 Pumpkin
2 cups croutons (I used some stale gluten-free bread cut into 1-inch cubes and toasted them in the oven)
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 teaspoon dried time
2 dried bay leaves
2 boxes reduced-sodium chicken broth

First, spray a large roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Next, with a sharp knife, cut a lid on the top of you pumpkin, as pictured below.

With an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, discard the guts and seeds. You can keep the seeds if you enjoy roasting the pumpkin seeds for a snack. I chose not to, as I had soup to tackle. Place the pumpkin into your roasting pan.

Using the pumpkin as your cooking vessel, dump all ingredients into the pumpkin, give it a good stir, and place the lid back onto your pumpkin.

Place the pumpkin into the oven with the lid on the pumpkin for one hour. You may have to lower your oven racks so the entire pumpkin will fit into the oven. After the pumpkin has been in the oven for an hour, remove the lid, and roast for one more hour. You can serve the soup in it's brothy state garnished with a little Parmesan or other lovely cheese. I took on the extra challenge of pureeing some of the pumpkin (with the skin removed) and broth for lovely velvety texture. I will warn you that no matter which method you choose to serve the soup, IT MAKES A LOT OF SOUP. Make it for your friends, family, or a party. I'm using mine for lunch this week and the rest for future soup meals.

I Love Tacos

2012-02-05T18:55:00.000-06:00

I have this Tiffany's necklace that has T & Co. engraved on it. I got the necklace while I was in Vegas with my friend Sam for a girls weekend. It was my first time really gambling. The entire trip I was so stingy about my money and finally got the nerve to play a little video Black Jack on the machines. We were in Caesar's Palace and I was feelin' pretty lucky. I won hand after hand. When things weren't looking good, Sam would tell me to just cash out and try another machine. By the end of the night, I won $250! Since it was money I didn't plan on having in my pocket anyway, Sam and I went to Tiffany's and I bought the necklace.

Later that summer, I wore the necklace out to a well known Mexican restaurant here in Kansas City, Manny's. I always get their chicken tacos. As I was singing, literally singing, my praise about how much I love tacos, my friend said, "Do you have Taco engraved on your necklace you love tacos so much?"

The answer is no, but I do love 'em. It's pretty hard to screw up a taco and they typically do not disappoint. Normally, they are deep fried and dripping with flavor. I have a lighter version that isn't dripping with oil, but rather juicy cilantro-lime slaw. Here is my favorite recipe to make at home.

Chicken Tacos

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch strips

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 bag angel hair slaw

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

4 thinly sliced green onions

1/8 teaspoon grated lime rind

Juice of one lime

1/4 cup light mayonnaise (I am digging Hellman's olive oil mayo right now)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 Avocado, sliced

Corn Tortillas

Place sliced chicken breast into a large Ziplock bag. In a small dish, combine cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and stir until combine. Shake spice mixture onto the chicken, seal the bag, and shake until the spices evenly coat all of the chicken.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick spray and add the chicken. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side. While the chicken is cooking, pour the angel hair slaw into a large bowl. Add the cilantro and green onions. In another small dish, whisk together the lime juice, lime rind, mayo, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Drizzle over the coleslaw and stir until combine. Let set for 10 minutes, then stir again as the juice will begin to break down the cabbage and the mixture will not be as dry.

Set a medium sized skillet or griddle over medium high heat. If you are using a skillet you will only be able to heat the tortillas one or two at a time. If you have a pancake griddle you can heat several at a time. Place corn tortillas onto the skillet or griddle. Heat the tortilla(s) until they begin to fluff a little, then flip and heat another minute or so. Remove from heat with a spatula. Fill with the chicken, avocado, and slaw. For an added burst of flavor you can squeeze a little lime juice over the top. Yum!

Saturday Menu Post

2012-02-04T17:10:00.002-06:00

This week, I'm keeping things pretty simple, but will be serving a variety of ethnic flavors.  With Super Bowl Sunday tomorrow, I wanted to keep things light and decided chicken tacos would fill the need for party food while watching our caloric intake. In the middle of the week, we are having a Chinese take-out inspired dish. Friday, my father, stepmother, and middle sister will be coming down to celebrate my birthday. I thought it would be nice to entertain with my Cabernet braised beef short ribs. Here is the rundown:

Sunday 2/5          Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw

Monday 2/6        Left-overs

Tuesday 2/7         Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry over Brown Rice

Wednesday 2/8    Left-overs

Thursday 2/9        Pizza

Friday 2/10          Cabernet Beef Short Ribs with Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

Saturday we are going out for my birthday. I've requested La Bodega, as I have been begging Justin to take me their for a couple of years now. It is a Spanish tapas bar with a wide variety of items on the menu.

For your groceries you will need:

1 bag of angel hair slaw
2 bunches of green onions
2 shallots
1 large yellow onion
Ginger root
1 bunch broccoli
Celery
Carrots
1 avocado
2-3 limes (depending on the size)
1-2 lemons
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley
1-2 heads of garlic
1 lb. red skinned potatoes
1 bottle reduced sodium soy sauce (if you do not already have this in your pantry)
Corn tortillas
1 box brown rice (if you do not already have some in your pantry)
1 can reduced sodium beef broth
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 lb. stir fry beef
1 lb. boneless beef short ribs (you can get the bone in if you choose, it will add more flavor, but increase cooking time)
Butter
Sour cream (light or fat-free just check to make sure they have the starches listed, I use Market Pantry brand by Target)
Skim milk
1 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon
1 bag frozen green beans

Pantry items you will need or possibly purchase:
Chili powder
Ground cumin
Garlic powder
Olive oil
Corn starch
Salt
Pepper

Well, I am off to watch more basketball with the Bear. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Kind Words

2012-02-01T18:53:00.000-06:00

I often think that we do not express kind words to people enough. We get so caught up in the moment, negativity, or whatever else might be happening around us to just stop and reflect on things that are positive. But it is when we halt our mental negativity and find even the smallest amount of positivity, we begin to change. Suddenly, things don't seem as bad. We can use this positivity and kindness to find strength, a structure of support to help us overcome hardships.

As a special education teacher in an urban school, I am surrounded by hardship, varying degrees of disabilities, ethnicities, and challenges. It is very easy to get caught up in the stress the students bring to school and the stress of other teaching situations. When this happens, I have learned (and this is better said than often done) to stop. Stop and look at any small factor that might be positive. Then I tell that child or person what they did that was positive and how it made me and/or others around me feel good. For example, "(Name of child or adult), I really like how you smiled today! It made me and so and so smile too." We need to pass it on! It makes us feel good and others feel good in return:) I have also learned that when we stop and spotlight positivity in mysterious ways, problems turn around and eventually are resolved.

On another, but similar subject, I went to Iowa State University. Iowa State has not always had it easy in the wide world of sports. I think it excites any Cyclone when ESPN has any good news to share over just flat out embarrassing news about our athletic program. My stepmother recently sent me an article regarding the recent win over Kansas State. KSU is one of the top dogs in the Big 12. The other night we finally triumphed! If you choose you may read on about the kind words an outsider from the Big 12 had to say:

http://collegebasketballroadtrip.com/2012/02/01/hilton-magic/#comments

Either way you read this post, my message is- positive thinking, kindness, and sharing that positive energy WILL eventually triumph. Try it and see what it can do for a really sucky situation no matter how big or small;)

My Marinade

2012-01-30T19:50:00.001-06:00

I do not mean to confuse anyone by having a title about a marinade and then a picture of a salad. Originally, I thought I'd post about my Greek salad. But as I started thinking a little deeper, I realized just about anyone can make a salad. This fella consists of a crisp bed of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and my homemade tzatziki sauce. The tzatziki sauce consists of 1 cup fat free Greek yogurt, one half chopped and seeded cucumber, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill, and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder. That is all easy to explain, but the real star of the show is my chicken and my lovely standby marinade.

My marinades always consist of the same base- olive oil, citrus juice, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper. That's it. Plain and simple. I switch out different citrus flavors and add spices depending on if I am making more of a Mexican or Tex-Mex, Mediterranean, Italian, etc. But all in all, it consists of the same base and works for me every time with any kind of meat or as a basting liquid to brush over grilled veggies.

My Simple Marinade

(for 1-2 pounds of meat)

1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon or lime
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together until combine. Place meat in a large Ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the meat. Let the meat marinade for at least 1-2 hours or overnight. If you are planning on grilling your meat, make sure to shake off the extra drips of marinade before placing the meat on the grill so you do not have a massive flame.

Do not fear the olive oil. Olive oil is your friend and will make your meat nice, tender, and juicy. I also do not suggest swapping the olive oil for any other kind of oil because it adds depth and flavor. Put away the sodium induced marinade packets. Use this marinade and you will be happy:)

Menu Plans

2012-01-28T11:28:00.000-06:00

I'm not being lazy this week by just photographing the weekly menu and posting it on the blog; although, it is saving me a little time. Really, I just wanted to show you all my cute Valentine's Day themed paper. I love seasonal magnetic paper pads! I wish I had one for every holiday.

This week's menu was inspired by an odd craving for lean proteins. I think it is my body's way of healing and telling me what it needs. After my visit to the doctor for a follow up on my back and neck after the car accident last week, I am now on two different types of muscle relaxers and an anti-inflammatory pill. One muscle relaxer is for the morning and afternoon. The other is for night. This is to help with the tension and muscle spasms. The anti-inflammatory medication is to help with any swelling. Today is my first day taking the new meds. So far, I'm a little drowsy, but I can feel it helping.

The doctor also wants me to go to a physical therapist. I have an appointment on Thursday. While I want to do what is best for my body, I'm a little disappointed in the Kansas "No Fault" laws. Because it was an auto accident, I can't use my regular health insurance. As far as my car insurance, I have to pay everything health and injury related out of pocket, send in the receipts, and then pray to God that either my insurance or the little chica's insurance fully reimburses me. I guess this is where the insurance thing is beginning to suck. I am trying to remain patient and positive. Planning this week's menu helped me remain positive, so let's discuss...

Sunday we will be enjoying a light dinner served with a side of quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) and roasted veg. Justin is not the biggest fan of fish, so we are going to experiment with our smoker. Monday and Tuesday will be a taste of Greece with chicken gyros and Greek salad. I am on a quest to find some gluten-free pita bread, otherwise my gyro may be served as a salad topper on the Greek salad. Wednesday and Thursday, will be a make-ahead casserole packed with hearty white beans and turkey sausage. Finally, either Friday or Saturday we will dine casually on pecan crusted chicken, baked sweet potatoes, and roasted broccoli.

Here is the grocery list rundown:

Bananas

Broccoli

Zucchini

Eggplant

Tomatoes

Cucumber

1 bag yellow onions (because I'm out and it is cheaper to buy them in bulk)

1 head garlic

Sweet potatoes

Kale (for a minestrone soup I will be making for my lunches this week)

Romaine lettuce

Apples

1 bag lemons

Kalamata olives

2 cans chickpeas

1 bag white beans

Reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 can pumpkin

Pecans

Slivered almonds

Pumpkin pie spice (the pumpkin and spice are for my breakfast recipe)

Stevia

Non-fat plain Greek Yogurt

Parmesan cheese

Boneless, skinless chicken breast (I am buying a bag in bulk, as it is generally cheaper)

Turkey kielbasa sausage

Pita bread (I will be on the hunt for a gluten-free version)

Pantry items you will need or can purchase if you do not have them:

Dried dill weed

Dried thyme

Dried oregano

Bay leaves

Red pepper flakes

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Brown sugar

Quinoa

For my breakfasts this week, I am trying a new sweet potato & pumpkin parfait idea from the magazine my gym publishes. I will be blending the pumpkin and roasted sweet potatoes into a puree and then topping it with stevia sweetened Greek yogurt and toasted slivered almonds. For lunch, I'm still on my kale kick and thought making my own minestrone soup sounded good. I will be serving the soup along side sliced apples and a peanut butter dip. I am pretty pumped!

Chicken Nachos

2012-01-27T17:10:00.001-06:00

One of our favorite watering holes in the Kansas City metro area is Tanner's Bar & Grill. For some odd reason, no matter where we've lived there has always been a Tanner's near by. Besides having decent pub grub the prices are cheap and there is always a special. My favorite item to order, the chicken nachos.

Normally, these nachos are laden with cheesy Rotel. I've lightened it up by using 2% cheddar, 2% Velveeta, and skim milk. I didn't have any Rotel on hand, so I chopped up some jalapenos to add to the cheese sauce. Needless to say, we were pleased.

"Tanner's" Chicken Nachos

1 cup skim milk
2 cups 2% shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. cubed 2% Velveeta
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons chopped jalapenos
1 cup shredded chicken breast
2 diced Roma tomatoes
1 bunch chopped green onion
Tortilla chips
Sour cream & salsa to serve on the side

Pre-heat your oven on the lowest broiler setting. Pour the skim milk, cheeses, garlic powder, and jalapenos into a saucepan. Melt, stirring constantly, over low to medium-low heat. When the cheese is melted, remove from heat and set aside. Spray a large cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange the chips on the cookie sheet. Top with chicken and cheese sauce. Place in the oven. Keep a close eye on them, so not to burn the chips. When the cheese begins to bubble, remove the oven and top the nachos with the green onions and tomatoes. Serve along side with sour cream and salsa.

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, & Kale Soup

2012-01-26T18:10:00.000-06:00

So, you probably think, "Man! Sara and Justin eat a lot of soup. What the heck?!" Well, we do eat a lot of soup. And, we don't really get tired of it either. Once the weather begins to cool, I find that soup is so easy and comforting on a busy week night. I love it not only for the warmth and comfort, but also because I can make a big batch ahead of time, it gets better after you make it and the flavors marry together, and I can easily freeze the leftovers for a quick lunch when I don't have anything else planned.

Some find that soup does not always fill them up for long. Not so with this soup! Chuck full of fiber and protein due to the black beans, this soup is given added bulk and nutrients with the addition of sweet potato and kale. Do not fear the kale my friends! The kale packs a flavor similar to a country smoked ham. I originally thought this soup would taste more like a chili, but found it to have more of a Southern flare similar to the traditional ham and beans. It is so good!

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, & Kale Soup

(inspired by Hy-Vee Seasons magazine)

1 bag black beans

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-1/2-inch cubes

1 bag cut and ready kale (about 4 cups)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make vegetarian)

4 cups water

The evening before you make your soup, you will want to soak your black beans following the overnight directions on the back of the bag of beans. I poured my beans into a large bowl, covered the beans with water, and let them soak overnight.

The next day, rinse and drain the beans in a calendar. Dump the beans into a large crock pot. Add the onion, carrot, celery sweet potatoes, cumin, red pepper, broth, and water to the crock pot. Cover, and set your crock pot on high. Stirring occasionally, let the soup simmer for 6-8 hours. When the beans start to break down, and the soup has thickened, add the kale. Stir, cover, and simmer for another 1-1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. When the kale has softened, turn your crock pot off. I like to let the soup set and cool for 20-30 minutes before serving. You can garnish with sour cream and chopped green onions or serve on its own with a side of crusty bread.

Do You Feel Like Chicken Tonight?

2012-01-24T18:09:00.001-06:00

Sorry for the slight delay in recipe postings. I've been trying to wean myself off pain meds and it is not going so well. I can move more and each day I'm waking up feeling better; however, by 9:30 a.m. I feel like I need a heating pad, vicodine, and a nap.

Anyhow, enough of the whining and on to the cheese:) Do you feel like chicken tonight? Chicken is by far the most versatile protein, but can get a little boring. No worries! Here is not one but two recipes for you to try. One is an spin on Chinese take-out. The other is more Italian. Either way, you should try these tasty recipes.

Originally, this dish was on last week's menu plan, but we ended up eating it on Saturday when I could finally move again. A traditional Chinese take-out meal takes on a healthier spin using far less oil, brown rice, and a lovely mix of veggies. This recipe is inspired by Hy-Vee's Seasons magazine, which I believe is offered in stores quarterly. You can check out the original recipe at Hy-Vee's website, or see my adaptation below.

Spicy Cashew Chicken

(inspired by Hy-Vee)

Non-stick cooking spray

14 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch chunks

4 tablespoons light soy sauce, divided

2/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided

3 tablespoons brown sugar, divided

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

2 tablespoons Thai red chili paste

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 stalk celery, chopped

20 baby carrots (you can roughly chop them, or leave them whole as I did)

1 cup frozen broccoli florets

1 cup frozen peas

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained

1/2 cup cashews

4 cups steamed brown rice

In a small dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/3 cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, and one clove minced garlic. In a plastic marinating bag (a Ziplock bag) or larger dish, toss the above marinade with the chicken. Let stand for at least one hour or overnight if you are prepping the dish before hand.

Next, spray a large skillet with non-stick spray. Heat the skillet to medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook the first side for 3 minutes. Flip the pieces and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Remove the chicken and set aside in another dish. Add the celery, carrots, broccoli, peas, and onion. Toss and stir the veggies around in the pan until the onion starts to look slightly opaque. While the veggies are cooking, whisk together the remaining 1/3 chicken stock, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, chili paste, 1 clove garlic, and 1 tablespoon corn starch together in a small dish to create your sauce. When the onions turn opaque, add the sauce to the pan. Add the chicken back to the pan and the water chestnuts. Toss and stir to coat until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Top the chicken veggie mixture over brown rice and sprinkle the cashews on top.

Well, this lasagna is not a looker, but pretty tasty. My food photography skills are already lacking and this proved to be even more of a challenge. D- on the photog, but A- on the recipe:) If you're like me, lasagna is kind of a drag to make. Boil the noodles, mix the ingredients, then the layering. Bah! Not with this recipe. There is no boiling required! Just mix and layer my friends. Mix, layer, refrigerate for later, or pop in the oven to enjoy for a meal right away. Nice!

Chicken Lasagna Florentine

(inspired by Cooking Light)

Nonstick cooking spray

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup skim milk

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons corn starch

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups poached and shredded chicken breast (see this post for flavorful poaching)

1 10 oz. thawed and drained box of frozen chopped spinach

1 cup fat-free sour cream

1 brick 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

1 box gluten-free lasagna noodles ( or whole wheat or whatever you prefer)

1 bag 2% shredded mozzarella cheese

1 sheet of foil to cover the top of your baking dish

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8 by 12 inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Heat and melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. While the butter is melting, whisk together the chicken broth, milk, garlic powder, and corn starch until smooth. Add the mixture to the butter. Stir constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.

In another dish, mix the chicken, spinach, sour cream, and softened cream cheese together. You can add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread 1/2 of the sauce into the baking dish. Arrange the noodles into the pan. I used five noodles (4 across, and then I had to break one for the end). Layer the chicken mixture over the noodles. Again, arrange noodles over the top of the chicken layer. Ladle the rest of the sauce over the noodles. Top with the cheese.

Cover your baking dish with foil. Bake in the oven with the foil over the top for 30 minutes or until the middle of the lasagna looks like the cheese is melted. Remove the foil. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the edges and top of the cheese look bubbly and golden. Remove from the oven. Let set for 5-10 minutes, slice and enjoy.

Menu Plans

2012-01-21T10:31:00.000-06:00

Top of the morning to you all! I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. I am still mending from my little accident, but am trying to remain mobile. Yesterday I did go into work; however, by noon quickly regretted my decision. While I did make it the entire day, I was so exhausted when I got home that I was in bed before 8:00 p.m. and didn't wake up until around 7:30 a.m. this morning. So, I am trying to move as much as I can, but at the same time am taking it easy.

In other news, knock on wood, the insurance companies have been very accommodating and helpful. In the last 48 hours, I have heard from not only my insurance company, but also the chica's insurance company. They were having a little bit of trouble with communications lines on her end, as she was not answering her phone. So, they are now communicating through her parents. I am trying to remain patient about that by reminding myself that the brain's pre-frontal cortex does not fully develop until the age of 25; however, the other part of me would honestly like to smack her for her immaturity in dealing with adult life and the law. I am now taking my deep yoga breath....ahhh...remaining calm. New subject.

On the agenda today, grocery shopping. One of my favorite things to do! For this week's menu, I am re-vamping one of my favorite recipes to make it gluten-free. We are also planning on having another soup recipe from the Hy-Vee Seasons magazine. And, last but not least, I will be using some extra chicken breast I plan on making early in the week for some chicken nachos inspired by one of our favorite bar and grill restaurants, Tanner's.

Menu for Sunday 1/21/2012 to Friday 1/26/2012

Sunday 1/21 Chicken Lasagna Florentine with Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Monday 1/22 Left-overs

Tuesday 1/23 Black Bean Soup with Sweet Potatoes & Kale served with Cheese Bread

Wednesday 1/24 Left-overs

Thursday 1/25 Chicken Nachos w/ Tomato, Corn, & Avocado Salad

Friday 1/26 Left-overs or out to eat

For your grocery items this week:

1 lb. chicken breast

1 bunch kale or if you can find some already washed and chopped, I suggest you buy the bagged kale

1 bag celery

1 bag baby carrots

2 pints grape tomatoes or 2 lbs. of Roma tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 medium sweet potato

2 bunches green onions

2 medium yellow onions
1 avocado

1 bag black beans

2 boxes reduced sodium chicken stock (if you don't already have some on hand)

1 gluten free baguette

1 package gluten free lasagna noodles

1 container sour cream

2 packages 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1 container Parmesan cheese (if you do not already have some on hand)

1 package 2% shredded mozzarella cheese

1 package 2% shredded cheddar cheese

1 package 2% Velveeta (if you do not have any one hand)

1 package Feta cheese

Skim milk

1 package frozen spinach
1 bag frozen corn

1 bag tortilla chips

Pantry items you will need:

Dried chopped chives (you can find these in the spice section of your grocery store or use fresh)
Dried Italian herbs

Garlic

Corn Starch

Happy shopping everyone!

Collisions & Cauliflower Cheese Soup

2012-01-18T18:39:00.002-06:00

Thankfully, on tonight's menu we are having soup. I love soup because it is comforting, fulfilling, and something you can make ahead and gets better after the flavors marry together over time. I was in a car accident this morning on my way to work. Literally, a block away from work. I was at a stop light with several other cars in front of me and was rear-ended by a younger driver. She claims she was not on her cell phone, but she must have been preoccupied with something to not see that we were all clearly stopped at a red light. I have some whiplash and a sprained neck, but no other major injuries. Thankfully, I am okay and have two different sets of prescribed pain killers. Thankfully, I have excellent friends and an excellent husband who came to my aid. And, thankfully, I have soup for dinner tonight.

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about this particular soup recipe for I am not really a fan of cauliflower. Justin picked out this soup. I think he saw the word cheese and saw the croutons in the picture and thought it sounded good. Well, he was right. It is good! If you are looking for a way to add some additional veg to your diet and are craving comfort foods, I suggest this soup. We found the recipe in the winter addition of Seasons magazine published by our grocery store, Hy-Vee. I made a few additions and tweaks to the recipe to boost the flavor and nixed the pumpernickel croutons. I think it is a winner.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup
(inspired by Seasons)

Non-stick cooking spray
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 bag frozen cauliflower
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. chopped 2% Velveeta cheese
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Spray a large stockpot with non-stick cooking spray and saute the garlic and onion until soft and translucent over medium-low heat (about 4-6 minutes). Add your carrots and celery and cook until softened (another 4-6 minutes). Next, add you cauliflower and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook the cauliflower until softened. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

After your veggies have cooled, add the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. You may have to work in batches so you do not overload your processor or blender. Place the puree back into your stockpot and reheat over medium-low. While the puree is reheating, whisk together the milk and corn starch, then add the milk and cornstarch mixture to your puree. Stirring constantly, begin adding your cheeses. Continue stirring until the soup begins to thicken and the cheeses are melted. This should make 6 one cup servings of soup. I garnished my soup with a sprinkle of 2% cheddar and chives.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken & Sweet Potato Fries

2012-01-16T14:35:00.000-06:00

What meal is my go-to meal to feed the Bear or a crowd? This easy buffalo chicken recipe is from Iowa Girl Eats. Kristen is one of my favorite bloggers. All of her recipes are very tasty and she has a good sense of humor. I love this recipe because you can use the chicken in wraps, on a salad, or as a pizza topping. It also makes enough to feed a crowd. All you need is chicken, a packet of ranch dressing mix, and your favorite wing sauce. Pop everything in your slow cooker on low for 4 to 6 hours, shred the chicken, and you have one tasty meal. The Bear enjoyed a wrap and I topped the chicken over a salad.

We both enjoyed a side of sweet potato fries. I love sweet potatoes! They are just as versatile as your regular tator, but are packed with a ton of nutrients. I know anyone could pay a couple of extra dollars for the bagged sweet potato fries; however, why not save your cash and make your own. Here is how I make mine.

Sweet Potato Fries

Non-stick cooking spray

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/4 inch fries

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Peel and cut your sweet potatoes into 1/4 fries. I try to select sweet potatoes that are a little longer versus chubby so they are easier to cut. I cut mine by slicing the whole potato in half, then into fourths, and then cutting the slices into sticks. Next, place the fries into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle in the sugar, salt, and pepper and toss to evenly coat each fry. The sugar will bring out the natural sweetness of the sweet potato and make a nice brown crust on the fry without having to fry them in oil. Next, spread the fries on a large baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake them in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown. If you want your fries to have a more even color, you can flip them once in the middle of the baking process. Serve plain, with catchup, or a side of creamy ranch dressing. I served the above fries with a side of chipotle ranch by using plain ranch dressing and adding a little adobo sauce for a little kick. Yum!

Wheeeeeeeee!

2012-01-15T10:09:00.001-06:00

This morning, Justin and I decided to try out the espresso maker my mom bought us for Christmas. After one cup, Justin started clearing out the basement for future work on the man cave today. I am working on the blog. Wheeeeeee! Maybe we would be this productive every weekend if we started our mornings with fresh espresso.

To recap last night's meal, the Spicy Chicken Sausage Ragu over polenta, which was on last week's menu, I simply browned 1/4 of a tube of Isernio's Chicken Sausage in a skillet, added 6 chopped portabella mushrooms, and 1 cup marinara sauce. While the sauce was heating through, I made my polenta. I actually just used corn meal, as it is basically the same as polenta. It just isn't ground as fine and is a little more budget friendly. I brought 2 cups of chicken stock up to a boil, whisked in 1/2 cup corn meal. Stirring constantly, lower your heat to low or medium low. When the mixture begins to thicken, you can switch your utensils from a whisk to a spoon. Stir until desired consistency. I like mine to be about the thickness of oatmeal. This should make about 2 cups of polenta. Divide the polenta between two bowls and top with the ragu. If I would have had some Parmesan cheese, I would have topped with a little freshly grated parm. This meal is so comforting.

Finally, in case some of you might be utilizing my weekly menu posts and prefer to do your grocery shopping over the weekends, here is the starting line up for this week:

Sunday, 1/14 Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Wraps, Sweet Potato Fries, & Salad (my chicken will be topped over a bed of salad)

Monday, 1/15 Left-overs

Tuesday, 1/16 Cauliflower Cheese Soup with Bread

Wednesday, 1/17 Left-overs

Thursday, 1/18 Spicy Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with Brown Rice

Friday, 1/19 or Steaks w/ Roasted Red Skinned Potatoes & Green Beans

Saturday, 1/20

For your grocery list you will need:

8 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 steaks, your choice (we are using fillet Mignon)

4 medium sized sweet potatoes

1 pound red skinned potatoes

1 medium sized yellow onion

1 head garlic

2 large carrots, or 1 bag baby carrots (I usually buy baby carrots to cook with and munch on)

1 bag celery

1 bag salad

Red chili paste

1 can water chestnuts

1 package ranch dressing mix

1 bottle buffalo wing such (I use Cookie's sold at Hy-Vee)

1 box reduced sodium chicken broth

1 box brown rice

1 container of cashews

1 loaf fresh bread

Milk

1 bag 2% cheddar cheese

1 brick 2% Velveeta cheese

1 bag frozen green beans

1 bag frozen cauliflower

Your favorite whole grain tortilla wrap

Pantry items you will need for this week include:

Brown sugar

Reduced sodium soy sauce

Corn starch

Hope your weekend is going well! I am off to finish cleaning my house.

Bacon, Onion, & Mushroom Pizza

2012-01-12T19:31:00.001-06:00

With the cold wind blowing and light flurries falling, what food is more comforting than a good pizza? Well, maybe a pot roast or soup, but we've already covered that for the week. I love bacon, but often times, I find that people try and either cut bacon out of their diets or substitute turkey bacon to find a replacement. It is not the same! And, who could replicate bacon? Not a turkey! My trick is to still eat regular bacon, but choose the center cut bacon. Center cut bacon still gives you all the flavor and satisfaction of regular bacon, but with 30% less fat! Don't deny yourself, just modify and look for center cut bacon at your grocery store. Trust me, you will be happy.

Bacon, Onion, & Mushroom Pizza

The Sauce:

1 brick 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

1 tablespoon dried chopped chives (look in the spice section of your grocery store)

1/2 tablespoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Stir all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

The Toppings:

1 diced and sauteed onion

12 sliced and sauteed mushrooms

2 cups 2% shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese

8 slices cooked and diced, center cut bacon

The Crust:

I used a personal sized, gluten free pizza crust by Kinnikinnick Foods. They sell this brand in the health section at Hy-Vee food stores for around $5.00 per box. Each box comes with 4 pizza crusts. It is very handy when you are trying to practice portion control.

For the Bear, I used a regular pre-made pizza, whole wheat pizza crust.

I spread about 1/4 of the sauce on my pizza and the rest on his pizza crust. I think you could easily spread the sauce on 2 full sized pizzas. Next, top with your onions, mushrooms, and cheese. Use the bacon as your last topping so it remains crispy. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees until golden and bubbly. Cool for 5 minutes, slice, and serve.

Simple Parmesan Dip

2012-01-11T18:18:00.000-06:00

I'm guessing some of you might be trying to add more veggies to your diet. As the saying goes, "Strive for five!" If you are not a raw vegetable fan, this can be tough. Salads get old and who wants to eat plain carrots and celery with no dip? Not me! Back when I was in college at Iowa State, I took a nutrition class. For extra credit we could take the Strive for 5 challenge. While some did not take the challenge very seriously, I took it as an opportunity to change some of my eating habits. Back then I was on a beer and bagel diet with the occasional salad, apple, or banana that might have been on hand in my sorority house. I was finally living in an apartment, on my own, and had to cook for myself when I took the class. This was an important time in my life and I took the challenge on. Fruits and vegetables quickly became a primary staple in my life. I really had to get creative with my preparation because I did not want to get bored and fail the challenge. Too get the most nutritional value bang for my buck, I ate (and still do) a lot of raw vegetables with my lunch. And, I became a master at making my own dips. Dips make everything fun!

The above dip is one of the most simple dips I have ever made. My Grandma Duree used to serve this dip at every family function. I have entertained and brought this dip to many parties and always am asked for the recipe. The only problem with grandma recipes is that they are never documented. It is always a "pinch of this" or "well, I just add enough to make whatever taste good." So, you might need to tweak this recipe to your palate. I will warn you though, it contains a lot of garlic. Vampires beware!

Parmesan Dip (inspired by Allene Duree)

1/2 cup light mayonnaise (I use Hellman's. It is hands down the best)

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/2-3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/8-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, more if you like the kick

Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl. You can add more or less of either Parmesan cheese or garlic. Serve with any fresh vegetable. It is so good!

Veggie Chili Wraps/ Enchiladas

2012-01-10T19:10:00.000-06:00

So, there was a slight deviation from my weekly menu. This happens sometimes when one forgets a key ingredient, item, or just doesn't feel like making the originally planned entree. No need to stress or order take-out! Just improvise. If you read my weekly menu post, you may have noted and been hoping for a simple recipe utilizing wraps. Do not fret my dear(s) or whomever might be reading this blog, I will lead you in my thinking. This weekend, I ran out of my stand-by gluten free wraps. This was after the Bear (my husband) and I had taken our weekly trip to the grocery store. Being it was Tuesday and I pre-made my veggie chili on Sunday, I simply forgot that the gluten free wraps were consumed on Saturday. Thus, I had corn tortillas and a can of gluten-free enchilada sauce. FYI, for those on a gluten free diet, Old El Paso finally listed what "modified food starch" they use...drum roll please...corn starch! A winner if you can consume corn products! So, I wrapped my veggie chili in my corn tortillas, topped with my enchilada sauce, baked at 350 degrees in the oven for 30 minutes, and topped them with some sour cream and jalapenos. The Bear still had his version, only with a flour tortilla. All is good in the Nickel house. You too can enjoy these wraps, tortillas, or even turn them into a lovely chili inspired lasagna and layer your tortillas with some cheese if you so choose. Let this veggie chili be your inexpensive culinary canvas for dinner in the very near future!

Veggie Chili Wraps (original recipe, minus Sara's extra improvising:))

Non-stick cooking spray

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 pressed garlic clove

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper

1 dash cinnamon

1 coarsely chopped, small carrot (or 10 chopped baby carrots)

1 coarsely chopped stalk of celery

1 15 oz. can Great Northern beans, or any other white bean on sale

1 7 1/4 oz. can diced tomatoes with chilies (such as Rotel)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Tortillas or wraps (I would suggest something high in fiber, check the nutritional value before purchasing)

Sour cream (I use fat-free sour cream from Target. It is the Market Pantry brand, they have the modified food starch listed)

Shredded cheddar cheese (again, I use the Market Pantry brand because they list the modified food starch)

Jalapenos (if you dare)

Spray a large pot or Dutch oven with non-stick cooking spray. Add the oil and heat the pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Stir occasionally and cook until softened (about 7-9 minutes). Add your spices, beans, and tomatoes. Stir and reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 40 minutes to an hour. This mixture will be thick. This is so you can later scoop it into your wraps.

Spread 3/4 cup of the chili into the center of a wrap. Top with 1 tablespoon sour cream and cheese, wrap and enjoy!

Provencal Beef Stew

2012-01-09T17:49:00.000-06:00

How is your Monday going? My Monday has been okay, but is getting better by the minute now that I am home, have gone on a brisk walk, and plan to eat this hearty bowl of goodness before yoga class. Honestly, my mouth is watering just looking at it! To make this Monday a little easier, I prepared this stew in my slow cooker. You can make your Monday night eats easier too with this simple recipe!

Provencal Beef Stew (inspired by Weight Watchers, tweeked my me:))

Non-stick cooking spray

1 pound lean beef cut into 1-inch cubes, I used lean pre-cut meat from my grocery store

1 small chopped onion

2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 pressed garlic cloves (I use my handy garlic press from Pampered Chef, or you can finly mince your garlic)

2 large sliced carrots (or you can use 20 baby carrots and save yourself the time as I did)

1 large stalk celery, sliced

1 15 oz. canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups reduced sodium, organic beef broth

1 11 1/2 oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 large bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Spray a 5 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place all ingredients into your slow cooker. Stir, cover, and set your slow cooker on low for 7 to 8 hours. This recipe should yield around 6, 2 cup servings.

First Post of the Year

2012-01-08T20:08:00.000-06:00

I don't really have many New Year's resolutions that are too out of the ordinary. Of course I do have a little weight I need to drop from the holidays and a lingering 15 pounds that have crept up on me since turning 30. What is it about that? Anyway, I'm not going to stress about it because I know it will just require watching my diet a little more closely and going to the gym a litte more regularly. My goal for the gym is to go at least 3-4 times per week. That is totally doable. My other major goal is to make peace with myself. Last year, I attempted to just be content with where I was at in life. Finding content was a little more challenging than what I thought, but eventually just turned into laziness which later fuzed some major anxiety and frustration. So, this year, peace. Just saying the word peace calms me instantly. I like this goal.

Amongst goals and resolutions, I want to help people more. This not only will help bring peace to my life, but also help others to feel good. One thing people generally as me for help with is their health and diet. So, I'd like to try something. I will post my weekly menu and attempt to include pictures and recipes throughout the week. If you read my blog, just leave me a little comment if you try something, like it, feel it needs improvement, or whatever. While I do enjoy gourmet cooking, I really try to keep things very simple. I am afterall, trying to obtain peace:)

So, here is this week's menu. We are a household of two, so feel free to double any recipes if need be or make additions to your menu as you see fit. This week's menu is a cozy combination of winter comforts bulked up with extra fiber, protein, and veggies.

Sunday 1/8/2012 Provencal Beef Slow Cooker Stew (adapted from weightwatchers.com) with Gluten Free Baguette

Monday 1/9/2012 Left-overs

Tuesday 1/10/2012 Veggie Chili Wraps with Veggie Sticks and Dip

Wednesday 1/11/2012 Left-overs

Thursday 1/12/2012 Bacon, Onion, & Mushroom Pizza with Salad

Friday 1/13/2012 or Saturday 1/14/2012 Spicy Chicken Sausage Ragu over Polenta

Keeping with somewhat of a French theme this week, I also prepared a week's worth of lunches for myself using a simple French Potato Salad recipe inspired by an old Weight Watcher's recipe I had always wanted to try.

French Potato Salad

1 pound poached boneless, skinless chicken breast (see method below)
1 roughly chopped onion
2 roughly chopped carrots
2 roughly chopped stalks of celery
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
Water (enough to cover your veggies and chicken for poaching)
Cooking spray ( I prefer canola oil spray)
1 pound quartered red skinned potatoes
1/2 bag frozen green beans
1 cup sliced seedless red grapes
2 medium celery stalks, thinnly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup organic, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

I simply poached one pound of boneless skinless chicken breast for 45 minutes in a large pot of water with one garlic clove, one onion, two roughly chopped carrots, two stalks roughly chopped celery, and one bay leaf. Simply put all ingredients into a large stockpot, cover with water, and bring to a gentle boil. After the chicken mixture comes to a boil, lower your heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon into a bowl. You can either chop or shred your chicken. I prefer to shred my chicken using two forks and pulling the chicken into shreds.

While the chicken was poaching, I roasted one pound of quartered red skinned potatoes and one half of a bag of frozen green beans on a large cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray in the oven at 350 degrees until the potatoes were golden brown (about 45 minutes). To crisp the potatoes slightly, I sprayed them with a light coating of canola oil, salt, and pepper. Cool for 5-10 minutes.

Next, add your chicken, potatoes, green beans, grapes, and celery to a large mixing bowl. In another smaller bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, broth, tarragon, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard and olive oil together until combined. Poor the dressing over the salad and mix until the salad is evenly coated. Finally, I portioned the salad into six Ziplock containers so my lunches would be ready for the week.

Tomorrow's recipe- Provencal Beef Stew. Enjoy!

Holiday Re-cap

2011-12-31T13:28:00.000-06:00

It has been truly a lovely, wonderful holiday season this year! We started the holidays off in Iowa for my stepmother's graduation. Yes, another converted Iowa State member! Brenda has worked so hard for her PhD and we are so proud of her accomplishments. Christmas was celebrated by Erin and Todd in true Mr. and Mrs. Bubba Clause style at my father's house where Sylvie enjoyed helping Brenda with Betty's birthday cake. We then traveled to Mason City where we spent some time with Justin's family. Our niece, Ady, loved the pool! We topped the Christmas weekend off with my mother in Des Moines. Her new home is so lovely and was all decked out, including her little knome. I love my mother's sense of humor:)

Thank you to all for the time, love, and many gifts we all exchanged. I know 2011 has been the best of times and some of the hardest times for our families. Through it all, we have remained strong and counted on each other for support. May 2012 bring everyone peace, health, love, and continued happiness. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas to All

2011-12-25T08:32:00.000-06:00

As I try to become increasingly tech savvy, I blog to you for the first time on my iPad via wi-fi from the Clarion Inn in Mason City. It is pretty amazing! As the blogs get fewer and fewer in between posts, I guess the Christmas spirit got to me this morning, so here is a merry post. I also thought it would be wise to take advantage of the free wi-fi since it is available. So, I wish everyone a lovely, warm, and merry Christmas! I hope to write a year in review post next week and hopefully rekindle my connection to the blogosphere in 2012. Until then, I wish everyone a very merry Christmas!

Still Here

2011-11-30T18:20:00.000-06:00

I was beginning to feel a little guilty not posting since September. Life has been nothing short of exhaustion this fall. The school year was off to a crazy start with all sorts of curveballs I am still recovering from. Then the leaves began to drop. When you live in what my sister calls "Sherwood Forest" you are never short on raking leaves. Bags of leaves and excuses aside does not excuse my neglegence to my blog! Sorry poor blog for leaving you on the back burner!

So what is new? Not much. I joined a gym back in August which has been fantastic. I started religiously attending weekly yoga classes and have no regrets. Yoga has been amazing for my stress and body. This is the first year that I have started back to work and actually have remained toned. It amazes me after every class how relaxed I feel and how much it works the human body. It is the first time I have ever exercised and felt like I wasn't doing anything at all. That is my kind of exercise.

As far as the whole fertility thing, my body is producing all the hormones needed for conception. While it is still somewhat frusterating, we are remaining positive and just waiting for the mircle of life to occur. So we are patiently waiting:)

How I Make Monday Easier

2011-09-18T15:19:00.000-05:00

I teach special education. As a teacher, Mondays are tough. As a special education teacher, Mondays are typically tougher. My father and I both can admit we have a mild addiction to fast food breakfast. The convenience, the flavors, the sodium. Oh Wendy's how I miss you. Those days are gone now. The above sandwich, I actually made in advance, wrapped, and heated in the morning. Let me explain my thoughts and how they might help you become more efficient and healthy with your dining.

My husband is working on his master's degree in civil engineering. We are both very active people. He participates in a slow-pitch softball team on Thursdays. I do yoga on Mondays and Wednesdays. We also believe in making our lives as healthy as possible. To make my life easier, I try to streamline as many meals as possible. This means planning breakfast, lunch, and dinner in advance and taking the time on the weekends to prepare for meals as well as keep up with other household duties.

Since late February, I've been on a gluten-free diet. This means reading a lot of food labels, thinking twice as hard about eating things that are ambiguous, and more planning. While it's been a lot of hard work, I've been feeling soooo much better. I'm not nearly as gassy, my thinking is more clear, I swear my vision is more clear, and my allergies are better. Life gastronomically and allergy speaking are much more comfortable. Life, however, has changed. I have to think in advance. And, sometimes, thinking in advance and preparing in advance means eating the same thing for a few days in a row. I don't mind it as long as it is good:)

Some tips for preparing weekly meals in advance I suggest require a little planning and chopping, but are well worth your time and money. First let's start with breakfast!

Since becoming an adult, I've not really liked cereal that much. Maybe it was an overkill as a kid? I don't know. Now, I enjoy quick and easy smoothies, breakfast burritos, and egg casseroles. The beauty of any of the above is ease of assembly and all I have to do is usually, blend, poor, and go if I am making a smoothie OR bake on Sunday, package, and heat in the morning as I'm getting ready to head out the door if we are talking breakfast burritos or casseroles. So easy!

Now let's talk lunch. Lunches usually consist of yogurt, veggie bags I've chopped and packaged on Sunday, and some sort of soup I've made in a large batch and froze the extra portions, or left-overs from the night before. I usually try to pack my lunch the night before, so I don't have to fumble around with things in the morning.

Dinner, oh sweet dinner. One of the great joys for me is planning our weekly menu. This is a time that I enjoy searching for new recipes, incorporating old favorites, all while trying to stick to some sort of a budget. For dinner planning, I try to stick to soups, casseroles, and meals I can cook or prep in advance or prepare in a limited amount of time. This is for weeknight dining. If at all possible, I will try and pre-assemble and prep dinners in advance on Sundays. This includes, chopping veggies, marinating meats, and cooking items like soups which always taste better the next day anyway. We typically eat left-overs a couple nights a week; however, if the left-overs get a thumbs down from the hubster, I don't mind taking them for lunch the next day. For weekends, we usually plan for social events out, dining out at least one night, and making something a little more extravagant or special for one night. After all, weekends are for enjoying and relaxing and I love relaxing in the kitchen.

So, this might seem a lot for some people. For us it works and I find well worth the little bit of time I spend preparing that I get back in return after a hectic day at work. Hopefully, it may get you some of your time back too:)

Baby Steps

2011-08-01T16:06:00.001-05:00

I usually try to make my blog a very happy place. Running, cooking, and blogging bring such joy to my life. I guess that might be why I've tried not to bring up too many issues or complain. I also do not like to get too personal sharing issues over the blogoshpere. That being said, I am only bringing this information to heart for advice, encouragement, and really to take a proactive approach to what I am about to share.

For the last two years, my husband and I have been trying to have a baby. While he sometimes feels we were not trying hard enough (I think you get the male hint here:)) We miscarried back in January. This was very disheartening news for us both. My body felt totally off kilter and I had been having my period for two weeks straight. I had taken two home pregnancy tests which were negative and never would have known had I not sought out medical attention. That put a major damper on things until this summer. While we were not not trying, I was not feeling totally prepared emotionally unless the news was positive.

This summer, I have finally been able to relax. I am not beating myself up and am working on being kind to myself. I am finally getting regular exercise in. I am implementing more vegetarian meals into our weekly menu. I am taking good pre-natal vitamins and charting my basal body temperature. My husband and I have been going out on dates and making time for each other. We have totally reconnected as a couple; however, we are still not preggars. After talking with my OBGYN, whether we are trying hard enough or not, she said I really should have been pregnant by now. I am not one to run to the doctor for every cold or ailment. However, rather than continue to be frustrated, I feel that we will be taking a more proactive approach than continuing to "wait and see" or feel like "I'm not trying hard enough." This will probably take some time if I have yet again not conceived this month, as it is too early to know. And again, I will never know unless I seek some sort of medical attention. It will require patience, understanding, and be a bit of a test for us as a couple. Regardless, I feel these are the positive steps we need to take and will help us achieve our goal in creating a family.

Gettin' Dilly With It

2011-07-27T15:28:00.000-05:00

Does the play on words make you want to start singing "Gettin' Jiggy With It" or what? For some reason, I couldn't keep the song out of my head when I decided to make my annual jar of pickles. Ahhh pickles. I think pickles are either a food people totally love or hate. I happen to love them. Justin does not. So, this jar is all mine until I start to get sick of the ginormous Ball jar hanging out in my fridge. Then, I'll divvy them up amongst friends and family. Those who love pickles are always requesting my annual crop. I adapted this recipe from my mother's. She said she got the recipe from a friend (Jane Underwood). Regardless, you can tweak the recipe however you please. If you want to make them more spicy, add more peppers. I used serrano peppers for a nice kick. If you don't like the spice, leave them out. If you like your pickles sweet, don't add as much salt. No matter how you do it, it is a win!

Hot Refrigerator Pickles

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup salt

1 quart white vinegar

1 quart water

3 tablespoons pickling spice (I add on small jar of Tone's brand)

1 tablespoon mustard seed

30-40 sliced cucumbers (I used persian cucumbers because they are so cute!)

3 large sprigs fresh dill (which did not make it into the photo, but are present)

3 cloves garlic smashed

3 serrano peppers with the tops cut off and slit down the middle

Bring the sugar, salt, vinegar, and water to a boil. Cool for 10 minutes and poor over the cucumbers. Add the dill, garlic, mustard seed, and peppers. Refrigerate for 2-3 weeks and then enjoy.

P.S. I got the giant Ball jar from Super Target. It is the 1 gallon Ball collector's jar for only $14.79. After the pickles are gone, I plan to wash this puppy out and make it a decoration item in the kitchen. I love it!

Best Nachos Ever!

2011-07-26T12:41:00.001-05:00

As a child growing up in Iowa, I looked forward to the summer sweet corn season all year long. We would eat corn on the cob until we were almost sick of it and then enjoyed nature's bounty throughout the winter months with frozen corn. Now an adult living in Kansas City with road side farmstands far from reach, I cherish the sweet corn crop even more. Sorry Kansas, your sweet corn doesn't cut the Iowa stuff that is grown in the richest, blackest, most fertile soil in the world. Last week, we were craving the good stuff; however, my patience got the best of me and I bought some from the grocery store. It was pretty good and we didn't complain, but we are really looking forward to hitting up some farmstands when we are back in Iowa this weekend.

For those of you who have corn coming out your ears, or you just want to change you palate up a bit from the traditional corn on the cob, I highly suggest this recipe-- Crazy Corn Nachos. I got the recipe from some family friends, the Schwark's, and am not really sure about it's origins. These nachos are a little rich, cheesy, and not only corny, but crazy good.

Crazy Corn Nachos

1 Bag tortilla chips

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup corn cut off the cob (or you can use frozen if it is not corn season)

4 oz. can diced green chilies

1 cup sour cream

8 oz. softened cream cheese

1-2 teaspoons chili powder

1-2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 pinch cayenne pepper

Salt & pepper to taste

4 slices crisp bacon, crumbled

2 cups shredded monterrey jack cheese

1-2 diced green onions for garnish

Saute red pepper, onion, and corn until soft. Stir in the green chilies. In a bowl, mix the sour cream, cream cheese, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Fold the cream cheese mixture into the sauteed vegetables. Place your chips on a platter. Cover the chips with sauce, bacon, and cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and garnish with green onions.

Summer Time Risotto

2011-07-21T17:34:00.001-05:00

I think risotto tops my list with mashed potatoes in the world of starches. I heart a good risotto! The creamy goodness makes me hungry just thinking about it. The funny thing is, I used to be really scared to make it for a couple of reasons. The first reason being, it takes a little bit of attention. The second, all of the fancy-shmancy chefs are making it. Both complications were resolved earlier this spring when I decided to finally just do it already:) After my first batch of lobster risotto, which is way more complicated than this little gem, I got over my fears. With a glass of wine handy to enjoy while stirring and realizing that I don't have to be a celebrity chef to do this at home, I've fallen in love:) Really, it isn't that difficult and you, yes you can make it too.

Summer Time Risotto

4 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

4 tablespoons butter (divided)

1 shallot finely chopped

1 zucchini sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

1 yellow squash sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

1 cup frozen peas

1 box organic chicken stock

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter to the pan; swirl to coat. Add the zucchini and squash to the pan; cook for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Gently stir in the peas. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a gentle simmer. Keep warm over low heat. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the remaining olive oil and butter. Add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes or until translucent. Stir in the rice, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly in order to lightly toast the grains. Stir in the wine; cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup chicken stock. Cook and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of the chicken stock is absorbed before adding the next. Add the vegetables; cook 1-2 minutes or until combined and everything is heated through. Remove from heat; stir in the Parmesan cheese.

You can serve this dish totally on its own or along side a lovely piece of grilled chicken, pork, or fish. Don't be afraid to make risotto! It is totally worth the tender, loving care!

Colorful Fruit Salad

2011-07-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

I've been meaning to post the recipe for this salad for quite sometime; however, I haven't had it on the menu for a while. I stumbled across the idea from the Rainbow Salad recipe in Bon Appetit magazine back in January. I loved the idea of using a variety of fruits and veggies after eating several heavy holiday meals. Originally following the recipe to a "T" I made a few tweaks to lighten the salad up for summer, ingredients that are in season, as well as appease my husband's palate;)

For the dressing, I used the same ingredients from the post back in June. It includes 1/4 cup olive oil, 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot, salt, and pepper. The rest of the salad includes one head chopped Romaine lettuce, once diced mango, one chopped pear, one Pink Lady apple chopped, a squeeze of lemon juice to keep the fruit from browning, and goat cheese.

I served this with my lightened up Fettuccine Alfredo (still tweaking this recipe); however, I would suggest taking advantage of the grilling season and serving it with chicken, pork, or fish. You could also add almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts, bulk up the portion and serve the salad as the main entree. It is so refreshing and unique I suggest you put it on your summer recipe list!

Keeping the Oven Off Challenge

2011-07-18T10:56:00.002-05:00

While planning my menu for this week, I had one goal in mind...keeping the oven off all week. With temps soring into the upper 90s to 100 degrees, it just makes sense to conserve the energy and not use my oven. My sister, Amy, suggested I post my menu mainly because she is curious about how I lighten up some of these traditionally very heavy/ rich recipes:)

Mon. 7/18 Fettuccine Alfredo w/ Rainbow Salad

Tues. 7/19 Left-overs

Wed. 7/20 Chicken & Veggie Kebobs w/ Herbed Quinoa

Thurs. 7/21 Left-overs

Fri. 7/22 Crazy Corn Nachos, Grilled Jalapeno Poppers, & Watermelon Sorbet

The fettuccine alfredo and herbed quinoa will require the use of the stovetop, but I think that's okay as it doesn't heat up the entire kitchen. Hopefully, this will give you all some tips to beat the heat as well!

Summer BBQ Tour: Part III

2011-07-17T15:39:00.000-05:00

The City Market has been on my Kansas City "bucket list" for quite sometime. I usually cannot get the Bear out of the suburbs unless there is a pretty good reason. This weekend, I told him I wanted to go on one of my "adventures." So, we went out into the 100 degree heat and discovered some of our wonderful city.

The market had pretty much everything I have always envisioned an outdoor market would entail. There was Italian deli, complete with a fresh meat counter, barrels of olives, an assortment of various pickled salads, and Italian sweet treats. I have always wanted to visit such a deli and was absolutely delighted!

There were rows of vendors selling fresh produce and spices at insanely reasonable prices. Several artsy shops, markets of all worldly descents, bakeries, and restaurants. We chose to dine at Winslow's BBQ.

I had not heard of Winslow's before, but they did not disappoint. The service was outstanding and the Today Show has rated them one of the top rib joints in the country. We split a combo platter complete with ribs, pulled pork, smoked sausage, and burnt ends.

The rub and smoked flavor was infused throughout the meats and the BBQ sauce. What I appreciated most about the meal, was the lean meat. Sometimes, I find BBQ to be more fatty than meaty. This was not the case at Winslow's. Even the ribs were packed with a lovely smoke ring and more meat than fat. Yum!

After lunch, we browsed the rest of the market and visited part of the Steamboat Arabia Museum. Since we were looking for free activities, we did not tour the whole museum. We will save that for another adventure.

The good news is where there is good BBQ, I can always drag the Bear on another adventure. It was a blooming good time!

Market Fresh Pizza

2011-07-12T10:19:00.000-05:00

Pizza is one of my favorite foods. Since going gluten-free, it has been somewhat of a challenge to find a good gluten-free crust my husband and I can both agree on. Most tend to be very sticky, appear to cook up crispy and soft, but then lend themselves to tasting a little gummy in the middle and rock hard on the outer edges. After experimenting with making my own and failing, trying many other brands available and failing, I've finally found a reliable source- Chebe! Chebe brands are offered in the Midwest at most local Hy-Vee grocery stores in their organic or healthfood department. Thus far, Chebe is the only brand that lends itself to costing, acting, and cooking itself the most to its gluten filled counterpart. For this recipe, I used the pizza dough mix.

My Market Fresh My Market Fresh Pizza was inspired by a recipe featured this month in Cooking Light magazine, originally called "Local Farmer's Market Pizza." With the use of fresh corn, the recipe reminded me of a pizza version of a long lost recipe I have for Crazy Corn Nachos (recipe coming soon). I added some of my own fresh herbs and bacon because I like bacon. I also roasted my tomatoes. Trust me, this is worth the extra little bit of roasting and really brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes.

Summer Market Pizza

2 roma tomatoes, sliced and roasted

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

2 C. thinly sliced onion (I used red onion, but anything you have will do)

1 t. chopped fresh thyme

1 t. chopped fresh oregano

2 C. thinly sliced red bell pepper

2 minced garlic cloves

1 C. fresh corn (I used frozen because the corn was looking a little picked over)

6 slices center cut bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled

¼ t. salt

¼ t. fresh black pepper

1 package fresh pizza dough (I used Chebe, gluten-free pizza crust mix)

5 oz. fresh, sliced mozzarella cheese

1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

2 T. chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While your oven is pre-heating, slice your tomatoes and places them on a baking pan lined with a sheet of foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Next, roast your tomatoes for around 30 minutes or until they start to appear to look like sun-dried tomatoes.

2. While your tomatoes are roasting, prepare your dough and let rise. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add 2 cups onion, thyme, and oregano. Cook until the onions begin to caramelize, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper and garlic; cook until the peppers begin to soften. Add corn, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the corn is heated. Finally add your crumbled bacon.

3. Roll dough into a 16-inch circle. Remove the tomatoes from the oven. Place dough on a pizza pan or whatever pan you have available for cooking pizza. Sprinkle the 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Next, top with corn mixture. Then, arrange the mozzarella slices and roasted tomatoes evenly over the topping. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the fresh basil. Cut and bon appetite! Serves 6-8 slices depending on how you like to cut your pizza.

Cheesecake Ice Cream

2011-07-08T19:25:00.000-05:00

Say hello to my new little friend.

Growing up, my family always enjoyed homemade ice cream. We didn't have one of the old fashioned, rock salt kind of ice cream makers, but we did have a stellar little guy similar to the one I bought on Wednesday. I had long forgotten about those days until a couple of weeks ago when the girls at Ladies Lunch were talking about making their own ice cream. This little guy happened to be on sale for $26 at Target this week. I wouldn't really call it an impulse buy because I told Justin that I really wanted one and had been thinking about it. Maybe just a lucky buy? I don't know. I was so excited and had to share my recipe inspired by Food & Wine magazine. The recipe on the website is called "Once-a-Year Cheesecake Ice Cream." The original ingredients their recipe called for were a little on the richer side, so I decided to challenge myself by lightening it up a little. So here goes!

Sara's Lightened Up Cheesecake Ice Cream

1 8 oz. block of light cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup light sour cream

1 cup fat-free half and half

Pinch of Salt

Juice of 1/2 of a lemon

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until soft and smooth. Gradually add the sugar, beating well until combined. Beat in the sour cream and then the half and half. Add the salt, lemon, juice, and vanilla and beat until silky and smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to ensure the mixture is cold.

2. Poor mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the directions for your machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you like your ice cream a bit softer, you can serve immediately. If not transfer the ice cream to a container to harden up. Enjoy!!

Summer BBQ Tour: Part Deaux

2011-07-07T13:35:00.001-05:00

I don't know why we didn't ever find this place earlier since living in the Kansas City area, but RJ's Bob-Be-Que has got it goin' on! Literally just down the street from Johnny's BBQ is RJ's. RJ's is run and owned by Robert (Bob) Palmgren, a formally French trained chef. His secret rubs and sauces have a classic smoky BBQ flavor, with a secret Cajun style kick. Hence the very Cajun or Creole play on words in the Bob-Be-Que name of his restaurant.

What I truly love about the places we've visited on our Summer BBQ Tour is that we see the boss in action. Bob is literally smoking the meats, frying the fries, seating guests, and waiting tables just like the rest of his employees. It isn't very often you get to see a BBQ legend right before your very eyes. It truly makes you feel that every guest is getting special 5-star dining treatment.

The decor pays tribute to John Wayne and the many BBQ contests in which Bob has featured his famous BBQ. We thoroughly enjoyed the old country music playing in the background as we anxiously awaited our meal of burnt ends.

One thing I have learned since living and experiencing BBQ in Kansas City, is to order the burnt ends. Burnt ends are the tasty little morsels of brisket that get a little extra double smoking treatment. If you love beef, smoked meats, and BBQ you really can't go wrong with ordering burnt ends. I feel it is almost a true test of the restaurant's BBQ technique, which RJ's did not fail! All around, Justin and I have decided that this is our new favorite spot! All stars on our rating! You've got to try it!

Another Fantastic 4th

2011-07-06T14:51:00.001-05:00

Does this cake sing, "America the Beautiful" or what? Every 4th of July, my sisters and I try to get together for celebration. This year, was complete with a weekend of fun transporting between State Center, IA, where my dad lives, and Ames, IA where my sister, Erin, lives. The Bear (a.k.a. Justin) kicked the weekend off with my dad and stepbrothers Brett and Brandon in a golf tournament. Many congratulations to them for placing 4th and to Brett for winning the longest put! Good job team! The ladies spent the day at the pool for some relaxation and time with Sylvie and Gavin.

These pictures were pre-swim trip. Sylvie was all poses. Gavin, on the other hand, was a little cranky that morning and didn't feel like smiling. Being that I am not a morning person, I guess I can't blame him. Ha!

We celebrated the 4th at Erin's apartment. Sadly, my sister Amy, Brandon, Brett, and the kids could not make it. But that didn't stop us! We had plenty of snacks, burgers, sparklers, and fun with my dad, Brenda, and Frankie and Gary.

This is my dad totally rockin' sparklers and his Tommy Bahama shirt! I love it!

And no summer party would be complete without a pitcher of Raspberry-Peach Sangria! I used this recipe with the addition of fresh mint leaves. I must say, the mint added an unbelievable amount of freshness! Perfect for summer!

All-in-all it was a wonderful, relaxing weekend. It was so good to see everyone and celebrate with family. I hope you all enjoyed your holiday as much as we did!

The Land of Ham

2011-07-01T03:08:00.000-05:00

When I think of Tennessee, or most of the South for that matter, I think of smoked hams. I still get kind of a kick out of the fact that you can find hams hanging in grocery stores, Wal-Marts, and even gas stations. It just cracks me up!

I also apologize for the late posting recapping the trip. I got back Monday and have been cleaning the house or running errands all week. My mother and I also did not really have the need to follow any sort of a menu, as we dined twice at Sassafraz. My grandfather's favorite restaurant in town. Sassafraz is a local favorite for most people in Union City, Tennessee. It certainly has one of the more posh menus in town and is a cut above the other fried fair you normally find down South. On Saturday, I ordered the Blackened Risotto special.

Then, I had dreams about it! It was so creamy, tasty, and full of seafoody goodness. My mother laughed when I told her this, so we went back and low and behold, it was on special again Sunday! Yeah! Double enjoyment!

Other shenanigans, included plenty of stops to all of the roadside attractions we never really ever got to see because we were always in a huge rush to get to my grandfather's. Since there was no rush, we stopped in Rocheport, Missouri. Rocheport is located along the Kitty Trail, near the Missouri River off Interstate 70. The homes are well preserved and there are the most adorable little antique and gift stores located in its downtown. Rochport is also located in the heart of Missouri wine country and home to Les Bourgeios Vinyards.

So we stopped, tasted, and purchased some wine for the weekend. All in all, it was a great trip with plenty of "horsing" around:)

Tennessee Sounds Good to Me!

2011-06-22T13:34:00.000-05:00

Friday morning, I will be off to Tennessee with my mother. My grandfather's house still has not sold. Ugh! So, I'm giving my mother some company and well deserved help to check on the house and give it a good cleaning. As suggested by many friends and because I am a bit supersticious, we also plan on burrying a Saint Joseph in the front lawn with Joseph facing the house near the for sale sign.

My mother is a faithful disciple of the "low-carb" diet. I have cut gluten out of my diet for health reasons. Since there isn't a whole lot of variety as far as restaurants go, I have planned a little menu to make life a little easier. The way I see it is it's like we're staying at a cottage. We have most of the ammenities we need to run a kitchen. We have a grill. Everything else I am packing away to execute my menu.

The contents of the box includes a cutting board, a small but mighty knife set, a spatula, scilcone spoon, plastic bags, dishwasher soap tabs, mixing bowls, plastic containers, my handy-dandy juicer box complete with innerchangeable graters, paper towels, toilette paper, napkins, silverware, and paper plates and bowls.

On the menu for dinners: Night one we will dine on chili rubbed chicken tacos with lime-cilantro slaw, night two will be steak with a grilled vegetable salad, and night three we will have a lovely rainbow salad. As far as breakfasts I figure I know my mom eats a protein power meal including eggs. I usually am happy with about anything and fruit. For lunches, I know we will be happy with leftovers.

I've made the salad dressings and chili rub ahead of time. I also plan on packing a cooler for the produce and other groceries we will need. I know you might be thinking, "Who in the h-e-double hockey sticks has time to do all that?" Normally, I wouldn't; however, it is summer vacation for me a.k.a. the glory of being a teacher with a summer off:)

In case you like to make your own salad dressings, I've included the ingredients below. Both are vinegrettes that pair well with about any salad. I am not including brand names, but as a newly gluten-free girl, I did check the ingredients and none listed MSG, wheat, or any other crazy name for gluten. The lighter colored salad dressing is for the grilled veggie salad. It's contents includes 1/4 cup olive oil, the juice of one lemon, 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon chili paste, 1 clove pressed garlic, salt, and pepper.

The darker colored dressing is a sweeter dressing for the rainbow salad. It includes 1/4 cup olive oil, 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot, salt, and pepper.

The spice rub for the chicken tacos is made from 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, salt, and pepper.

We will have internet until Monday. Since I will have plenty of time on my hands, you can look forward to more recipes and the shinanagens that will unfold!

Over the Weekend

2011-06-19T12:18:00.001-05:00

This weekend has been packed with fun! Friday night we kicked off our weekend together with a trip to the Plaza where we dined at Blanc Burgers. Good news is, they have gluten free buns and most of the burgers are gluten free with the gluten free buns. Bad news, the fries are off limits because they bread their fries. Good bye truffle fries! How I will miss you! The burgers are large enough though, so I sufficed. While the GF bun wasn't bad, Blanc could do a little work on attempts to make a bun one can actually pick up like a regular burger. I had to eat mine with a fork, but it was still delicious.

Saturday morning, we headed to the Overland Park Farmer's Market. To our surprise, it expanded from two weekends ago and now includes various arts and crafts for sale.

Including this sweet Tiki tent. We picked up some nice green beans. Saddly, nobody had any spinach left. There were plenty of other produce items to choose from, but nothing we really needed. It is always an enjoyable people watching experience.

Later that afternoon, Justin worked on sawing the tree limb that fell in our yard the night before. Seems like the weather is getting more severe. We still have some work to do picking up sticks and leaves in the yard, but at least Justin cleaned up the limb. While he was busy sawing away, I went and did this:

Freshened up highlights and a new hair cut! The length was getting a little too hot. After watching Fashion Police Friday night, I decided I loved Chelsea Kane's hair and had to go for the chop.

Later in the evening we enjoyed a new recipe courtesy of Angela Liddon at http://ohsheglows.com/. I made her Chilled Double Chocolate Torte. You can get the recipe here: http://ohsheglows.com/2010/12/09/chilled-double-chocolate-torte/. Here is a not so great photo of mine.

The only modifications I made to her recipe were using gluten free flour and adding 1 tsp. espresso powder to both the cake layer and topping. I was a little worried about using the gluten free flour. I used Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour. I've used it once before with a bread recipe and you could totaly taste the garbanzo bean flour; however, there is no nasty bean flavor with the torte! Trust me, you have to try it! It is totally delish!

In other news, Happy Father's Day to my loving dad, super father-in-law Doug, and my stepfather Mike. Hope you all have a great day! We wish we were back in Iowa to spend some time with you. Maybe we'll venture north soon. Have a great day!

A Bit of a Facelift

2011-06-14T11:38:00.000-05:00

This is my jogging trail. It is a lovely trail and I am so thankful we have close access to nearby parks and paths. No matter what the season, Justin and I love to take liesurly stroles on the weekends. I also enjoy the trails in the summer time as a workout bonus to get outside and back in shape. Within the last year, however, parts of the trail have started to look like this...

...and this...

Needless to say, it's been a little rough on my joints. Not to mention the cautionary measures one must take to be sure as to what side of the trail they are running on so as to not fall down a muddy bluff.

Last week, I noticed parts of the trail were closed. Much to my pleasure, the trails have re-opened, expanded, and have a lovely new overlay. So now, the trail looks like this.

Iowegian

2011-06-13T08:56:00.000-05:00

Iowegian is defined by my husband's co-worker, Eric, as those from Iowa decent who will travel far distances to experience Iowa festivals, fairs, and expositions. While the World Pork Expo includes pork producers and agricultural sales representatives from all of the world, it is truly an Iowa thing simply because Iowa is the pork headquarters and leading pork producing state in the country. And, they do the expo up right.
Being that my family is not in the farming business, I had never truly experienced the Pork Expo. I can also actually count on my fingers the number of times I have been to the Iowa State Fairgrounds, home to any fried food you can find on a stick during the month of August. It didn't ever bother me, we were just busy doing RAGBRAI, or other Iowa summer events. My farm industry friends, on the other hand, were always a little surprised my family didn't make the annual homage to the fairgrounds to see the nation's largest bull, pig, tomato, nor the annual butter cow sculpture. Last week, however, when my sister said her husband's friend could get us passes to the expo, I was all in!

If you can read the fine print on the stand below it says, "We're makin' your bacon." And making the best bacon is what they do at the World Pork Expo. We began our day with several samples of sausage on a stick. The wonderful thing about it is, due to the crummy weather, we didn't have to wait in line. The other beautiful thing about Iowa is that we didn't even ask. The producers want you to sample their product and shouted to us to come over and sample.

Inside the industrial building, we toured and heard more than an earful on different farming products and ways to enhance your pork producing numbers. Hint, hint, getting what you need from the male and introducing the goodies to the female to make many healthy pig babies. We got numerous pens, pads of paper, hats, t-shirts, bags, etc. all advertising various farming products.
And no Iowa expo or festival involving agriculture would be complete without crowning someone royalty! Here is some young girl who is this year's pork queen. What an honor! I'm sure she is ringing in some sweet scholarships along with that sparkly crown.
After touring the industrial building, we took a well needed break to watch the pig races. This is the best action shot I got. I wasn't sure if the pigs would actually "race" as I've never seen a pig move very quickly. To the contrary, these pigs were fast! It was all very cheesy; however, yet another thing I was told you had to visit while at the pork expo.

Next, the best part, food! Sausages, ribs, pork loin, anything humans enjoy from pigs was freely sampled. And again, the producers WANT you to sample their food. They also encouraged you to eat, drink, and be merry. "Hang around a little bit," they would say. "We've got more coming off the grill."

Tent after tent, party after party these guys know how to do it right. I saved the best tent for last...a Hawaiian Luao! Complete with mai tais! The day was a blast!

T Minus 24 Hours

2011-06-08T09:19:00.000-05:00

I am so super excited because in less than 24 hours I will be sampling some of the finest bacons and sausages at a breakfast meats tasting. Next on the noontime agenda, more pork, ham, and anything else pig plus margaritas. "Is this heaven?" you may be asking yourself if you are not vegetarian. I must simply reply with the cliche, "No, it's Iowa."

My sister has finally invited me to join she and her hubby's family to attend the Iowa Pork Expo. A time when Iowa, the swine capitol of the country, enjoys visitors from all over the world to celebrate none other than the pig. Oink! More to come...

Experimental Fun

2011-06-06T12:54:00.001-05:00

Now that summer vacation is in full swing, this teacher is enjoying one of her favorite hobbies...recipe experimenting. Since my summer resolution is to be kind to myself, this includes being kind to my body and giving it what it needs. I always try to eat a plentiful bounty of fruits and veggies, but every now and then, this gets a little boring. This is especially true when trying to consume more raw veggies. I do not suggest ever eating a salad or veggie sticks without a good dressing or dip. One of my favorite standbys for dipping in the raw is hummus. This weekend, I had planned on making my typical garlic and lemon version; however, neglected to buy any lemons. With the chickpeas already in my opened and in the food processor, I almost had a kitchen freak out moment; however, remained calm. I had limes. I had garlic. I had an opened can of chipotle peppers, thus my chipotle hummus was born!

Chipotle Hummus
2 cans chickpeas/ garbanzo beans
4 Tbsp. tahini paste
2 chipotle peppers, plus 1 Tbsp. sauce
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
Zest of one lime
Juice of one lime
Salt
Pepper
1/4 C. water, more if you like a thinner consistency

1. Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.

Yes, it is that easy my friends! Justin does not usually like my regular hummus, but loves this version. This spicy chipotle peppers also have helped clear my stuffy nose from this dang summer cold. I highly suggest serving this with veggies and tortilla chips. It's a nice change up from my regular hum, hah hummus!

Summer BBQ Tour Part I

2011-06-04T14:59:00.000-05:00

If you've followed my blog for any amount of time, you probably have noticed a summer theme- BBQ. BBQ has got to be one of the best reasons to live in Kansas City. After drooling over some local joints Justin and I viewed on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives last weekend, we decided this summer to take a personal culinary tour of our city. The first stop, Johnny's BBQ.
Conveniently located off Johnson Drive in Mission, Kansas, Johnny's has some unique flavors which make it stand out from some of the other places in which we've dined. With perfect smoke rings on each rib, hints of cinnamon throughout the sweet succulent sauce, and it's own unique BBQ bottle decor, it is no wonder Guy Fieri had to stop on his visit to Kansas City.

We ordered the Friday night special- 1/2 smoked chicken, 1/2 slab of ribs, fries, pickles, and a choice of a side of slaw, beans, or potato salad. Since moving to Kansas City, Justin and I have fallen in love with the cabbagey cole slaw concoction and the combination of BBQ. So we got some slaw. Unfortunately, once the plates hit the table, we became so consumed with our meal we forgot to take pictures! In good humour, you can enjoy the leftovers or settle for just licking the plates:)

First Day of Summer

2011-06-02T11:07:00.000-05:00

Summer vacation has officially arrived! As I start every summer vacation, I always set some goals. I don't expect to totally make-over my life. But, with the extra time, it is nice to make plans for myself instead of planning my days according to school life. This summer's goals include more blogging, exercise, and being more kind to myself. Do you every find you are your own worst enemy? From many books and discussions with friends and colleagues, I find that many of us constantly beat ourselves up. For me, it is somewhat of a cycle. I'm sure just being female and having hormones has something to do with it. Then add in daily stress, trying to maintain balance, and expectations...it can all just make one go bananas.

So, today I welcome myself back into the blogosphere and toast my lovely Green Monster smoothie to a healthy summer! Cheers!

My Latest Craze

2011-03-10T18:46:00.000-06:00

My 30th year in life happened without a hitch. It was actually amazing! Thank you to all of my friends and family who celebrated! I love you so much. The lovely cake was a gift in so many ways. My best friend, Jen, delivered the cake from the bakery aforementioned in the previous blog from the Upper Crust. It was all gluten free. Not usually being a huge fan of cake, my husband brought up an important revelation...the cake did not cause my stomach to sound like a water cooler. I am usually not a fan of cake because of the way it makes me feel. In the past, I've always blamed this on the texture in disguise of the fact that eating cake actually makes me feel like crap. I always thought this was due to the mass quantities of sugar, leading me to sometimes violently throwing up after consuming cake. This birthday cake was totally gluten free. I ate one piece with some champagne and felt fine. I ate another piece after we all came home from some celebratory activities and slept throughout the night. My husband has noticed that after eating bagels, pasta, and other mass quantities of gluten that I don't always feel my best. So, after discussing this magical cake, we both wondered if some of my issues related to cake might actually be related to gluten being the source to many of my evils. I thought about if for a week and decided to go gluten free. After a week, I felt great. Now after three, I feel amazing. To date, other than masked forms of gluten in my cooking utensils and pots and pans, I've knowingly consumed gluten on one occasion. I had a beer and some pizza. I felt like crap. I think we see a pattern here. So, it has remained out of my diet and I feel great. No more water cooler stomach. No more other issues not to discuss on a blog.
Now isn't that something to have a fiesta and sombrero over?

On to the latest craze. Yes I love sombreros. It was one of my birthday requests. But it has nothing to deal with birthdays or celebrating. It is a curious beverage called the "Green Monster." I had been reading about this drink on several of the blogs in which I follow. Always curious, I finally decided to try it. It is amazing!! Check out "Oh She Glows" and "Eat, Live, Run" for more stories. Here is the recipe I have been using:
1 1/2 Cups Vanilla Almond Milk
2 Handfulls Organic Spinach
2 Tablespoons Milled Flaxseed
2 Tablespoons Almond Butter
1 Frozen Banana

Fill blender with almond milk, spinach, flaxseed, and almond butter. Heat the frozen banana (still in its peel) for 30 seconds in the microwave. Peel the banana over your blender and add the peeled banana. Mix all ingredients until smooth. Consume and feel invigorated! Seriously the craziest thing that I've tried that gives me the most energy throughout the day! Trust me, I can attest as I am a teacher;)

The Last 48 Hours

2011-02-10T18:45:00.000-06:00

It is my final countdown to 30. While it is hard to believe my roaring 20's will soon be over, I must say that it isn't so bad. I realized that in the last ten years I am in a much better place. For instance, I'm married, have a house, and I have a job. I have a suitable car that gets me around and I'm much more responsible. Not to mention the fact that I am much more comfortable in my skin. Now, I really could kick myself for every thinking I was "fat" ten years ago because it really wasn't responsible. My thinking has changed and I really try to do what is best for my body because I like my liver and want to be around for my husband and children.

Now for the good stuff. Because I've learned in my life that you can have really good stuff without starving. One of my favorite comforts, pizza. I think if I ever own a restaurant someday, I will serve pizza. Especially, these guys:

Recipe #1- Spiced Pear Flatbread w/ Goat Cheese and Mustard Cream
Adapted from Bon Appetit September, 2009 Woodberry Kitchen

Mustard Cream:
6 T. heavy whipping cream
3 T. dijon mustard
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. honey

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. I whipped the cream using an electric mixer until it had soft peaks and then folded the rest of the ingredients in until combined. This will act as your sauce.

Spiced Pear Topping:
2 ripe Bosc pears sliced thin
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
Salt
Pepper
2 C. fresh baby spinach
8 oz. crumbled goat cheese

Flatbread:
1 package pizza crust mix
1/2 C. warm water

Follow the directions on the package for the mix. I used a generic Hy-Vee brand and rolled the dough out very thin into a 12" disk. Bake the crust for 5-7 minutes or until very light brown. Remove from the oven and spread the mustard cream and add the toppings. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Recipe #2- Sicilian Sausage Stuffed Pizza
Adapted from Weight Watchers Pizza, Pizza cookbook

1/2 lb. Italian chicken sausage (I use the Isserino brand. You can find this at Super Target)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 package 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
2 packages pizza dough mix (make two separate crusts following package directions)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Spray nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Cook sausage until lightly browned; transfer to a bowl. Add the mushrooms and onion to the skillet. Cook until mushrooms are golden. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the mushroom mixture to the sausage and let cool for 5 minutes. Then, stir in the cream cheese and Parmesan until thoroughly mixed.

Roll out one disk of dough for the bottom crust in a 12" circle. Spread the filling onto the dough. Leave 3/4 of an inch from the edge. Brush the outer edge with water.

Roll out the second disk of dough into a 12" inch circle. Place on top of the filling. Press the edges together to seal. I pulled the bottom crust and folded the top crust to make somewhat of a braid. Cut 5 2" slits in to the top of the dough to let the steam out while baking. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden. Let the pizza cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. I served my pizza with a side of marinara.

Enjoy!

Blizzards & Birthdays

2011-02-01T15:09:00.000-06:00

We are in a real blizzard right now. Not just a lot of snow. An actual blizzard.

These images are of the backyard and our lovely patio area that were once green and filled with lovely summer scents. It seems all too long ago.

Clearly school was cancelled and Justin decided to stay home too since his office was going to be closing early. This morning before things really picked up, I decided to take a trip out to the DMV and renew my license. Yes, it is another sign I'm nearing 30. I must say, this wasn't a wise decision. My Iowa roots sometimes cause me to forget that snow and city drivers do not mix. I was able to dodge many poor driving situations; however, the little Corolla could not handle turning left while going down a hill. Luckily the Corolla and I are safe, but I am missing a hubcap from sliding up onto the side of the road. I was able to back out and drive home without any damage to my tire. I think there was enough snow that it caused a little bit of padding while I slid up onto the curb. Thankfully, all is good except for the hubcap. I can live without a hubcap.

In other news, my long time, best friend Jen turned 30 and had her party over the weekend.
Her sunny outlook, great sense of humor, and ability to turn any day into a party make turning 30 seem awesome! One of her friends made her this amazing gluten free cake. Kristy will be opening up her own bakery, The Upper Crust, in Creston very soon.
Happy Birthday Jen!!

When Life Gives You Boueuf, Make Bourguignon!

2011-01-10T12:13:00.000-06:00

Lately, my hormones have been out of control. Not to get personal or anything; however, it is giving me some beef and has put a damper on the baby making department for a couple of months. So, life gave me some beef...I made Boueuf Bourguignon.

For my birthday last year, my mother gave me the famed Julia Child cookbooks. I had not made anything and was waiting for a special occasion. While this weekend wasn't anything special, I did put myself to work in the kitchen. Justin and I enjoyed the results!

The recipe is fairly labor intensive if you make everything as it calls for in the recipe, including the braised onions and sauteed mushrooms. I served the entree with parsley potatoes. And no meal like this is complete without a little something for desert: Hot Chocolate Fudge Cakes, courtesy of Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2009.

While I may be lacking in the presentation department, I served the desert in coffee mugs. The cake is really like hot chocolate you can eat with a spoon! So good!

Hot Chocolate Fudge Cakes

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cub unsweetened cocoa
5 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cub unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup egg substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (2.6 ounce) bar dark 71% chocolate, finely chopped

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sift together flour and next four ingredients.

Place butter in a large bowel; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars, beating until well blended. Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating until blended. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture; fold in chocolate. Divide the batter evenly among 10 4 ounce ramekins on a jelly roll pan. I used coffee mugs and filled them half full. The recipe does call for ten; if you serve the desert in the mugs, it will serve around four to five. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. I stuck mine outside in the frigid air for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Let the ramekins or mugs stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake at 350 for 21 minutes or until cakes are puffy and slightly crusty on top. MMMMMMMmmmmmm! Delicious!

The Rusty Nickel

2011-01-06T17:23:00.000-06:00

I do not want the blog to turn into an advertising page; however, my sister-in-law deserves a little post time.
Last year, she decided to turn her garage into a business for selling holiday decor. Her passion and talent has now expanded to an entire shop dedicated to selling holiday decorations, candles, and treats. The style is known as "primitive." This means, taking something that is old, antique, or what the average person might sell at a consignment shop, and with simple additions and updating makes something totally new and enjoyable in your home. Some people will even buy the stuff that isn't genuine and pay top dollar for something that is not even the real deal.
My mother-in-law, cousins on the married side, and other investors have also contributed to the success. If I lived in the area and had more money to spend, I too would be a frequent shopper.

Are you interested now?? Where is this coveted shop you may ask? It is in Manly, Iowa. It is just slightly north of Mason City. Take the exit for Highway 9 east off I-35. Follow Highway 9 until you get to Broadway Street. Take a left on Broadway and another left onto East Main Street. It should be the nicest looking building on the south side or left side of the street, painted a lovely shade of dark blue with a sign that says "The Rusty Nickel." No matter what, you can't get lost. It is small-town Iowa:)

Walk it Out!

2011-01-03T18:16:00.001-06:00

Over the holidays, we had a guarenteed white Christmas. We started our trip in Manly, Iowa where the snow was piled as high as the bottom of the railroad crossing sign.
That didn't stop us from having a happy holiday though. Next, we headed to State Center, Des Moines, and then Ames where we spent the following week until my sister Erin's wedding on New Year's Eve (more pictures to come). Everyone got plenty of toys from Santa including our little niece Adylyn.
All the snow; however, did create a little bit of cabin fever. So, I've been walking it all out. Really, you can't ask for better weather for this time of year in Kansas City! With above average temps in the lower 40's there is no excuse! Today we were back to work. Justin enjoyed the treadmill over his lunch hour. As a teacher, I am not blessed with an actual hour for lunch. Regardless, I came home and hit the trails for a brisk 40 minute walk. Hopefully, I can stick to it or at least get some physical activity after work when the weather is not so pleasant. Happy trails!

The First of the Gourmet Club Recipes

2010-11-14T09:47:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I decided to tackle a new project...The Gourmet Club files.

What are The Gourmet Club files you ask? Is it totally top secret? Did you join some secret society? Well, yes the files are sort of a secret, but not totally, as I would not be sharing them on a blog. Did I join a secret society? Yes, but that was 10 years ago when I joined my sorority:) Here is the true story. When my Grandma and Grandpa Calderwood were living in Monmouth, Illinois, they joined a gourmet cooking club. About once a month, the club would get together and cook a meal according to a theme. Everyone was assigned a task such as beverages, desserts, main course, side dishes, appetizers, etc. My grandparents saved every menu from every dinner. Each menu has countless stories and the files are a big deal in our family. I was fortunate enough to have the files passed down to me. One of the most popular dinners my grandparents attended was the Viennese Dinner and the Doboschtorte.
This recipe is not for the faint of heart or for those who are concerned with their weight. There is 1 1/2 lbs. of butter in this recipe; however, the work that goes into making this masterpiece burns at least a quarter of the calories one would consume after enjoying this cake. I now understand why people love their Kitchen Aide mixers, as I do not own one and spent over 25 minutes beating and creaming the frosting and filling for the cake. My grandfather always said it was worth it and he is right. Just look at this beauty!
To accompany the dessert, I made Wiener Schnitzel and a salad. Who knew Wiener Schnitzel is not really a sausage or hot dog? It is actually a cut of veal that is breaded and pan fried similar to its American cousin Chicken Fried Steak. The flavors are brightened; however, by marinating the cutlets in lemon juice. Overall the meal was a great success. My grandfather told me before he passed to take the recipes and enjoy them. I am certainly looking forward to future gourmet meals.

ISU Homecoming

2010-10-31T20:07:00.000-05:00

Last week, Justin and I decided to head back to Ames for Iowa State's homecoming weekend. It seemed appropriate since the Cyclones were playing KU. So, feeling the need to recharge our batteries a little, I took the whole day off and Justin took a half day on Friday. This let us leave by 1:30, which lent itself to very light traffic and daylight driving. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing good friends, family, the crisp fall weather, and of course the victory over the Jayhawks. It was a very good weekend:)

Cleaning out the Cobwebs

2010-10-26T19:45:00.000-05:00

My recent time has been spent cleaning and reorganizing my house. I realized that since the end of summer, I had not done the best job with housekeeping. On my three day weekend, I reorganized three closets, swept, swiffered, mopped, and double swiffered my floors, and did a deep cleansing of all other rooms and things that needed a good face lift. Needless to say, there were many surprises. One being the toy hammer under our coffee table from three weeks ago when we had our good friends and their kids stay over for a weekend. I also found that while our a.c./heater was off, the air ducts had collected piles of something in the air vents. While, I've been intending to pay for an good air duct cleaning, my stingy ways have gotten the best of me and have decided to let this one go until spring. This could change though, if the more retentive side gets a hold of me. Amongst all this cleaning, I also decided to check my blog. Oh, how things change in two months. Some, have totally changed or been evolving into something new, some of remained the same, and others have totally stopped their blogs. The yin and yang got me thinking about how I'd like to keep my blog going. I hope to keep this blog as a means to stay in contact with those who I do not see on a regular basis. Secondly, I hope to keep this blog going as a means to document life. Justin and I enjoy family, friends, small adventures, and the cuisine and recipes I create. This is a wide array and I hope others enjoy it too. Above all, this little blog has been a sweet hobby, which I hope you enjoy too. There may be breaks, but I will hang in there! Hopefully, there will only be more joy to come:)

So...It's Been a While

2010-10-23T14:34:00.000-05:00

Lately every time I think about sitting down and actually writing a post, I've been distracted. What has been happening? Let's back up to August. School started, we had my grandfather's funeral, and then had a break. Then came September. We had the typical revolving door of visitors, getting preparations under way for my sister's shower and bachelorette party, a trip to Weston to visit the Red Barn Farm, and then October snuck up on us. The first weekend of October marked the first of two birthdays (my dad's on the 3rd, my sister Erin's on the 10th) and the couples wedding shower for the bride and groom to be. Then we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary on the 6th, with a celebratory dinner at Lidia's later that weekend. On the 15th, I headed back to Iowa sans Justin for the bachelorette party. This weekend, I finally got a break from traveling and celebrating; however, MUST FINISH CLEANING! Yes, it has been the major project this weekend. So, I apologize for the two month sabbatical, but not worry. I am back:)

The Little Engine That Could

2010-08-15T09:40:00.000-05:00

I love sleep. I especially love sleep when I'm feeling down in the dumps. For some odd reason, this time of year makes me feel this way. Number one, the stinkin' heat is killin' me smalls. At first I thought, "Well, it's not snow." Then, it turned into the heat where you can't do anything without getting heat stroke. Second, it's the start of another school year. While others are exhilarated with the energy from the start of a new school year, I find it extremely anxiety provoking. In special education, there is a ton of work at the beginning and you never know who is going to show up on the door step. It is better when you can get yourself and students into a routine ASAP; however, your schedule is completely dependent on the regular education teachers' schedules and everyone else that makes a school run. Thirdly, my grandfather passed away two weeks ago. His quality of life had really slipped and it is for the best. We are all worried more about my mom. The funeral is next weekend, since everyone has to travel long distance to Tennessee. I think the closure will be good, as this has been an incredibly long and sad journey for everyone. Along with some good sleep, I've been privately crying (I hate crying in front of people), thinking a lot, and searching for the positive. Hopefully, today I can make it out for a long walk since the weather finally cooled down.

On the upside, I like this picture of Justin and I. We took the picture last weekend while visiting my dad. I like the picture of my awesome golf swing too. It is my little engine story.

The trip was well needed and I will post more pictures of the Orpheum soon. My dad lives on a golf course, so we played a fun game of golf. Although I really am not a good golfer, I enjoy the game. Justin had found an awesome pink ball for me. On the last hole, I kept telling myself I could really swing and actually make it up the hill. Kind of like the little engine that could. Well, my swing was awesome, but I lost the ball amongst a bunch of crab apple trees. My ball blended in with the fallen crab apples perfectly, but I kept saying to everyone, "We can find this ball. I can do it!" Just when we all about gave up, Justin held up the ball and said, "You're right I found it!" Long story, but we found the ball and I made bogey! So, I had to complain a little at first. What I am learning though is to keep telling myself "I can do it," just like the little engine that could.

Floors Done- Check

2010-08-05T08:04:00.000-05:00

Here are the pictures of the before and after shots of the basement floors. Before...

and after!
Now we just need the electrical, drywall, texturizing, painting, lighting, shelving, and the list goes on and on. Oh the joys of being a happy homeowner! Really we have no room to complain though. We are truly blessed to have each other and our lovely home:)

I Smell Freedom

2010-08-04T10:56:00.000-05:00

The past three days, I've had contractors in my house. Justin started finishing a portion of the basement in April. We are trying to do a majority of it ourselves; however, have decided some things need to be left to the professionals. The flooring is one of them. We have several cracks in the concrete, which left tiling out of the question. We also had a little bit of moisture accumulate after the many inches of snow and heavy rain this spring. This left carpet out of our choices. Justin would be fine with leaving the concrete and throwing down area rugs. Although this is Justin's future man cave, I also do not want it looking like a room in a fraternity house. So, we looked into staining the concrete with a polished top coat. While I am really looking forward to the end results (which should be today), I am also looking forward to having my freedom back. Don't worry, pictures of the before and after are soon to come:)

Daisy Doggy Dash

2010-08-02T12:23:00.000-05:00

While on my morning run today our neighborhood dog, Daisy, chose to join me. She has attempted to spree from her yard on several other attempts, but today made the mad dash which made me feel responsible for trying to get her back home.

With no leash, as I do not own a dog, I had to use commands. She ignored "Sit girl," but, clearly understood, "Daisy, get over here!" Daisy chased every squirrel, succumbed to much dog sniffing, and took a cool dip in the creek.

She continued to remain mostly by my side and was a very loyal pacer.

Needless to say, when we finally returned to the neighborhood, we were both tired and went back to our respected homes.

Deck Warming Party

2010-07-26T12:15:00.000-05:00

This weekend, our dear friends the Kenyons, invited us up to Creston, IA for their deck warming party. The party was a total blast complete with great food, live music courtesy of Matt & Emily, a bountiful selection of wine, and a blind whiskey sampling. I also made sangria, which I had never made before. It was a total hit! Unfortunately, non of my pictures turned out so there is no documentation of the event. This could have been due to the sangria:) Since the sangria was sort of my frienemy for providing loads of fun, but ruining my pictures at the same time, I thought I'd post the recipe.

Raspberry-Peach Sangria
2 thinly sliced peaches
1 quart raspberries
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 C. peach schnapps
1 bottle white wine (we used chardonnay, but any other white wine would be fine)

Mix ingredients in a large pitcher. Chill for several hours and serve with ice. As the night progressed, we added more wine and schnapps to the mix to stretch the recipe. It will be a hit for sure!

Making the Best of It

2010-07-23T10:18:00.000-05:00

Last week, I finally returned from my trip to Tennessee. This trip was totally unexpected. The weekend of the 4th of July, my grandfather went into the hospital. He is experiencing congestive heart failure and has now finally moved into a nursing home. So, it has been difficult for me to post much of anything because I am still kind of recovering and coping with slowly losing my last grandparent. To make things easier for my mom, who has been driving down almost every other week or every third week to take care of my grandfather while attendant care is unavailable, my sister, Erin, and I went to help my mom with all the duties that go with an aging parent. For the first time, I understood on of the many intricate parts and complexities of the life cycle.

To make the best of the situation, we stopped at a restaurant called Lamberts. Lamberts, if any of you know about the history, is the home of the throwed rolls. Filled with massive plates of Southern cuisine, you have your bread tossed through the air. If you are not a good catcher, it could end up on the floor or worse pounding your neighbor in the face. Once we arrived in Union City, Tennessee, Erin baked a lime tart per my grandfather's request. We delivered the tart with a pampering party. I also had the joy of taking what we call the Stinkin' Lincoln out for a cruise. While the trip was very difficult, I made sure everyone made the best out of the situation.

Good Food, Great Times

2010-06-27T10:50:00.000-05:00

This year we made our third annual homage to the Great Lenexa Barbeque Battle. It was the 29th year for the battle and honestly, I must say the Burnt Butter team has not once disappointed us. We sincerely thank Dan and Julie Hurley for letting us take part and enjoy something Kansas City is known for. I love that we have started a little bit of a tradition. First, we park by Lenexa City Hall, then we ride a bus over to the park where the festivities take place.

Are these some handsome meat pics as promised or what? And how about the picture of myself with the politician? Really, I am more of a moderate voter myself; however, I told this guy, Tom Tiahrt, I had a food blog and he wanted to be included. Hey, who doesn't love BBQ? Anyway, back to the food. This year's menu was complete with chicken, pulled pork, and a new miscellaneous item....the bacon explosion. Mr. Hurley made this entree using a layer of weaved bacon, a layer of sausage, a layer of BBQ sauce and rub, another layer of weaved bacon, and more BBQ sauce and rub. He then rolled the meat into a nice loaf of goodness and smoked it. Have you had your coronary yet folks? It was delicious!

Blogging Bliss

2010-06-25T13:47:00.001-05:00

I am so excited for this weekend! We have the whole weekend jammed and packed with awesome events. My Dad was just teasing me the other day about becoming a "woman of leisure" and I will be honest, I am taking FULL advantage of my leisurely summer. So, what does a "woman of leisure" do? Besides working on deep cleaning projects and loving my blog again, I have been working on my health and fitness. I love it! I don't know why it is so tough to maintain a workout routine during the school year. But seeing the beautiful trees, trails, and yes, getting up close and personal with the wildlife is pure bliss. I took this picture on Monday. Can you believe how close this mother deer let me get? I couldn't. Yesterday, I also got my hair colored. It reminds me of spending time with my Grandma Duree. She used to get her hair done every week! This wild hairdo cracked me up and I had to make a face similar to one my grandmother might have made if I would have taken her picture in the salon. Very dorky I know:) So, besides relaxing and catching up with life, Justin and I will be attending the Lenexa BBQ Battle tonight. Get excited for some handsome meat pics! Tomorrow we are planning on going to the Downtown Art's Festival in the Power & Light District. Look forward to some great blogging!

Bruschetta Topping

2010-06-22T08:18:00.000-05:00

I made up this recipe a couple of weeks ago while entertaining for family and friends. I was in a little bit of a bind because I had spent most of the day cleaning the house for the guests. Luckily, I had some tomatoes on hand and got the idea for bruschetta. I used the tomato topping on some grilled baguettes. We loved the topping so much, we decided to try it with pasta. Turns out, we loved the pasta hot as well as cold because there were no left-overs! Justin and I both kept sneaking out to the fridge throughout the night and snacking on the pasta. Here's the recipe:

4-6 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, cut into ribbons
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1 clove finely minced garlic
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C. crumbled goat cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

This recipe is literally a chop, drop, and stir recipe. Use it as a topping, or in a pasta dish as pictured. It is delicious!

Egg Recipe

2010-06-15T09:43:00.000-05:00

I love breakfast! It is not only the most important meal of the day, but also something I rarely skip. I am not a cereal eater in the morning. I have discovered that I need more substance! A lot of people are always asking how I make my lovely egg creations. It is really simple actually. I usually saute something for the week, then add the veggies to the bottom of a microwave safe bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Sometimes I add a little shredded 2% cheddar cheese, sometimes I don't. Then I poor Egg Beaters over the cheese and veggie mixture and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. The egg substitute will fluff up almost like a souffle! It is sort of cool if you're into cooking. It will all come out like a nice little omelet. This week, I've been adding my omelet-like creation to Flat Out flat bread and rolling up into a wrap. This week's saute mixture was simply made with the following:

1 box frozen spinach, thawed & drained
1/2 finely diced red onion
2 finely diced Roma tomatoes
Salt & pepper to taste

1. Saute onion for 2-3 minutes on medium heat in a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Add the tomatoes and spinach and saute for 2-3 minutes longer. Then enjoy!

You can add this simple mixture as I have or also create an egg casserole to enjoy all week. It takes a little preparation, but is well worth the healthy breakfast that will fuel your entire day!

Too Cute

2010-06-08T08:12:00.000-05:00

This may seem like a very lame post, but I have been wanting to get pictures of these little guys for weeks. Whenever Justin and I make a trip to Super Target or Home Depot, we drive past this adorable miniature pony farm. Sometimes the ponies are close to the road for superb viewing. Other times they are on the far end of the pasture. About a month ago, we noticed that there were some new additions to the pony farm. These little guys are adorable when they are fully grown; however, they look like live stuffed animals when they are babies. It makes me think of the many times I asked for a pony for Christmas. Last night, I just happened to talk Justin in to making a trip so I could finally get a picture. He said it was okay as long as I actually blogged about it. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoy driving past this novel little farm!

The Green Stuff

2010-05-11T19:09:00.000-05:00

There is this salad dressing I have totally fallen in love with since moving to Kansas City. At many of our professional development trainings for school we often get food catered in from Old Shawnee Town Pizza. This place is literally up the street from our house; however, Justin and I try not to frequent our visits to this particular pizzeria too often as the food is LOADED with calories. I must say, though, I heart their salad dressing. No one really knows what it is. It is green and could really turn off someone who is afraid of green. The competing chain has a similar dressing which is known as "the pink stuff." Needless to say, I crave this dressing and had to find a healthier alternative or the Bear and myself would be indulging too much. Finally, I have found our alternative from this month's Cooking Light magazine. The recipe is from Riki Senn. I have chosen to dress my salad in mixed baby greens, radishes, corn, tomatoes, and chicken. I also exchanged the white wine vinegar in the dressing recipe for rice wine vinegar. Justin, my husband, can smell and detect vinegar from a mile away. I find he is much less apt to complain when I use rice wine vinegar. It is less acidic. Here goes! You should really try it!

Avocado-Herb Dressing
1/2 C. light mayo
1/4 C. chopped green onions
1/4 C. light sour cream
1 Tblsp. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 Tblsp. chopped fresh chives
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 peeled avocado
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tblsp. water
1 Tblsp. white wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process or blend until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yields 1 1/4 cups (serving size 1 tablespoon). Calories 19, Fat 1.4 g., Fiber .3 g., Cholesterol 2 mg.

Mmmm...Brownies

2010-04-17T16:11:00.000-05:00

Do you ever crave a good, fudgey, homemade brownie? I did today and just happened to have all the ingredients on hand. This recipe is adapted from Cooking Light, circa October, 2006. Good news is, you don't have to feel guilty for indulging a little! I adapted the Irish Cream and only added 4 tablespoons versus the full 1/4 cup the original recipe calls for. Justin claims the brownies are too "boozy" for his taste when I use the full amount. If you decide to use the full 1/4 cup, omit the water. I also suggest using the carmel flavored Bailey's. It adds a great dimension!

Brownies with Irish Cream

1 C. all-purpose flour
½ C. unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1/3 C. semisweet chocolate chips
¼ C. butter
1 C. sugar
½ C. egg substitute
4 Tbsp. Irish cream ( I used the carmel flavored)
4 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and whisk.

In a microwave safe dish, microwave chocolate chips and butter on high for 1 ½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Next, add sugar, Irish cream, and water and stir. Microwave on high for 30 seconds more and stir until ingredients are combined. This will help smooth the sugar. Add the egg substitute and melted chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Finally, add the remaining cup of chocolate chips and vanilla extract and stir until combined. Spread batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350-degrees or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Cool completely before cutting and enjoy!

Pony Express Days

2010-04-13T19:03:00.001-05:00

Easter weekend, we went to St. Joseph, Missouri and met up with Justin's dad, Doug. I think this had to of been some of the cheepest, most fun trip we have made in a long time. We originally set our expectations pretty low. Last summer, we went to Old Shawnee Days and expected reinactments with period clothing and cowboy shootouts. No such luck. Pony Express Days; however, totally delivered! They had people dressed like the Old West, Civil War reinactments, cowboy shootouts, and plenty of museums and history to explore. Not to mention, it was the 150th anniversary of the real first ride of the Pony Express! We enjoyed a parade complete with a Buffalo Bill Cody look-alike contest, toured the original Pony Express stables, and toured the Patee House which is an old hotel turned museum. All really cool stuff. Justin and I totally understand why it is one of the 1,000 places in America you have to see. We hope you enjoy the pictures and get to see it all for yourself someday.

Questions Answered

2010-04-06T20:27:00.001-05:00

Since recently posting some of the many recipes I cook, I've encountered some good questions. Question number one, Did you take your own photos? Yes, I took my own photos with some help. It is really the food I cooked. The zucchini picture is my own, the pork and rice picture was plated by my sister, Erin, and my mother, Julie. My pictures probably will look more simplistic/rustic. I have always had a knack for cooking food, but only recently have been interested in plating. It is amazing how much better food can taste when plated properly. It is a goal to which I aspire. Question two, Are these really your recipes? Yes and no. I originally started using recipes as a foundation. For example, I LOVE good food, but did not like how my waistline started looking. So, I read and started reading about cooking "lighter" foods. They tasted okay, but needed some amp. Thus, I learned from trial and error how to marry the two. Thus came about the recipes I share. A lot of my inspiration comes from Cooking Light accompanied by Food Network, Anthony Bourdain, and other chefs I truly admire. You have to really learn to feel your food and understand some of the science. Get in the kitchen, experiment, and share. There are more recipes to come. I cook almost every night of the week; however, only started to realize that this whole plating and blogging thing takes a little bit of time and thought. I think it is my new hobby. So, be patient folks. As the school year winds down, I promise there will be more to come. Otherwise, look forward to more Nickel news. We went to Pony Express Days in St. Joseph, Missouri. Pictures will come as I figure out my new camera. Yup, we upgraded and Sara and Justin are finally figuring out the 21st Century with new cell phones to boot. Much to look forward to my friends!

A Taste of Summer

2010-03-25T16:58:00.000-05:00

I have been so excited to share this recipe! I usually make it during the summer months; however, could not resist when we were experiencing the lovely spring weather. Here is the Mango-Coconut Rice served with Jerk Pork Tenderloin.

Mango-Coconut Rice Salad

1 ¼ cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 can light coconut milk
1 cup water
2 cups diced and peeled mango (about 2 mangoes)
1 ½ cup diced red bell pepper
¾ cup shredded carrot
½ cup sliced green onions
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (I like the flat leaf variety)
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground red pepper
¼ tsp. curry powder

Bring water and coconut milk to a boil in a large saucepan; add rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Next, remove the saucepan from the heat and let the rice stand with the cover on for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes, fluff the rice with a fork. Finally, add the mango and the rest of the 10 ingredients. You can serve the rice immediately or chilled. I like to serve the rice chilled in the summer time.

Jerked Pork Tenderloin

2 ½ pounds lean pork tenderloin, use two 1 ¼ pound pieces if it is packaged in two
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper or ground red pepper

Preheat grill to medium heat. To create the rub, combine the cinnamon, allspice, thyme, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small dish. Then, rub the spice mixture onto the pork loin. Grill the pork until the pork reaches 160-degrees Fahrenheit or for about 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Let the meat stand for 5 minutes then slice and serve.

Life in Slow Mow

2010-03-23T20:53:00.001-05:00

No, life has not totally come to a pause. It is actually coming at me in life's normal pace. I've just given up most of my caffeine. I realized that I have been totally addicted to caffine since high school. Do you remember the first time you watched Friends? I do. Watching the cool characters converse on an over-sized couch with their over-sized coffee drinks only made me want to live in their world. So, I started drinking coffee. A little coffee soon turned into half a pot when I started high school and had to juggle morning marching band, choir, classes, cross country, student government, school musicals, school plays, directing school plays, speech contests, cross country meets, speech contests, and the list goes on and on and on. In college, caffine helped me get through mono, classes, my debu T.V. shows on the local college network, sorority life, and making it to class after celebrations from the night before. As an adult, it just help me wake up to hyperactive children I had to teach everyday after nights of studying for graduate classes or after attending graduate classes the night before. Coffee has always been my partner. In hopes of trying to conceive this summer; however, I realized I needed to give up the juice. While I have not totally given up the juice, I have cut WAY BACK. Yes, I am down to only four cups. Yes, four cups only in the morning. No soda or anything throughout the rest of the day. It really hasn't been that hard. First, I noticed I was sleeping a hell of alot better. Next, I realized a reduction in the sweaty armpit action I used to experience. Finally, I have been WAY MORE CHILL! Yes, as life throws me action I calmly can contemplate and throw thoughtful action right back. It is so cool. So, if you experience any of the above three, maybe you should cut back too. I don't know. It is only a suggestion after my realization.

In other news, more recipes to come. I have photographs of Jerked Pork Loin with a Tropical Mango-Coconut Rice to share. I just have been too chill to actually compile the recipe after the photos. So, just wait in anticipation. This is one you will want to cook over the summer!

Stuffed Zucchini

2010-03-14T18:53:00.000-05:00

Well friends, here goes my first blog-posted recipe. Many of you know that I believe every good diet consists of getting five or more servings of fruits and veggies everyday. The stuffed zucchini was an easy recipe to get in more veggies and add some nice color to your plate. The recipe can be adapted by using ground turkey instead of the lean ground beef. I used the 93%. The meal paired nicely with a side of linguine with marinara sauce. I also hope to try this recipe with eggplant. For today, here is what you will need:

1-2 spray(s) cooking spray
2 medium sized zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
1 tsp. olive oil
6 oz. lean ground beef
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 clove minced garlic
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
4 Tbsp. seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten
4 Tbsp. mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large baking pan with cooking spray.

Scoop out the seeds from the zucchini. You can save some of the flesh if you want to add extra bulk to your meat mixture. Arrange the zucchini halves, cut side up on the pan coated with cooking spray.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add, 1 tsp. olive oil and heat slightly. Next, add the ground beef, chopped carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are softened and the beef is browned. Then, add the tomato paste, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Cook for five more minutes. Then, remove the skillet from the heat. Cool for five minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, add meat and vegetable mixture, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and beaten egg. Mix well.

Fill each zucchini half with meat mixture. I used a spoon to mound the meat up a little. Finally, bake for 30 minutes or until the zucchini is tender crisp. Garnish with the mozzarella cheese.

Sweet Betty

2010-03-11T18:09:00.001-06:00

Maybe it's all the thoughts about grandparents who have passed away. Maybe it's fond memories of Golden Girls re-runs. I used to watch the re-runs while staying with my Grandma and Grandpa Duree when I was growing up. Either way I cannot help but express my excitement that Betty White will be hosting Saturday Night Live. This is a picture of the dear Betty at 88 years young. How can you not love that? The other picture is me with my sisters Erin and Amy. It was the last time we got to see my Grandma Duree back in 2006. I don't want to make this a depressing post; however, she passed away the next day. Had I known she was going to pass soon after we left, I would have stayed with her all night. Like all of my family, she was a great woman. She grew up in a Mennonite home in the early 1900's. Then, later broke free from the community to graduate from high school two years early. She went to school in a one room school house and graduated when she was sixteen! She then fended for herself and went to school to become a paralegal. While employed in Ottumwa, Iowa she met my Grandpa Duree. They married while he was training in the Air Force to go and fight in Germany during World War II. Everything is beautifully documented on their love before marriage, life after marriage during his training, life during the war, and life when my grandfather returned from the war in a scrapbook. The scrapbook is one of the few pieces she was able to give me before she passed. I truly cherish this piece of history. Funny how this all can be sparked from media regarding Betty White. Regardless, I am excited and will surely be tuning in to see Betty.

Goin' South

2010-03-09T16:13:00.000-06:00

A week from this coming Thursday, I will be headed down to Tennessee with my mother and my sister Erin to visit my Grandpa Calderwood. Trips in the past were always filled with great joy as this used to be like our "spa trip" or summer getaway. This trip, however, is very different. My grandfather is passing. He refuses to go into a nursing home or hospice hospital because he wants to die at home. Thus, my mother, Uncle John, and Cousin Abbey have been making bi-monthly trips to his home to help take care of him when respid care is unavailable. I know this trip will be tough, very tough. It pains me to say it, but his days are numbered. I can't help but think though, of all the fond memories through the years that we have had with our visits down south. Memphis, The Peabody, the stinky papermill we have to drive past through Kentucky, the pool, running down long winding roads, and the Southern drawls are all so comforting to think about. While this trip will be one of the hardest, I know it will also create new memories. Memories my sister and I can talk about in the years to come.

Guest Blogging

2010-03-07T11:44:00.000-06:00

Today I was asked by the creator of this blog to guest post. I am sure this will end just like Conan, with the creator offering me millions of dollars to regain control of what was rightfully hers to begin with. But enough rambling. Let's get on to the several events and happenings of this weekend.

Saturday started with a bang. Sara and I snagged some breakfast at Wendy's and then headed to Home Depot for a new bathroom faucet. The old faucet in our bedroom has been dripping for most of 2010. Not even some new parts back in January could extend the life of this faucet. Once we had one picked out, my friend Jeremy from work came over to help me install it. Well ...... that's not entirely correct. Jeremy did all the work and I assisted him. The new faucet works great and looks great too. Thanks Jeremy. Check out the pic to the left.

And most importantly, the Iowa State Cyclones got a huge victory over the #5 ranked Kansas State Wildcats. This victory was a little overdue and a long time in the making, but no one ever said being a Cyclones is easy. Congrats to the two men in the picture for their perseverance this season.

While the Cyclones were taking care of business against K-State, Sara and I took care of dinner on the new grill. This was my splurge for the spring. It makes me feel like a real man when I can cook an animal to 500 degrees. The steaks we cooked tasted great and made it feel like summer was just around the corner. Another great picture is attached.

And on a sad note, Sara was traumatized when my winter facial hair went south for the winter. She just has to get one last snap of the beard before it magically disappeared this morning. Of course the pic is added as well.

Deep Cleansing

2010-02-22T15:17:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not we had a snow day. So, snow day equals deep cleaning the house day! Yay! This may make me sound like a ultra neat freak; however, I just can't beat that lemon fresh sent that smells like spring. Ahhhh! The extra time on my hands also got me thinking about the great throwdown which will be occuring within the summer months between myself and me fatha! So, I e-mailed a couple of mi amigos (Bobby Flay and the owners of Fiorella's Jackstack BBQ) this question:

Within the summer months, I am co-hosting a BBQ throwdown with my father. We are co-hosting a couple’s wedding shower for my sister. As a resident of Kansas City, the theme came about from Bobby Flay's show and our family's great passion for awesome food. My assignment is the almighty pork loin. I have requested to use the gas grill and have a killer rub; however, am questioning the use of a smoker. My rub includes typical native ingredients indigenous to the Kansas City BBQ area, but also utilizes the smoky aromas of smoked paprika. With the smoked paprika in mind, is there really any need to slave over a smoker all day in order to achieve my throwdown greatness?

Any suggestions?? I have also began formulating the ideas to change the format of my blog. Since I love and have a huge passion for food....why not share it with you all? While the population is quite small right now, I believe we could all share something that is great. Hopefully, some of that being my food. I don't want this turning into one of those typical blogs where you see a photo of everything I ate that day, but maybe something with some good ideas for you and your family to share. What are your thoughts?

Best Birthday

2010-02-14T15:53:00.000-06:00

My sister, Erin, came down this weekend for my birthday celebration and to do a little wedding dress shopping. Originally, I was very nervous and thought that I might be sabotoging the day. Somehow, with a little hope, a little planning, and a positive attitude the day was one of those perfect days you don't want to end. We started at a bridal boutique up the street from my house that graciously served mimosas. Erin tried on four beautiful dresses. Each dress was different and stunning. Amongst all the wedding bliss and mimosas; however, we picked out the top two dresses without discussing designers or price. Ha! Then, we headed to my favorite sushi place. Mmmm...spicy tuna rolls and the firecracker roll. With the 40 degree weather and sunshine, it was like reliving fond memories from the summer. Next, we visited the bridal shop from which I purchased my gown. It brought back more good memories. Erin even had the same consultant! It was at Ida's Erin found her dress. Although she did have to sleep on the decision, we went back the next day and made the big purchase. After the great success in wedding dress shopping, we did a little shopping and ended the day with a great Italian feast at Garozzo's. Justin was so sweet and continued to surprise me with little gifts of chocolate and Penzy's Spices. I am so thankful to have such a great husband and family. Thank you to everyone who was here to celebrate, the lovely birthday cards, and phone calls. It was truly a special day!

19 and Counting

2010-02-03T17:10:00.000-06:00

Last night I indulged in a guilty pleasure. I do not usually watch much T.V.; however, Justin was in class so I had free range over the remote. I was captivated between the Discovery Channel and TLC's show about the Dougar family. Can you really help yourself? It is really one of nature's great mysteries that the woman birthed 19 children! Anyhow, I've come to the conclusion that the only reason there has not been a pop culture quiz question over the show. Will she have more kids?? Here is how I would state the million dollar question..."In 2010, TLC aired the reality show hit 19 Kids and Counting about a religious family with 19 naturally born children. Can you name all 19 children?" So, can you? Maybe for the challenge you could even time it. Ha!

New Year's Resolutions & Keeping Them

2010-01-21T18:42:00.000-06:00

I really do not like New Year's Resolutions. This is usually because everyone I know, myself included, has good intentions with starting the new year off right with losing weight, quiting something, exercising, etc. What I've found is that really these resolutions should be called affirmations. One of my A.P. high school English teachers said if you put your statements or resolutions into statements such as "I will" or an affirmation, you are more likely to commit to your affirmation versus your resolution. Since my sophomore year of high school, I've done this and believe Mrs. Moberg is totally right. She was also very wise in stating that you must keep your list small and logical. I find myself tyring to "affirm" to a lengthy list all the time. What overachiever doesn't? We are always trying to achieve perfection. Perfection is somewhat of a problem too. Really, aren't we as humans always looking for zen or balance? Therefore, I tried to put my so called "New Year's Resolutions" into a very tight perspective the last two years. I've realized I will not be perfect. No one is and the more you try to paint a perfect picture or idolize perfect people you only begin to see more shortfalls or the less perfect picture.

So what are Sara Nickel's New Year's Affirmations you ask? Well, that is somewhat complex. They are really on a week to week basis as I am starting very small. My first affirmation this week was to work out at least two times this week. My Wii Fit is holding me very accountable to this! I was commenting to one of the fifth grade students today about how much I love my Wii Fit game. He said, "I hate that stupid thing! I wasn't on it for a month. That was Christmas. Of course I was eating good stuff all month. Next thing I know, I got on it and it told me I was fat!" We both laughed really hard because I told him my Wii told me the same thing. Not that I fear technology or anything, but the little Wii Fit board is holding me accountable for doing something small everyday. Good news is, my affirmation held true. I've now worked out and stepped on that Wii four days this week. I will probably set my goal for three days of physical activity next week:)

I know this blog post might be a little deep; however, maybe it will help someone if they change their thinking. I know I had to change mine.

Happy MLK Weekend!

2010-01-17T11:06:00.000-06:00

Don't you love three day weekends? I know not all of you get MLK Day off from work. Really, it is kind of a random celebration; but, many thanks to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for all of your contributions. Not to mention, the day off from work in your honor.

So, I had started freaking out a little bit after graduation about what to do with all of this new time on my hands. School was always my out to forget or let go of things because at the end of a work day, I had to be a student. In some ways it was a stress relief. So far so good, though. Life has found ways to fill the time gap. For example, our house is a lot tidier, I've actually done some decorating, and I've actually been working out and enjoying it again. The Wii Fit is amazing. It's like P.E. class back in elementary school when it used to be fun in the comfort of your own home. Food blogs have turned into another interest and inspiration. I love to cook healthfully, but eat well. We try to eat our five servings of fruits and veggies a day without having to be granola crunchers. It's really cool that there are so many other people in the world with this mission. Have you noticed the ever growing list of new blogs on my list? Check them out. Some are a little extreme in the health department, but offer really good information. Others have some great recipes with all of the "how to" instructions.

Finally, has anyone seen the clip of the little kids Jersey Shore? Freakin' hilarious people. You can check it out at http:www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/14/little-jersey-shore-kids_n_423281.html

The Real Men of Public Works

2010-01-08T08:04:00.001-06:00

As if the Real Housewives or Orange County didn't get enough attention, Justin's co-workers have decided to call themselves the Real Men of Public Works. Why you ask? Look at all those beards! For the past two years, Justin has grown a beard between Thanksgiving through February. This was long before that dude in The Hangover premiered his gnarly nape; but, trust me. It only supported Justin's style! Apparently, it has become quite the fashion trend. So much so, that many of the guys with whom Justin works decided to sport beards this winter. Nice facial hair guys!

Finally a Snow Day!

2010-01-06T13:18:00.000-06:00

We were supposed to start school with kiddos today. We've had two days sans kiddos with professional development. I don't usually blog about work because of ethical issues; however, a snow day equals personal day to me as we typically do not get them down here. If anyone of you remembers or knows me, I call Johnson County, KS (aka, Overland Park, Shawnee, Olathe, DeSoto, or anywhere else in the immediate Johnson County, Kansas area) the Orange County of the Midwest. Why? Well, this is because we have a very high income area for the metro Kansas City area. This includes both the Missouri and Kansas areas. For me it is very much replicated from a time when I moved from Creston, Iowa to West Des Moines, Iowa only times ten. Thus, the lawns and streets are typically very well manicured and when it actually does snow down here, the roads are maintained. The shopping is awesome and I often feel unkempt as I do not have my nails done in the awesome French manicure gel or solar style which is haute right now. Due to the bad economy; however, snow maintenance has been somewhat of an issue. Thus, a snow day. Let it freakin' snow! Snow days are missed as we do not get much snow down in this area. Another reason I call Kansas City the Orange County of the Midwest. Last year at this time I had started my awesome jogging plan. We actually have grilled out for the last six years on New Years Eve and Day since we have moved down here because it has been in the mid 40's or 60's. Really, you can't complain. But, it is a relief to finally get some interesting weather other than tornadoes down here. No one put the mail carrier has to complain.

Bad Economy = Short Sleeves??

2010-01-05T15:31:00.001-06:00

With record low temperatures and snow all across the Midwest, one might want to wear more than a skimpy tank. This thought comes about after my post-holiday shopping excursions. Everywhere from Target to J Crew has these dang tissue T's and stupid glittery tanktops. Actually, I wouldn't think them as "stupid" IF IT WEREN'T FOR IT BEING THE MIDDLE OF WINTER!! I mean come on people. You and I and the rest of the world have no desire to be prancing around in Uggs and a freakin' tanktop when it's 4 below zero outside. My second thought was that this look might be appealing for the younger crowd; however, if I had a teenage or twenty something college daughter, she sure as heck would not be allowed out of the house dressed like she lives in the Keys. She'd be dressed in a parka and chastity belt thank you very much. It's kind of sad that I'm referring to the "younger crowd" as I am still enjoying my twenties myself. Finally, my other fashion rant pertains to skinny jeans. I call my "skinny jeans" the jeans that make my behind look great or jeans that I can fit into when I'm having a "skinny day." Skinny jeans should not be jeans with legs that really should fit around my wrist. Let alone the fact that the people who are sporting skinny jeans are not skinny. They were popular in the eighties and should remain that way. Is it the bad economy and fashion vendors trying to save some cash on fabric?? What gives? Really, this all equates to myself not wanting to spend my holiday cash or giftcards and bad clothing.

Winter Woods

2010-01-01T21:10:00.000-06:00

So, we thought Iowa had a lot of snow. Then we came home Wednesday afternoon to a winter wonderland. Our driveway had 8+ inches of snow layered with ice underneath that Justin thought he could plunge through. He only got the mighty Escape stuck in the middle of the driveway. Ha! It was pretty stinkin' hilarious! We then shoveled the Escape out, and I went off to Home Depot for salt and another shovel. After an hour and a half we had the driveway cleared and salted. We make a good team:) The pictures are of the front and back yard. We have a great hill in our backyard that we are contemplating making into a snow luge for some raw sledding adventures. With two more days of winter vacay, this may become a reality! Wahoo!

In other Nickel news, we had a classic Christmas and a rockin' New Year. Last night we rang in the New Year with our Scovill friends. We ate a great meal at Barley's Brewhause, listened to some live music, and then came back to our place for the annual Dick Clark extravaganza. I must commend Ryan Seacrest as it would be no easy feat to replace Dick Clark. It was kind of sad to see Dick in his later years; however, I am amazed at how good looking and tan he still remains. Regardless of my ramblings, it was a great time! Happy New Year to you all!

Graduation

2009-12-14T17:45:00.001-06:00

I finally graduated with my Master's this weekend. I now officially can put M.S.ed after my name. For the last 2.5 years, I've been working towards graduate work in Curriculum and Teaching with a reading emphasis and a Reading Specialist. It was a fantastic event even though I was feeling a little under the weather. My in-laws and immediate family were able to make it down. I huge thank you needs to go out to my husband, family, friends, and colleagues for making this happen. I never would have been able to accomplish this without you! P.S. The red shoes were a Kansas tribute to the Wizard of Oz. There's no place like home, which for now, is Kansas!

Crooked Christmas Tree

2009-12-04T18:41:00.000-06:00

I have to admit, my lovely Christmas tree seen two previous blogs before, is totally crooked. I received this tree from my mom when we lived in a condo with vaulted ceilings. She thought I might be the only person who could use such a tall tree. Which, is totally true. Most of my family members are currently renting or live in spaces sans vaulted ceilings. We have always chosen spaces with vaulted ceilings or taller than average ceilings. I have a tall husband and we both always choose what is aesthetically pleasing to our(his) eye. Anyway, it is an artificial tree which comes with branches that are supposed to be in order; however, it has taken over five years to really figure out the order in which the branches are to be hung. You see, my mom just sort of gave me the box to get it out of her house. My mom's definition of alphabetic or whatever order is very different than that which fits normalcy. So, now we have the order figured out, but how in the heck do we fix the crookedness?? It is a gorgeous tree! A totally gorgeous, crooked, Christmas tree. While I would love to fix the crookedness of the tree, I began thinking that life is not always organized, gorgeous, nor does it lead you on a straight path. Thus, I have come to accept the crookedness. I love my tree. Every piece exemplifies something about what my life and my family's life is totally about. In Lou of 1980's popularity, I must say it is totally awesome.

Family Time

2009-12-01T19:25:00.001-06:00

Our Thanksgiving break came and went so quickly, I was glad we took a lot of family pictures. It was a wonderful trip and we are so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Happiest of Thanksgivings

2009-11-24T05:34:00.001-06:00

We wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving this year! We hope your travels are safe and the Turkey is good. Justin and I can rest easy this holiday as.....I PASSED MY GRADUATE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM!!!!!! It is really nice to know that it is the downhill slide and I only have two simple assignments due for my class. Then on December 12th, I get to walk across the stage. It feels really good. Looking back on it all I know I never would have accomplished it without my supportive husband, family, and friends. It's a lot to be thankful for!

Two Done Son!

2009-11-01T19:52:00.000-06:00

After three days of thinking really hard and writing, I have two of the three questions answered for my comprehensive exam. I am celebrating this evening with a lovely glass of merlot. Good news is I'm right on my strategic schedule. Thanks to everyone for all of your continued patience and support! Your words of encouragement have really made a difference. Now on with the final portion!

Comps Questions

2009-10-29T18:17:00.000-05:00

So, thankfully I got my questions for my graduate comprehensive exam early. This is great considering I am taking Friday, the weekend, Monday, & Tuesday off from anything teaching related at school to work on them. The negative....I will be working my a$$ off to finish them. One question involves creating a whole freakin' curriculum. Had I known that was going to be a question, I would have started that a little earlier. A whole curriculum!? Is this for real? It has to be related to John Dewey, yes not only known for the Dewey decimal system, but also for his work in education. Looks like I have my research cut out for myself along with the other two questions I must answer. Wish me luck!

Princesses & Pigskins

2009-10-24T18:02:00.001-05:00

I don't know if many people know this about me, but I love college football. Yes, this former princess girly-girl loves college football. My love of college football most likely initiated back at Iowa State during my first tailgating experience. Before, I never really understood the point. Then, my guy friends as well as my sorority sisters taught me a lot about the game. So here we go at my take on sportscasting....

It was an exciting game for Big 12 football fans. Iowa State upset Nebraska winning the game 9 to 7. This was the first time in over 30 years Iowa State beat the Huskers in Lincoln. In other college football news, Sam Bradford is out for the rest of the season for the Oklahoma Sooners due to a shoulder injury. This has brought big tears to my eyes, as Sam is currently one of the hottest football players in my book. Not to mention the fact that I used to hate the Sooners due to an old tailgating experience and then began to love them because Sam Bradford is amazing. Don't worry, I am still a Cyclone at heart. The verdict is still out in the SEC as to whether the Florida Gators will upset the Alabama Crimson Tide. Secretly, I am going for Bama as I just have a distaste for Tim Tebow. Guess we'll see. It should be interesting.

Support Bras

2009-10-23T11:18:00.000-05:00

I knew that would get your attention:) My sorority used to give out the "Support Award" every week in chapter. It was this big, and I mean the biggest, crummiest, support bra I had ever seen. It was passed along to various sisters for showing support when people needed a friend. So, I hearby give everyone the support bra award for all the nice posts and support you all have offered me in my time of oral pain. I also have my graduate comps coming up next week, which is probably another reason I've been vomiting. Truth is though, I'm a heck of a lot less nervous than before for all the kindness and support. Thanks a million!

Self Improvement

2009-10-20T12:59:00.000-05:00

So, my hands are shaking terribly from nerves and I had to take the day off. I have not yet blogged about this because I am a little embarrassed as well as nervous to the point I've thrown up twice today. Yes, twice. No, I'm not pregnant. That would be joyful vomiting. I am getting braces. Two weeks ago, I went in thinking the braces would be totally on; however, ran into some problems and they were only able to get the brackets on. Apparently, my teeth are so crowded my spacers would not go in. They snapped and broke three trying to pry them between my molars. Next, they tried the old school wires, got two in on the bottom; but, crammed as the might could not get them in on the top. So, Dr. Carter, my orthodontist, has another plan in mind. I feel like a total pumpkin mouth right now because I've been walking around with just the brackets on my teeth. I'm excited and looking forward to a future of straight teeth, but am incredibly nervous about the pain I'm going to endure this afternoon.

10 Years

2009-10-12T19:51:00.001-05:00

I know it has been a while, almost like ten years, since the last blog. Life got the best of me again. I am nearing the end of my graduate studies, it's the end of the quarter at school, and I had other personal duties to attend too that left me completely exhausted and crabby by the end of last week. Anyhow, the Creston High School Class of 1999 finally had their 10 year class reunion. Before attending the reunion, the Kenyon family and the Nickels celebrated Pumpkin Days in Orient, Iowa. I purchased a fairytale pumpkin from non other than the legendary Novak Gardens man. The guy is rumoured in the town of Creston to be sort of like Kokapeli. I can't imagine ever having much to do with this guy other than politely saying hello and purchasing produce from him; however, since we're still trying to conceive I thought it might help things along if I had my picture taken with him. John Oscar and Jacqueline both enjoyed the parade. Next year, we hope to make it back for the couples lawn mower race.

Next, was the class reunion. It was the nice/good-to-see-some/awkward feeling that I had expected. Jen and I posed for a lovely picture with the fellow buffalo of 3 mile lake lodge before crashing the Class of 1994 reunion, which was way more fun than ours. They had a theme- The Past, Present, and Future; plus, a class president who was way more ambitious than others. Their class reunion completed the theme with tarot card readings, a photo booth, and magic 8-balls as favors. All in all it was a great and memorable weekend. At least what we can remember of it:)

Really Boring

2009-09-10T16:54:00.001-05:00

No friends, I am not trying to grow my own magic mushrooms. These are growing voluntarily in our yard. Funny thing is that I'm finally getting somewhat of a tomato crop. Okay, so I have one tomato that has not been raped by the squirrels; but, really I was mistaken when I saw the mushrooms in my yard and thought the squirrels had yet again taken my one and only tomato. While the squirrels do enjoy these mushrooms, trust me, they were eyeing me as I was taking pictures this evening, I am wondering if the mushrooms are really safe to have in my yard and why they are growing. Sorry Sam! I think by now you realize how boring I really am since I am blogging about fungi, tomatoes, and squirrels.

In other non-boring news, we are headed to Greenfield, IA for the annual Citywide Garage Sales. I am really hoping someone, and I know they are out there, is busy cleaning their home and selling some very vintage items. Just something totally cheesy like an old Budweiser hanging ceiling lamp or something. That would be cool. We are also in pursuit of a Little Tykes slide for my friend Jen since she won't be able to make it to this monumental event. Wish us luck!

Theta Love

2009-09-07T19:39:00.001-05:00

So, I must apologize for the quality of this picture; but, at least we got the picture. It's been a long time since we all got together. With the extended weekend, my good friend Samantha and her husband, Ryan, came down to Kansas City. It's been too long, way too long. Sunday night Sam, Katie (another fellow Theta & Kansas City resident), and myself all got together for dinner at The Other Place in downtown Overland Park. It was quite the night catching up, watching the fellow bar patrons, and seeing things we had not seen since college (as in drunk girls making out). The most comic moment was when I thought I smelled a skunk. Being that I get a little nervous around non-domestic animals, I said with great concern, "OMG! I smell a skunk!" Sam and Kati both started laughing at me and informed me the people behind me were smoking more than cigarettes. We soon left, as Kati is 8 months pregnant and for the simple fact that we are way too old and responsible for that kind of shenanigans. The bar waitress was kind enough to get this snapshot in time that won't be forgotten.

Random Thoughts

2009-09-06T17:26:00.000-05:00

Since I had time this morning to enjoy my coffee and and actually watch T.V. versus guzzling my coffee down between attempts to wake myself up and concentrate on The Weather Channel, I noticed something very funny. While Americans face the cold hard facts about the economy, they can't give up their luxury items. This thought came about as I was analyzing a Bounty paper towel commercial. The basis consists of a clumsy husband and his wife making a comical attempt to brew their own cappuccinos. The machine is working great until uh-oh the husband spills the cinnamon and coffee on the counter. Finally, in comes the super paper towels which not only clean up your mess, but also claim to save you your hard earned money by using fewer paper towels. The whole time I was thinking, ditch the paper towels, go green, and use a washcloth genius. Then, I also concluded that if they really wanted to save money, they'd get rid of the damn cappuccino maker and just make regular coffee. Maybe I'm too cynical.

In other news, we are enjoying a relaxed weekend. It's nice to putz around the house and enjoy each other's company. I also did some shopping as the essential items in my wardrobe are either pitted out, have missing buttons I cannot find, or have pen marks all over them. All in all, it's been an enjoyable weekend.

Franklin & Other Thoughts

2009-08-26T17:10:00.001-05:00

Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.- Benjamin Franklin

I said on my facebook page that I'd be taking mine in a glass of wine. I love beer too, but didn't feel like purchasing any at the end of the day. I had promised myself that I wouldn't be blogging about anything school related this year. Every school year, I come in with rose colored glasses. Probably too optimistic. In the world of special education you know you are going to be dealt a tough hand. I've also always worked around the "at-risk" population, so I really feel any amount of optimism is really a need; however, I've been thrown yet another curve ball and had to move my entire classroom today. They are turning it into another computer lab. This was very disappointing as I spent a couple of afternoons before contracted time putting everything together from yet another previous move. While I know I will never get back the precious time my paras and myself spent putting together the room, I know we are in the business for the kids. The kids are why we folks in education get up and go to our jobs in the morning. Therefore, although I am disappointed, I realized good instruction and services can occur in any setting. Yes, even a broom closet. My youngest sister told me last night that she will always be grateful for the support staff and pull out instruction she received as she would not be where she is today unless she would of had it. With these thoughts of good instruction, support, and a good glass of wine I can forgive the whole situation and move on.

What I Love About Kansas

2009-08-25T19:29:00.001-05:00

So just the other day, I was ranting and raving to my work colleagues about how much I really strongly distaste living in Kansas. While I feel very blessed to have a lovely home, good friends, a great job, and not to mention a husband with a great job I often miss my friends and family back in Iowa. It is hard some days and my biggest fear is that when I do get pregnant, I will be all alone with no help. Just as hard as is it is for us to get back to Iowa, our families struggle with visiting us here in Kansas City. This weekend, however, my dad and his wife, Brenda, made the trip south and helped us cut down a nagging tree in our backyard. I got my firsthand experience with hedge trimmers and cleaned up our bushes. It was super cool and I felt like Edward Scissor Hands only electric. After some afternoon relaxation, we drove over to Lawrence, Kansas . If you've never been to Lawrence, I highly suggest you go. It is one of the things I love about Kansas. Nestled in the heart of ultra-conservative liquor laws and evangelism, is the uber liberal city of Lawrence, home to the University of Kansas. We gave my parents a tour of campus and then went to Massachusetts Street for dinner. Although Lawrence is never short of hippies, freaks, geeks, and punks we were lucky enough to witness even more of this mesh as there was some sort of a street fair. The other thing I love about Kansas is its history. I could go on and on about all the fantastic history here. One of the historical sights in Lawrence is a hotel with a lovely restaurant establishment called The Jayhawker. The hotel was burnt down twice during the horrific boarder war between Kansas, a free state during the Civil War days, and Missouri, which was a slave state. Above you can see the dedication to the hotel which resides in the lobby. Finally, I love the weather here most of the time. We could not have asked for a better weekend. The winters are a lot more mild and there is always more fall to enjoy. Really, I think it is probably about time I give living here a break and enjoy it already:) There is plenty to love!

Farmstead Stampede

2009-08-16T14:52:00.000-05:00

Saturday, Justin and I got up bright and early to run in the Mayor's Farmstead Stampede at Deana Rose. Deana Rose is a petting zoo/ farm replica which has been featured on my blog before. I was very proud of my time finishing 22nd out of 41 for the 25-29 year old female category in 32 minutes and 40 seconds. Justin finished 28th out of 31 on runners for the 30-354 year old male category in 34 minutes and 52 seconds. This was our second 5k run and we both feel good about finishing another race.

Garage Sales

2009-08-08T16:40:00.000-05:00

I had never been garage selling before, but it is a pretty good time. The idea struck us after we had gotten some coffee. Justin mentioned that there appeared to be a large assortment of sales around the neighborhood and said he'd come along if I wanted to go. So, we did and even ventured out to some of the more posh neighborhoods out west. There were some good ones with cheap furniture and some weird ones with a lady selling her sons' toys, happily selling away and smoking her cigarette. The day was a great success and I got a little stepping stool for $2. I've been looking for one for quite some time. I think this might have to become a monthly outing for us as Justin is really fun to go garage selling with.